How to help your child learn their spellings.
How we learn spellings at Hoyland Common Primary School
The most common way that we teach and learn spellings is to use Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check! (Simply look at the word, say it, cover it up, write it, then check your spelling). We encourage children to do this many times at home for each weekly spelling list so that the letter patterns sink in. (The spellings are given out to be learned and tested weekly).However, there are many other ways that help children learn to spell, and for lots of children, ?Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check? on its own is less successful than using two or three other ways as well.
This is because some children learn best by listening or doing something, while many learn best by watching something that is colourful and visually stimulating (this is one reason why kids love TV!). Combining all three learning styles is even more powerful (this is why kids love computers, and why a PC is a great learning tool when used under supervision!).
So, for those of us who find spelling tough, here are
a few hints that might help us to remember those
letter patterns (remember, try two or three ways to learn the same spelling): Back to top
Spelling Tips
- Cut out the letters and arrange them in the right order (or use plastic letters).- Identify a pattern in the words, e.g. ?dge? in bridge, fudge and dodgem. Now write the words out but use a different colour for the ?dge? bit of each word. Colour helps children to visualise in their memory.
- Make a colourful poster of the spelling words. Put it on your bedroom wall. Turn the word into a picture that helps you remember the letters, e.g. tunnel = the n?s become tunnel mouths; look = the o?s become eyes.
- Type the words repeatedly on a computer.
- Keep your personal dictionary up to date with difficult and useful words. Have a few real crackers that no-one else will know!
- Put the weekly spellings in your spelling dictionary.
- Draw the letters in sand, paint, flour, soap bubbles or even on someone?s back with your finger (it?s then a good game to get them to guess the word!)
- Remember a simple phrase to help recall a spelling, e.g: BECAUSE = Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants. Or NECESSARY = one Collar and two Sleeves (one c and two s?s). Or DISAPPEAR = one Sausage and two Potatoes.
- Say a word as it looks, not as it sounds, e.g: scissors = skiSS-Ors, or build = boo-ild.
- Make and solve a wordsearch or crossword using your spelling list words. There are even some wordsearch-makers on the internet!
- Play family word games like scrabble, or have a spelling competition. In the car, look at number plates ? can you think of a word with those three letters in it in the same order?
- As with all language skills, there is no substitute for lots of conversation, reading and writing!
- Keeping a record of the spelling lists throughout the year helps develop a sense of ownership of the words, and allows your child to look back at what they have learned.
- Most importantly, NEVER criticise incorrect spelling - even if it?s a word they know. Some children can easily develop a complex about their spelling ability. Praise the attempt and suggest a rethink. Back to top
One final point:
Learning spellings for an hour on the night before the test will not usually work - children will not retain the learning.Ten minutes every day is much more effective and will result in longer-term memory of the spellings. Try to do it at the same time and in the same place each time - children like routines! Back to top