Build Independence for Your Speller
Homeschooling a speller can feel so daunting, and a lot of that can be due to the hands-on nature of our kids. It can seem like they need constant attention and support, which can be tricky if you want to ever get anything else done, let alone homeschool your other kids.
But, I’ve discovered with my own speller, you can create an environment that encourages independence. Spelling isn’t just about spelling on the boards—it’s about building motor planning, body autonomy, and independence. Here are some creative and practical ways to support your speller at home without needing your constant attention.
Listen, Listen, Listen!
One of the best ways to foster independent tasks is having your speller listen to audio books, YouTube educational videos, and podcasts like The Past and The Curious that provide highly educational and cognitive content.
Keep Hands Busy While Listening
Yes. I know what you’re about to say. “But my speller won’t just sit and listen!” Yep, That’s ok!! For Zeke, we always provide something to keep his body busy while he listens. Legos, sensory bins, puzzles, drawing, Play-Doh, and blocks are great options. Sitting in his sensory swing or standing on a balance board can be great body engagers too. These activities keep their body occupied, allowing their minds to focus on the words they’re hearing. Don’t worry about whether it “looks” like he’s listening. He is.
Motor Planning and Intentional Movement
Find activities that require following simple step by step instructions. Some activities we like are building with Duplo Legos, Magna-Tiles, or following a drawing tutorial. Start with what’s realistic for your child’s level—if small Legos are too complex, begin with larger pieces. Drawing videos, origami tutorials, or simple craft projects provide structured guidance that reinforces the ability to break down tasks, motor plan, and keep both the mind and body engaged. My speller loves Art Hub for Kids videos. Often he will pause the video to draw rather than watching and drawing in real time. This helps give him time to do the motor task of drawing without feeling rushed. The best part - these activities can be done semi-independently, especially once it’s been part of the routine and motor plan for a while!
Movement Videos for More Intentional Movement!
Movement videos like Cosmic Kids Yoga and Floor Is Lava are so fun! All of my kids can get into these. For my speller, it is harder to motor plan in real time like that, so sometimes we will pause the video on a pose to practice and coach his body into that position. He enjoys these videos and now that they are part of his daily routine, he is able to do it on his own.
Encourage Typing Practice
For spellers who have enough fine motor control to practice typing, this is a great motor planning activity! We use Touch Type Read and Spell for Zeke. He doesn’t touch type in the same way we do, but it is not timed or rushed (like some typing games are), and it isn’t sensory overwhelming. They have lots of cognitive topics so they can be learning while keeping their hands working on motor control and visual motor.
Chores for Motor Planning
Are you catching the theme? Building in motor planning, intentional movement, and purposeful tasks into the day can be a game changer for independence!! Lately, we’ve been practicing doing laundry with Zeke. My goal is that this can be an independent task on his list each day. We’re not there yet. But hopefully soon! Practicing the steps each day will build it into his automatic movements.
