There is a popular belief among parents that schools are no longer interested in spelling. No school I have ever taught in has ever ignored spelling or considered it unimportant as a basic skill. There are, however, different ideas about how to teach it, or how much priority (优先) it must be given over general language development and writing ability. The problem is how to encourage a child to express himself freely and confidently in writing without holding him back with the complexities (复杂性) of spelling. That’s why teachers often encourage the early use of dictionaries and pay attention to content (内容) rather than spelling.

If spelling becomes the only focus of his teacher’s interest, clearly a bright child will be likely to “play safe”. He will tend to write only words within his spelling range, choosing to avoid adventurous language.

I was once shocked to read on the bottom of a piece of writing about a personal experience. “This work is terrible! There are far too many spelling mistakes and your writing is terrible.” It may have been a sharp comment on the pupil’s spelling in writing, but it was also a sad sign that the teacher had failed to read the composition, which contained some beautiful expressions of the child’s deep feelings. The teacher was not wrong to draw attention to the mistakes, but if his priorities had centered on the child’s ideas, an expression of his disappointment with the spelling would have given the pupil more encouragement to seek improvement.

How to Be Organized

Pack your backpack with all your supplies before going to bed. 【小题1】 . This means you’ll need to take books, pens, pencils, homework, review sheets, sticky notes, bookmarks and anything else that helps you stay organized.

• Packing up before going to bed means you won’t feel rushed in the morning and accidentally forget something.

Stick a copy of your class schedule somewhere in your house where you’ll see it every day. 【小题2】. That way, you’ll know exactly what class you have and what materials you’ll need.

• Keep a folder (文件夹) for each subject so you can easily pack and find things. Staying organized in school is extremely important because if you are organized, you are one step ahead in being successful. 【小题3】.

• Use a weekly planner to write assignments and due dates. Use a weekly planner or calendar to write down important dates regarding assignments, quizzes, tests, and extracurricular activities. 【小题4】. And checking off each completed task will give you a feeling of achievement.

• 【小题5】. Keeping all of your writing tools, folders, paper, and other necessities in one area will make it easier to find them. If you don’t have a desk, get one and have a drawer for each group of items.

A 9-year-old child prodigy(神童) from Belgium is more than a decade ahead of his peers as he’s set to graduate from college next month, according to a new report.

Laurent Simons, who is studying electrical engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology, is set to finish his degree by December, CNN reported.

The young genius will then go for his PhD in electrical engineering, while also working for a degree in medicine.

Prestigious universities like Cambridge, Harvard around the world have already reached out to recruit Laurent, but his parents, Lydia and Alexander Simons, wouldn’t say where the youngster plans to pursue his next degree.

Laurent’s grandparents were the first to recognize he had a gift, his parents told CNN.

“They noticed something very special about Laurent,” Lydia said.

Then his teachers confirmed he was no ordinary student.

“They told us he is like a sponge,” Alexander told CNN.

The absorption of information is no problem for Laurent.

Laurent comes from a family of doctors — but his parents are still grappling to explain how he absorbs knowledge so quickly.

“I ate a lot of fish during the pregnancy,” Lydia joked.

Sjoerd Hulshof, an education director for the electrical engineering bachelor’s program at the university, told CNN that Laurent is “simply extraordinary.” “Laurent is the fastest student we have ever had here,” he said. “Not only is he hyper intelligent but also a very sympathetic boy.”

The university has allowed Laurent to complete his studies faster than others — which Hulshof said is “not unusual.”