Spelling tests

[TormundGiantsbabe]

Ready to be flamed for this one. Ds (6) works very hard on his spellings, but struggles with his handwriting (which we are working hard on too). But when his spelling tests are marked he regularly loses marks because his handwriting is being misread. This upsets him as he knows he is getting the spellings right and I can see that it is right too. He has been going through a phase of really hating going to school and this is just another little thing that is demoralizing him. Aibu to correct the marking in his spelling book to cheer him up?

I think you need to explain to him that they are wrong because they are marked against what can be read. In a kind way! So that you are not undermining the teacher who is marking correctly.
But I think it's fine to boost his confidence by saying "let's have a check which ones you do know" and counting those.
If you praise too much, he won't have the incentive to work on the handwriting.
Is he Y2 and being pushed to use cursive? If so might be worth speaking to his teacher about using print for spelling tests only?
In any case, I'd chat to his teacher.

I encourage pupils with poor handwriting to do spelling tests in block capitals so that we can see whether or not the spellings are correct. Could your DS ask about doing this?

Yes he is trying to write in cursive. The problem word this week ended in "ful" but his attempt at cursive means what he wrote could be interpreted as ending in "fill"as the end of the "u" was too high. I would prefer he did his tests in print so I'll ask if he can do that.

Definitely worth speaking to his teacher then.
I'm in my 40s and my cursive sometimes looks like misspelling!
But I wouldn't phrase your review of his tests as "correcting" them.

I wouldn't get him to write in block capitals as that goes against everything they will be teaching him. But do speak to the teacher about this. As a staff member, I would let him write it again, taking more care over his letter formation. If he can spell it, he can spell it and should therefore get the mark.