Module 1. Learn to spell new words

• This helps you learn new words quickly so that you remember them better. It uses a modified form of the widely used and recommended method of learning spelling called Look Say Cover Write Check. Practice or drill is built into the program in a special way to improve your learning and memory.
• You can create your own word lists, use the inbuilt lists or use a wide range of ready-made special purpose word lists that you can download from this web site. Ready-made word lists include lists of commonly misspelled words, words that cause special difficulty to adult learners and other useful lists.
• You can learn sentence structure using the special contextual learning feature that allows you to enter more than just one word at a time. Foreign language learning is also possible using this feature because you can learn words in their proper context.
• You can also learn specialised occupational vocabularies using optional word lists - medical, police.
• Hundreds of editable word lists in both U.S. English and U.K./Oz English are available at a modest cost, plus you can create and edit your own lists

Module 2. Test your spelling

• You can test your spelling of previously learned words. A special feature is that the program remembers any errors you make.
• If the error is consistent , i.e., you spell it incorrectly in the same way, the program recognises that you have developed a learned error and it automatically saves these errors in a separate word list for special treatment and correction.

Module 3. Correct Bad Spelling Habits

• Personal Best Spelling^® uses a new learning method called Old Way/New Way^®. With Old Way/New Way^® you can correct persistent, learned and habitual errors. You can also, once and for all, learn to spell those tricky words that you are uncertain about and often have to look up.
• Old Way/New Way^® is a new user-friendly and very effective method for changing incorrect learning to the correct version and for eliminating uncertainty.
• Personal Best Spelling^® is especially licensed to use Old Way/New Way^®. The learning advantages that Old Way/New Way^® gives you and its other special benefits are all described and explained in this web site.

This was the case of Jonathan, a mature learner in Galway when Frank Monaghan, a literacy organiser in Galway, Ireland, introduced him to the Old Way/New Way^® technique. Following a few brief workshops with Jonathan he was immediately experiencing success and able to self-correct. Jonathan is now able to remember the spelling of words months after being learned, which previously would have been forgotten in hours. More importantly it shifts the locus of control to himself so that with very little help from a tutor he can work on his own spellings allowing him to focus on writing poetry which he enjoys so much. It is with a degree of pleasure that Frank, through the evidence of the learner Jonathan, recommends the Old Way/New Way^® system to other literacy programmes."

"Most of the cases were with secondary level students where the intervention techniques with English and mathematics problems proved most beneficial to all the students. Further to this, the techniques proved remarkable in the case of a young adult who had previously been struggling to hold a position in the Public Service. This young person has now assumed increasingly more difficult and complicated tasks and aspires to permanent employment and promotion. I would recommend the programme highly on the results I have seen in only one year."

Within one week of using Personal Best Spelling^®, Lincoln got ten out of ten in his weekly spelling test and he has continued to get ten out of ten, each and every week."

This in turn greatly improved her reading ability. Marian's confidence in herself has helped her to believe in herself."

I have recommended your product to others and hope that they find the success that my son has."

He has struggled with spelling since at least 3rd grade. Your program is the only tutor (including human) that has helped him."

Old Way/New Way^® is so much less stressful for teachers. I no longer get frustrated when some children have so many errors to correct. The notion of a 'dumb child' disappears and instead you know that they simply have more resistant Old Ways."

Learners who used Personal Best Spelling^® actually improved on spelling tests immediately after they started using the program; their vocabulary increased; they actually remembered the words they had learned the day , week or month before; their self confidence improved; their teacher's assessment of their learning ability changed and their outlook on learning became a lot more optimistic. This was empowering for both teachers and students.

Endorsed by Education Network Australia

Old Way/New Way^® Learning is used in Personal Best Spelling^® and is an Australian Education Network quality endorsed resource.

Old Way/New Way^® is officially gazetted as an approved learning method by the South Australian Department of Education and Children's Services.

Five Star rating

Personal Best Spelling^® received the Five Star Rating at TUKIDS, the children's software section of the TUCOWS software library. The adult version was Editor's Choice in the ZDNET software library.

Computer Corner review of Personal Best Spelling^® by Bill Gillespie, school Principal

".... [Personal Best Spelling^®] takes a no nonsense approach to the teaching of spelling... This is not a game dressed up as educational software.... One advantage of this approach is that it can correct persistent, learned and habitual spelling errors... It is worthwhile visiting the web site just to read the information on the Old Way/New Way^® approach to learning." Education: Journal of the New South Wales Teachers Federation.

