1. Supporting Children At Home
Spelling
Supporting Children At Home
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2. English is a tricky language to read and spell
English has many parents
It adopts new words readily and doesn’t always disguise their roots
Printers and lexicographers have played their part!
Spell checkers don’t always solve the problem
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3. A good spelling programme
frequent, short sessions
learning how words in the English language are constructed
practising and assessing spelling
applying spelling strategies and proofreading
building children’s confidence.
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4. Necessary knowledge for reading and spelling
Phonemic knowledge, including
Phonics (e.g. knowledge about letter and sound correspondence)
Spelling patterns and conventions (e.g. how the consonant doubles after a short vowel)
Homophones (e.g. to, two and too)
Knowledge of syllables and rhymes

5. Necessary knowledge for reading and spelling
Morphological knowledge – the spelling of grammatical units within words, including knowledge of:
Root words
Compound words
Suffixes and prefixes
Etymology

6. Strategies for spelling
Counting the sounds
Splitting into syllables
Finding a rule to apply
Look, say, cover, write, check.
Identifying the ‘tricky’ bit and inventing a mnemonic
Make links with known words
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7. Make links to known words
For example: Words with the same spelling pattern: e.g. light, fight, might, bright, fright Word families: e.g. Extend, extendable, extent, extensive
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8. Use a dictionary Sing alphabet songs Start with a simple dictionary
Demonstrate
Explore
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9. Have fun with spelling Play games Write words in shaving foam
Make silly sentences
Write or highlight words in different colours
Jump, skip, bounce balls, climb the stairs etc.
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10. Reduce the stress “How interesting!” rather than “How difficult!”
“Well done! You had a go at a tricky word” rather than “That’s not how you spell …”
“These letters are right” rather than “These letters are wrong”
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