1. Spelling in KS2 at Putteridge Primary School
A workshop for parents 21st /22nd March 2017

2. Aims for the workshop…
To inform parents of our focus on spelling and the reasons behind it
To share the way we teach spelling in KS2
To share ways you can help at home

3. “I don’t need to be able to spell, I do all my work on a computer.”
Curricululum

4. Why is spelling so high on our agenda?
so much of the new curriculum for English focuses on spelling
we can not assess children to be ‘meeting the expected standard’ in English writing without being able to see evidence that they spell most words correctly in their own writing
spelling is an important life skill
it supports reading
it helps encourage fluent writing
it supports good vocabulary choices
It is important to know how to spell in this age of texting We need to raise standards in line with the new curriculum – part of the SPaG test introduced in 2013, end of year expectations (see next slide)

5. The National Curriculum for English 2014
For Year 1, Year 2, Years 3 & 4, Years 5 & 6
Statutory requirements for reading, writing, grammar and spelling
Rules and guidance (non-statutory)
Example words (non-statutory)
Word Lists
Build on knowledge from previous years
See handouts

6. Statutory Requirements – Years 3 and 4
Start teaching formal spelling rules
Terminology such as prefix/suffix as well as how to add these to words, e.g: - to change tense - to change from adjective to adverb - to pluralise
Use of the possessive apostrophe, including with plurals e.g. girls’, children’s, ladies’
Use of the apostrophe for contraction e.g. do not – don’t
Homophones and near homophones e.g. accept/except, great/grate, rain/rein/reign, peace/piece

7. Statutory Requirements – Years 3 and 4 (cont’d)
Meaning of prefixes; super-, anti-, auto-, sub-, inter-
Use of ‘a’ and ‘an’
Spell more common words that are often misspelt

8. Statutory Requirements – Years 5 and 6
Revise work done in previous years
Use of suffixes: -ate, -ise, -ify
Verb prefixes: dis-, de-, mis-, over-, re-
Suffixes: -ious, -cial, -tial, -ant, -ance, -ancy, -ation, -ent, -ence, - ency, -able, -ably, -ible, -ibly
Use of a hyphen
Silent letters: ‘k’ before ‘n’ ‘w’ before ‘r’ ‘g’ before ‘n’ ‘p’ before ‘s’

9. Statutory Requirements – Years 5 and 6 (cont’d)
The ‘i’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’ rule – applies in words where the sound spelt by ‘ei’ is ‘ee’
Homophones and other words that are often confused e.g. advice/advise, practice/practise, aisle/isle
Words containing the letter string ough e.g. ought, rough, dough, thorough, through, plough
The difference between informal and formal vocabulary in speech and writing
Antonyms and synonyms

10. We want a school of excellent spellers! How?
By building on the phonics knowledge from Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1
Making learning spelling rules fun and exciting
Embedding skills into writing – not just ‘learning words’

11. The process – let’s try it…
Using your knowledge of spelling rules can you fix the text? Wile stacking the boxs the children chast the wichs across the room with torchs. They looked out of the windowes at the treasurees left behind from the eruptiones over the beachs. Thay watcht as flashs of lava created waivs of red and oringe into the seaes.

12. The process – let’s try it…
5 step process
Teach it
Apply it/Use it
Learn it
Test it
Apply it - Feedback

13. The process – TEACH IT… Looking at a rule:
E.g. What are the main rules for plurals?
Add s
ss,sh,ch,x - add es
vowel y - add s
consonant y – y to i add es
f/fe – f to v add es
Consonant o – add es
Vowel o – add s

14. The process – APPLY IT/USE IT…

15. The process – APPLY IT/USE IT…

16. The process – LEARN IT… Your role in this…
Year words comprising:
10 words linked to the rule
5 words from the required word list
Some children may have less or other work linked to phonics

17. The process – LEARN IT…
Reveal – reveal one letter at a time, can your child guess the word? (and when confident spell the rest of it)
Matching game- have 2 sets of the spellings, child has to match spellings together (you could cut up an old cereal box into ‘cards’)
Word hunt- get the free newspapers, children ‘hunt’ for their spelling word (works better with common words / could also use your child’s reading book)
Use anagrams
Make paper chains of words that follow a spelling rule
Write silly sentences with the week’s spellings
Create a word search or cross word
Fill a page with spellings using different coloured crayons

18. Write it, write it, write it
Write it, write it, write it! On paper, on the bathroom tiles, with a paintbrush and water, with magnetic letters, on the tablet…
Play hangman
Play ‘Teachers’ – write out the words on scraps of paper, spell some right and some wrong. Child has to ‘mark’ the spellings with a  or a x
Look out for words within words, e.g. to-get-her
Take a mental ‘photo’ of the word
Say the word clearly, syllable by syllable en-vi-ron-ment Wed-nes-day (even if it sounds silly)
Go over tricky parts of the word with a highlighter pen. different
Make words colourful
Calligrams

19. The process – TEST IT… Dictation is an expectation from year 2
Also forms part of handwriting - speed and fluency
Test some of the word list, not all e.g. 10/15
Used to reinforce grammar as children progress through the school

20. The process – TEST IT…
Explosions and eruptions blew up the island. The elves watched with interest, using their scarves to swing on certain branches. Occasionally, some would leave for other activities.
Thieves, scarves, explosions, eruptions, ranges, reflexes, branches, elves, families, activities, build, certain, interest, island, occasionally

21. Some useful websites