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The Way Ahead: Old Way/New Way^® and Mediational Learning

Classroom. Issue 7, 2000, pages 12 - 13. Scholastic Australia Pty Ltd. This article describes how Old Way/New Way^® is used to improve spelling.

ZDNet Software Library review, 17 December 1998 (version 1; old name for the program)

Personal Best Speller received a four star rating and was the Editor's Pick.

"Learn new words and correct problem spelling with Personal Best Spelling^®. Using an innovative and progressive method, this program encourages you to say the word, asks you to type it several times and tracks your problem areas. Three modules include learning new words, testing and correcting problems or habitual errors. The error correction uses a psychological approach by having you analyze what it is that you do wrong and repeatedly spell it the wrong way and then the correct way. You're asked to state what you've been doing wrong, typing in this statement and then correcting the spelling several times. Two word lists are available to work with in the demo version and registered users will be able to input their own lists. Personal Best Spelling^® requires dedication and time, but its effective methods are sure to improve your spelling."

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Mediational Learning: Old Habits No Longer Die Hard

By Dr Paul Baxter. Write On: Queensland Council For Adult Literacy Newsletter. Volume 18, No. 1, September 2000, pages 10 - 15. Discusses the theoretical background to Mediational Learning (a derivative of Old Way/New Way^®) and its application to literacy teaching. Contains 32 references to research journal articles and links to other Old Way/New Way^® web sites. You can also read all the scientific publications on the Old Way/New Way^® learning method in our annotated spelling method bibliography.

These are the currently available lists contained in a single file you can purchase.

• Commonly misspelled words (demons).
• Most common words in reading.
• Most common nouns in reading.
• Core of words that people should be able to spell on sight, without sounding.
• Most common words that cover about three-quarters of adult reading.

All the above word lists, available in one file, in U.S. English or U.K./Oz English.

The file containing the entire set of word lists is available to purchase on the website. To install the word lists, right-click on wordsalluk.zip or wordsallus.zip, select Save As and save it to your Downloads folder. Then, start the spelling program, click Import, navigate to the Downloads folder to select your wordlist file and click Open. Screen shots showing these steps in greater detail can be found here.

Lists of medical terms can be purchased by medical practitioners and others. You do not have to purchase Personal Best Spelling to use these lists. However, Personal Best Spelling, Professional Version, is set up so you can quickly learn how to spell these medical terms.

Personal Best Spelling™ users can purchase and use hundreds of word lists when the program is registered. Unregistered, the program contains two word lists for demonstration purposes only.

Instructions for registering the program and importing word lists are contained here.

For convenience, most word lists lists are organised into categories, e.g., specific areas of professional practice, e.g., neurology; words that typically cause spelling problems (demons); and so on.

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Please note the following details about these lists:

• Lists are zipped text files (ASCII DOS TEXT) contained in a compressed (zipped) file, take up very little disk space on your computer, will download quickly and are accompanied by a brief description.
• Lists are only available in U.S. English, at this time. However, lists can easily be edited within the program to suit your own spelling conventions.
• These lists are provided "as is" and, apart from being updated from time to time, there is no further support provided for these lists.
• New lists become available, from time to time.

Words follow the U.S. spelling convention but can be edited to conform to other spelling conventions. Intending users should check that the terms are suitable for use within their own medical practice.

Medical terms are sorted into approximately 600 separate word lists covering the following medical fields, among others:

• cardiovascular
• dermatology
• gastrology
• male reproductive
• musculoskeletal
• nephrology
• neurology
• neuropsychology
• obstetrics and gynecology
• oncology
• opthalmology
• radiology
• respiratory
• urology
• oncology

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Medical word lists are organised alphabetically within each medical specialty. Words are listed alphabetically within each word list.

Medical terminology "demons", those terms that typically cause spelling problems, are also covered in 65 lists.

You can fully edit word lists—add new terms, delete outdated terms and alter the spelling of any word in the list to suit your own spelling conventions.

You can even create your own word lists and include only those words that you habitually misspell or always have to look up. This is the best way to use the spelling program.

Learning professional vocabulary terms

As useful as the available word lists are, they cannot hope to cover all the words you might want or need to learn.

Therefore, the spelling program lets you create your own word lists. This can be done either within the program itself or by using a text editor or word processor and then importing the list. Instructions are contained within the program and here.

You can fully edit word lists—add new terms, delete outdated terms and alter the spelling of any word in the list to suit your own spelling conventions. In fact, you are encouraged to edit the lists in order to make them more suitable for your own use.

