MS JENNIFER LEE

In addition to the points made in Ms Lindy Ong's letter on Monday ('NTUC shouldn't encourage mis-spelling'), it is the responsibility of those in the business of educating children to show a good example by spelling correctly. Foresight begs the question: How does one explain to the children why their 'skool' is mis-spelt?

Creativity is the product of working within boundaries.

For example, if I wrote this letr acoding two rools I envntd, wood tat b criatif?

Or would it be merely confusing and a waste of time? A school can manifest its creativity by employing methods and teachers who impart knowledge directly and clearly, so children understand concepts of numeracy and literacy with little dependence on rote learning.

A child who learns without knowing he is learning is probably in a creative school, but not the one who mis-spells his words.

As a remedial tutor of children with learning difficulties for the past 15 years, I can attest to the fact that it is an uphill task teaching children with learning difficulties the rules of spelling, without adults deliberately confusing them from pre-school level.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on January 22, 2009.