News
Spelling is mentioned in the news articles somewhere in the world every few days. The News pages aim to capture these articles as a matter of record and of interest.
Recent additions
These are usually the newest items by publication date, but items of historic interest are occasionally added.
2021-08-09 — 6-year-old Indian girl creates world record by reciting 10 longest English words Praanvi Gupta displays awesome word power and enters the International Book of Records. More ►
2021-08-06 — Why is the English language so weird and inconsistent? Blame the printing press. More ►
2021-07-29 — Why our kids can’t read: it’s the ideology, stupid English teaching underwent a dramatic and far-reaching revolution in the late 1960s and early 1970s. More ►
2021-07-28 — North-south divide no more! Scientists reveal how pronunciation of words in south-east England have been slowly replacing those in north for decades... with everyone set to talk the same in 45 years. More ►
2021-07-26 — Typos, tricks and misprints Why is English spelling so weird and unpredictable? Don’t blame the mix of languages; look to quirks of timing and technology. More ►
2021-07-26 — Phonemic awareness and phonics for learners of every age More ►
2021-07-25 — Universities will be forced to deduct marks for poor written English in students' work and will face tough sanctions if they don't Universities will be required to teach students 'relevant skills under proposals. If 'students not penalised for poor written English' institutions would break rules. It also says that universities may be in breach of their registration conditions. More ►
2021-07-23 — First Black student wins 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee Dr. Jessica Johnson - Guest Column More ►
2021-07-21 — The decay of the art of lying, or homonyms and their kin More ►
2021-07-21 — Salt Spring Literacy Summer Camp Begins July 26 More ►
2021-07-20 — What a ride it’s been for spelling bee champion Zaila Avant-garde She traveled cross-country, has been on all the morning shows, to Walt Disney World and in parades. More ►
2021-07-18 — Zaila Avant-garde Talks About How She Came To Her Spelling Success Zaila Avant-garde, the first African American winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, talked about how she got started in competitive spelling and what she has planned for the future. More ►
2021-07-16 — I Ran The Classroom Spelling Bee For 20 Years. Here’s What Needs To Change. Zaila Avant-garde should not be the exception. More ►
2021-07-14 — Teach phonics in schools to help students master English Three generations of citizens have graduated from our high schools with substandard spelling ability and weaknesses in writing ability. By now, most teachers grounded in phonics have retired. More ►
2021-07-11 — Zaila Avant-garde – 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee champ – stands where Black children were once kept out When Zaila Avant-garde, 14, won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee on July 8, 2021, she became the first Black American to win in the competition’s history. Shalini Shankar, a scholar of spelling bees, breaks down the importance of this historical moment. More ►
2021-07-10 — The reading framework: teaching the foundations of literacy Guidance for schools to meet existing expectations for teaching early reading. More ►
2021-07-09 — Zaila Avant-garde, 14, becomes first Black US student to win Scripps National Spelling Bee Zaila also holds three Guinness world records for basketball dribbling, and says ‘spelling is really a side thing I do’ More ►
2021-07-09 — First African American spelling bee champ breezes to win Zaila Avant-garde, 14, from Harvey, Louisiana celebrates with the championship trophy after winning the finals of the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee at Disney World Thursday, July 8, 2021, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. More ►
2021-07-09 — Zaila Avant-garde won the national spelling bee, but that wasn’t her first real victory The 14-year-old is also a Guinness World Record holder. More ►
2021-07-08 — Programming Note: Plano Middle Schooler Is a Finalist in National Spelling Bee The Scripps Spelling Bee has come down to 11 talented kids, including Dhroov Bharatia, a seventh grader from Wilson Middle School in Plano. More ►
Press releases
See press releases previously issued by the Society.
Good companions
The English Spelling Society is not formally associated with any other organisation. However, there are many who share our aims or interests to a greater or lesser extent. Here are some. If you would like to be added to (or removed from!) this list, just drop us an email.
- American Literacy Council
- Barrington Stoke
- British Dyslexia Association
- Centre for Literacy in Primary Education, The
- Common English
- Fascinating Resources For Lovers Of Language
- Kip McGrath
- National Literacy Trust
- Phonics 4 Free
- Read Easy
- Reading Agency, The
- Sir Linkalot
- Turn On The Subtitles
- World Literacy Foundation
In memoriam
We remember the colleagues and friends who are no longer with us.
How to use the News archives
Articles are presented as year archives of summaries, in reverse chronological order (ie latest first). Each summary ends with a citation which links to the original full article. Links to the year archives are given below. The number in parentheses is the summary count for that archive.
You can also use a citation to link directly to a specific summary in a year archive. For example, the following link takes you directly to Readable English system a boost for foreign students and opens it in a new window:
Note that articles dated before 2010 are bundled into one page, and links must be modified accordingly.
The Society cannot guarantee that the original articles are still available. Some articles are behind pay walls or are available only by subscripton. The Society is not responsible for this and cannot help you if you have difficulty accessing the article. Dead links are another matter: please report any dead links to the page editor.
To suggest an article for inclusion, send its URL to the page editor. It will be included if it is judged suitable. Submissions are not acknowledged unless you specifically request it — but they are appreciated!