You can create your own word lists that include only those words that you habitually misspell or always have to look up in a dictionary.

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Word lists can contain different kinds of entries all mixed together. A word list can contain entries that consist of one word, e.g., enucleated, or an entry can be a medical term that consists of multiple words, e.g., arcus senilis. An entry can also consist of an abbreviation along with its expanded form, e.g., CIS (carcinoma in situ).

This flexibility in creating your own word lists is also useful when learning a foreign language that may require word list entries to contain multiple words, e.g., billet-doux.

Basically, you can enter whatever you like into a word list. The important thing to note, though, is that when the program asks you to spell (type) the word you must type it from memory exactly as it was first entered, including any spaces, brackets, hyphens, punctuation marks, and so on.

If what you type does not mirror exactly what was originally entered then it will register an error and you will be asked to re-enter the item. For this reason, you may wish to edit some of the entries in the word lists prior to use, in order to make each entry more suitable for your own preferences.

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Here are three examples of different ways you can use the word lists that you create.

1. You have received a list of new words that you have to learn. Create a word list containing these words using the spelling program and then use the Learn New Words section of the program to learn the words in the word list.
2. Important - keep your word lists short, say no more than 5 words in a list, especially when using the program for the first time. Far better to have two lists each containing 5 words than one list with 10 words. Why? The program takes time to walk you through each word list and if the list is long then the whole process imay be too lengthy and demanding. As well, the program won't let you stop half way through a list and then pick up from where you left off when you restart the program next time; it makes you start all over again from the beginning of a word list.
3. You should work through all the words in a word list in one sitting. That is no problem if your word list is short but it can become somewhat strenuous if your word list is long.
4. You may find that some of the word lists that are supplied with the program are simply too long to learn in one session. This problem can be overcome by splitting the word list into two or more shorter lists. This can be done within the program or by using a word processor or text editor such as Notepad or WordPad. Word lists must be saved as a "text" file with a .txt extension.
5. You have some words that you are unsure how to spell and you always have to look up the spelling. Create one or more word lists containing these words and then use the Correct Words section of the program to learn how to spell and remember these words, once and for all.
6. You have learnt some new words using the Learn Words section of the program and now want to practice those words and test yourself. Use the Test Spelling section of the program to do this. It will improve your memory for spelling and provide the necessary practice.
7. Of course, the best way to practice your spelling is to use the new words that you have learned in your day-to-day writing. Remember, if you don't use it; you lose it!

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NOTE: Although all care is taken to compile useful and accurate word lists, it is the end user's responsibilty to ensure that the spelling of words is correct for current acceptable usage and that the list is suitable for the end user's particular needs. Word lists can be edited within the program or edited by a word processor or text editor and then imported as a text (.txt extension) file.

When last compiled, these spelling lists were used by Victoria Police in Australia. Intending users should check that the spelling of these words is consistent with their country's spelling conventions and that the terms are suitable for use within their own organisation. Word lists can easily be edited with a text editor or from within Personal Best Spelling™.

The file containing the entire set of word lists of police terms is avalable for purchase on the website. Screen shots showing the installation steps in detail can be found here.

Note that these lists are provided "as is" and apart from being updated from time to time there is no further support provided for these lists.

Using the word lists and creating your own

Word lists instructions and steps for creating your own lists can be found here.

These are the currently available lists, contained in a single file you can purchase for $3:

• Commonly misspelled words (demons).
• Most common words in children's reading.
• Most common nouns in children's reading.
• Core of words that children should be able to spell on sight, without sounding.
• Most common words that cover about three-quarters of children's reading.
• Grade 2 words.
• Grade 3 words.
• Grade 4 words.
• Grade 5 words.
• Grade 6 words.

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All the above word lists, available in one file, in U.S. English or U.K./Oz English.

The file containing the entire set of word lists is delivered as an attachment to an email we will send you after you place your order. To install the word lists, right-click on the email attachment named wordsallus.zip or wordsalluk.zip, select Save As and save it to your Downloads folder. Then, start the spelling program, click Import and navigate to the Downloads folder. Screen shots showing these steps in greater detail can be found here.

