MacDonald, G. Jeffrey. "Kindergartners, Raise Your Pencils." The Christian Science Monitor, April 2003.
Journal keeping by the very young draws smiles, but also raises issues of how children should be taught writing.

Pappano, Laura. "Spelling Making a Comeback." The Boston Globe, January 25, 2004.

Rubenstein, Steve. "Teechurs Say Corect Spelling Iz No Big Deel: In English Classes, Critical Thinking Wows Educators." San Francisco Chronicle, November 22, 2003.
Patti Stock, the incoming president of NCTE, said rules about spelling are fine but that critical thinking is more vital than mechanics. "Spelling is important at a particular place and time,'' she said. "You do want your 'i's' dotted and your 't's' crossed. But you don't need to do it at once. We want students to think.'' Rebecca Sipe, chair of NCTE's Secondary Section, is also quoted.

Viadero, Debra. "Studied Back Lessons in Spelling, Writing." Education Week, November 20, 2002.
A small but growing number of studies suggest that systematically teaching handwriting and spelling might actually help some students write more and do it better.

Zorn, Eric. "Pupils in Naperville are Going through a Rough Spell." Chicago Tribune, October 11, 1987 and "Creativity Can Blossom with Spelling on Hold." Chicago Tribune, February 1, 2003.
Zorn posted his comments on invented spelling in 1987, and then apologized for his position fifteen years later when his five-year old son began to write. Read both columns, as well as reader commentary.