Spell Checking in StudyTag

I've recently been asked when are we going to add a spell checker into StudyTag. The answer is not anytime soon. We don't want to recreate what we can easily mash. If you don't know that I mean by that I'll explain. Here at StudyTag HQ we already have a spell checker, compliments of Google. Google has build a great spell checker that checks the spelling in any form in any web-page. It is really all that you need for editing content in StudyTag! An all you have to do to get this spell checker is install the very cool Google toolbar.

So, do you need a spell checker? Go to Google and download their toolbar today! Now I need to use Google to check this post.

Spelling Memory Tricks

Do you have a great set of spelling tricks? Consider adding a spelling memory tricks lesson to StudyTag. Here is one I heard recently, if you trying to remember how to spell cemetery think of three tombstones all the same and lined up in a row. Remember that the tombstones are the same as the vowels, and the vowels are all the same! Never be tempted to spell 'cemetary' again!

I really need someone to write a lesson on spelling memory tricks!

Which Words?

When creating a spelling unit several questions come to mind such as "Which words should we pick for spelling tests?" It turns out, this is not that difficult of a question. With modern computers we can analyze newspapers and books and quickly learn exactly which words are in common use.

Here are some words everyone should know how to spell, consider making them your first and second spelling tests:

a, and, are, as, at, be, for, from, have, he, his, I, in, is, it, of, on, that, the, they, this, to, was, with, you

Why should you know how to spell these words? Well, because they make up 25% of all written material!!! Learn how to spell another 75 words and you will know how to spell 50% of all written material. Seems like a safe place to start.

Spelling Tests and Long Term Memory

When I attended public school we had weekly spelling tests. Every Monday the words were handed out to study for the week and on Friday we were tested on what we had learned. I would bring my list of 20 words home each week, review them with my mother, and typically got an A on the Friday test. I got A's in spelling. This is very amusing if you actually knew my spelling ability. You see, even back in elementary school whenever I had to write a paper in class I always had tons of spelling errors. Why? Because moving something into short term memory is very different from moving it into long term memory. We only ever studied the difficult words for a week at a time! Not enough!

Using StudyTag it is simple to keep reviewing facts with students over the long term. StudyTag makes it easy for students to master the most important facts by moving them into long term memory. StudyTag does this by encouraging short, dedicated but focused study on a set of facts. And, StudyTag makes it easy to accumulate a large set of related facts (such as spelling) into one large review lesson. StudyTag then comes back to review all facts to make sure the spelling (or whatever is being learned) is reaching long term memory.

In case you haven't noticed, we have recently added sound to StudyTag. It is now possible in a content editor to add sounds to a fact. Your student can build their own customized weekly spelling lesson directly into StudyTag! We suggest keeping focused on adding 20 words a week. As they finish each week copy the words into a final exam test and continue to study that lesson as well, long term memory and great spelling is on the way!

Dedicated Server!!!

Hello,

If you haven't been on StudyTag lately then you are in for a few changes.

1. We've moved to a dedicated host. So faster performance times are readily apparent.
2. We've added user profiles and user trophies.
3. We are in the process of updating groups and lesson tags. Soon you will be able to search all public groups to learn what is available for free!!!

I'd suggest alpha authors update their user profiles, and sit back and have some fun. What trophies have you earned?

-Tom