• Does not insult the adult learner's intelligence.
• Knows how your brain learns, so it works with you, not against you.
• Identifies your bad spelling habits (habit pattern errors) and quickly corrects them, once and for all.
• Helps you learn and remember your words from one day to the next.
• Is being used by adult and workplace literacy tutors, adult learners, medical practitioners, police officers, colleges, universities, companies and government departments to improve their spelling.
• Tests your spelling and tracks your progress.
• Uses proven learning methods endorsed by Australian education departments.
• Is the only spelling tutor that uses Old Way/New Way^®, an effective research-based and user-friendly learning method.
• Uses an advanced version of Look Say Cover Write Check, the old standby method for learning spelling.
• Hundreds of editable word lists in both U.S. English and U.K./Oz English are available at a modest cost, plus you can create and edit your own lists.
• Requires Windows operating systems (no Mac version)
• Is available as an affordable software program downloaded or as a low-cost one-page, self contained, multiple-user, re-usable, printable spelling tutor.

1. Professional Spelling—Learn New Words

This helps you learn new words quickly so that you remember them better. It uses an advanced form of the widely used and recommended method of learning spelling called Look Say Cover Write Check. Practice or drill is built into the program in a special way to improve your learning and memory.

You can create your own word lists and use a wide range of ready-made professional word lists that you can download for a small price.

You can learn sentence structure using the special contextual learning feature that allows you to enter more than just one word at a time. Foreign language learning is also possible using this feature because you can learn words in their proper context.

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2. Professional Spelling—Spell Tester

You can test your spelling of previously learned words. A special feature is that the program remembers any persistent errors you make. If the error is consistent , i.e., you spell it incorrectly in the same way, the program recognises that you have developed a learned error and it automatically saves these errors in a separate word list for special treatment and correction.

3. Professional Spelling—Quickly Correct Bad Spelling Habits

The program uses a new learning method called Old Way/New Way^®. With Old Way/New Way^® you can correct persistent, learned and habitual errors. You can also, once and for all, learn to spell those tricky words that you are uncertain about and often have to look up.

Homonyms, words like "their" and "there", that sound the same but have different meanings, often create confusion but this can be readily resolved by placing the word in context when using Old Way/New Way^®

Old Way/New Way^® is a new user-friendly and truly effective method for changing incorrect learning to the correct version and for eliminating uncertainty.

Personal Best Spelling^® is especially licensed to use Old Way/New Way^®. The learning advantages that Old Way/New Way^® gives you and its other special benefits are all described and explained in this web site.

1. Does not insult the learner's intelligence.
2. Knows how the brain learns, so it works with you, not against you
3. Is being used by school teachers, students of all ages and home schoolers to improve spelling.
4. Identifies your child's bad spelling habits (habit pattern errors) and quickly corrects them, once and for all.
5. Helps your child learn and remember words from one day to the next.
6. Tests spelling and tracks progress.
7. Uses proven learning methods endorsed by Australian education departments.
8. Is the only spelling tutor that uses Old Way/New Way^®, an effective research-based and user-friendly learning method.
9. Uses an improved version of Look Say Cover Write Check, the old standby method for learning spelling.
10. Provides hundreds of word lists you can purchase, in both U.S. English and U.K./Oz English, plus you can create and edit your own lists.
11. Requires Windows XP or later operating systems.
12. Is available as an affordable software program or as a low-cost one-page, self contained, multiple-user, re-usable, printable spelling tutor.

Word lists for children and schools contain words that pose problems for school age children. Words are graded/grouped for age level and by first letter of the word, for convenience. The word lists cover commonly misspelled words (demons); the most common words in children's reading; the most common nouns; a core of words that people should be able to spell on sight, without sounding; and the most common words that cover about three-quarters of children's reading.

These are the currently available lists, contained in a single file you can purchase.

• Commonly misspelled words (demons).
• Most common words in children's reading.
• Most common nouns in children's reading.
• Core of words that children should be able to spell on sight, without sounding.
• Most common words that cover about three-quarters of children's reading.
• Grade 2 words.
• Grade 3 words.
• Grade 4 words.
• Grade 5 words.
• Grade 6 words.

All the above word lists, available in one file, in U.S. English or U.K./Oz English.

The entire set of word lists is available for purchase as a downloadable file, after you place your order. To install the word lists, simply follow the instructions with screen shots here.

