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Spelling strategiesSome ‘learn to spell’ strategies are explained below. As you add words to your vocabulary list, use different strategies to learn to spell the words correctly. There is no one right or wrong strategy – try them all and use the one/s that work for you.

Like anything, practice makes perfect; practise the strategies until you are able to apply them automatically anywhere. Reflect on the steps you follow and monitor your progress.

Show your teacher your progress. Ask for help when you need it.

Spelling strategy Explanation Example/reminder

Have a go Have a go at writing the word – does it look right?

Check in a dictionary and write it out correctly.

Use another strategy to learn it if you got it wrong.

embarasembrassembarisembarrass

Look, say, cover, write, check

Look at the word you want to learn.

Say the word aloud.

Cover it.Write it out.

Check your spelling.

Hint: create a bookmark illustrating these steps. Laminate your bookmark and use it regularly as a reminder.

Error correction Cut strips of paper.

Write your word at the top.

Fold (cover).

Write.

Check (uncover).

Highlight errors Write out the word; highlight or underline the incorrect letter/s; rewrite it correctly.

This is a useful strategy to use with ‘Look, cover, write, check’ or ‘Have a go’.

YAHCTyacht

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Spelling sail Write the word letter by letter in a descending sail shape. The repetition and the visual shape help you to remember the order of the letters.

Exploring etymology The etymology of a word is its origins.

For example, the word etymology comes from the Latin word etymon meaning ‘true sense’ and logia meaning ‘study of speaking’.

Exploring a word’s etymology gives you more information to link the word to.

‘Jargon’ comes from the Old French word jargon which means ‘chattering of birds’.

Chunking Spell the word out in small chunks.

Restaurant:

rest / au / rant

Mnemonics A mnemonic is a strategy used to remember something by connecting the new information to something familiar.

Poems or rhymes are mnemonics often used to remember spelling.

For example:

because = big emus can’t add up sums easily

Words within words Find as many little words within the word as possible.

For example:

father = fat, her, he

Sound spelling Create a melody stressing problem chunks.

Library

Colour coding Colour code chunks, syllables or words within the word, stressing problem chunks

For example:

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Visual memory Create a picture to remind you of some aspect of the word.

Or, create a word shape, or colour code the word.

Jigsaw Create a puzzle using a base word, suffix or prefix, and possible beginnings and/or endings.

Word families/groups Create a word web or word wall of related words, such as current spelling lists, tricky words, subject specific words, or words with a common suffix or prefix.

Place a gold star on each word when spelling strategies have been successfully used to learn the word.

Spell again, and again, and again …

When you feel confident that you can spell a word, practise, practise, practise – practice makes perfect!

separate separate separate separate separate separate …

The ‘Spelling and Grammar’ check on your computer is a useful tool, but it doesn’t always pick up the precise word you intend. For example, ‘does’ and ‘dose’; ‘their’, ‘there’ and ‘they’re’; and ‘witch’ and ‘which’ are often autocorrected wrongly!

There are many websites, for example, Spelling City, where you can learn about more spelling strategies, and/or play spelling games. Use your search engine to search for the term ‘spelling games’.

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