• Simple and no hassles—no software to purchase, install or update
• Designed for adult spelling, children's spelling, classroom teachers, college, university, workplaces
• Make as many copies as you need, for your own personal or classroom use. Conditions apply
• Quickly correct persistent spelling errors and improve poor spelling habits
• Spelling errors stay corrected—no falling back to old incorrect ways (with sufficient practice in using the word)
• Uses the Old Way/New Way^® learning process, a proven user friendly method for correcting persistent spelling errors
• Uses an improved version of Look Say Cover Write Check, a popular method for learning to spell new words
• Simple, step by step instructions that are clear and easy to follow, with immediate results
• Everything you need to know is contained on one printable page
• Multiple copies can be printed and then filled in by learners or filled in on screen, printed and kept as a record
• Follow up activities to reinforce learning and improve word memory are included
• Is available as a downloadable PDF document that requires Adobe Reader, a free program, or equivalent
• Order your printable copy of Old Way/New Way^® for $3 or Old Way/New Way^® AND Look Say Cover Write Check 5+5.

Here are the demo program download links:

• Adult spelling version (Windows PC)
• Professional version (Windows PC)
• Children Homeschooling/Schools version (Windows PC)

Spelling program word lists

The Personal Best Spelling program does not come with word lists but you can purchase word lists for a small extra fee. Once registered, you can purchase hundreds of editable word lists (the unregistered trial or demo version only comes with two word lists). You can also create your own word lists and this is the recommended way to use the program to improve spelling.

We maintain that the main reason why even motivated people have difficulty changing their skilled performance, behaviour, thoughts and beliefs is because they are the prisoners of habit.

Emerging research in cognitive psychology indicates that learned habit patterns influence and direct most of what we think and do, every day of our lives. This includes our performance in sport or at work, our conceptual framework including any misconceptions; our ability to learn; how we interact with others; and the thoughts and beliefs that guide our daily lives. All these learned behaviours, whether right or wrong, safe or unsafe, suitable or unsuitable, effective or ineffective, well adjusted or maladjusted, are under the powerful influence of habit forces.

Habit patterns automatically develop during practice, i.e, repeated conscious recall of a thought, word or deed. Practicing recall quickly lays down neural networks in the brain that, when the same situation arises next time, are triggered automatically so that we can respond instinctively and appropriately, doing exactly what we learned or trained to do. The brain is built to work this efficient way; to easily and automatically develop habit patterns.

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Habit patterns are useful because they require less mental energy than conscious thought. The brain finds it more efficient to work this way. Good habits, developed from conscious practice and effort, help us function better during our daily lives.

As long as those good habits are suitable reactions to what we encounter, they remain beneficial. But when circumstances change and a different response is required to a familiar situation, that habit previously developed can be a real handicap.

As we all know from bitter experience, habit patterns are notoriously hard to change. Old habits die hard. Anyone who tries to change an established routine soon comes up against a powerful mental resistance which interferes, slows down, and sometimes even disables the desired change and improvement in performance and behaviour. The better someone has practiced, learned and therefore habituated the thought, performance or behaviour; the harder it is to change.

Currently available coaching, teaching, training and therapeutic methods can be very effective when dealing with a blank slate, i.e., when the person has no prior experience or training and no preconceptions that might get in the way of correct performance. However, coaching, teaching, training and therapeutic methods find it very difficult to deal with maladaptive habit patterns and learned errors.

Eventually, after much time and effort, change does come and the person improves but there is a typically extended period of adaptation during which coaching, teaching, training and therapeutic efforts have to be re-applied. This problem is known as the transfer of learning/training/therapy problem.

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The period of adaptation to change and the associated transfer problems make coaching, teaching, training and therapy less time- and cost-effective. There has to be a better way.

Personal Best Academy uses and teaches Old Way/New Way® to help free people from the chains of habit and empower them to achieve their personal best. Sports Coaching Protocols™ use Old Way/New Way® Learning.

From the description below, we can see that Old Way/New Way® is a powerful, cost- and time-effective yet very user friendly learning method that can change habit patterns quickly and permanently. Old Way/New Way® greatly reduces the typically extended and often risky adaptation period during which people try to adjust to change.

Since its inception in 1986, Personal Best Academy has provided computer programs and training courses in Old Way/New Way® Learning to individuals, groups, organisations and corporations striving to achieve their personal best.

Recipients of Old Way/New Way® training include Olympic athletes and coaches; players and coaches of elite and recreational sports; pilots and flight instructors; drivers and driving instructors; firearms trainees and instructors; police departments; mining machinery operators and instructors; workplace operators and supervisors; employees and managers; musicians and music teachers; dancers and teachers of dance; school, college and university students and teachers; and children and parents.

Personal Best Academy® is a registered business managed by Dr Paul Baxter and operated from Brisbane, Australia. Our customers are mostly from English speaking countries but include individuals, groups and organisations from many nations around the globe.