Learn to SpellYOUR way

Feeling that you can’t spell can leave you feeling that you are: ‘stupid’ ‘not as good as everyone else’ ‘never going to be able to write properly’ ‘rubbish at English’

THIS ISN’T TRUE!

Being able to spell doesn’t make you any more intelligent and you’re definitely not alone. Many, many people struggle with spelling words accurately.

Learning to Spell

Try to use some of these spelling strategies Work out which ones are best for YOU (we

all learn differently) Use them at home/school

Remember:You aren’t magically ‘good’ or ‘bad’ at spelling and everyone can make improvements.

It’s not where you are now…it’s where you’re going.

Sound out the beginning part of the word and then find that letter combination in the dictionary

1) Use a dictionary

1. Choose a word you can’t spell2. Write it down several times3. Cover up your work4. Write down the word from memory5. Could you remember the word?6. Try with another word

2) Practise writing down the word

1. Write down a spelling on a post-it note or large piece of paper

2. Stick it up in your room3. After a few days take it down4. Can you still remember it after the

reminder has gone?

3) Make a reminder

1. Look at an unfamiliar word

2. Say it aloud3. Cover the word4. Write the word down5. Check to see

whether you have spelt it correctly

4) Look, say, cover, write, check

1. Choose a word you cannot spell2. Write down the word3. Look at it for 10 seconds4. Shut your eyes and try to ‘see’

the word5. Repeat opening and closing

eyes 6. Cover up the word before

writing it down again7. Could you remember the word8. Try with another word

5) ‘Photograph’ the word

1. Write down a word, breaking it up into syllables.

2. Say the word one syllable at a time3. Cover up the word4. Try to write the word from memory5. Could you remember the word?

6) Break up the word into syllables

1. Choose a word you cannot spell2. Write down as many smaller words in the

word as you can find3. Cover up your work4. Write the word from memory5. Can you remember the word?

E.g: Opportunity: op, port, unit, it

7) Look for words within words

1. Choose a word you can’t spell2. Make a reminder (either a picture or a silly

sentence)3. Cover up you reminder4. Write the word from memory5. Could you remember the word?

8) Make up a mnemonic

1. Choose a word you cannot spell

2. Find the silent letters in the word

3. Say the word by sounding out the silent letter(s)

4. Write down the word from memory

5. Could you remember the word?

9) Sound out silent letters

1. Choose a word you can’t spell2. Write the word down so that it fills a piece

of paper3. Trace over each letter with your finger4. Repeat5. Cover the word6. Write down the word from memory7. Could you remember the word?

10) Trace the letters

Often we can spell ‘bits’ of a word, such as the start or end. A good idea is to focus on the parts of the word you need to improve on, whilst remembering that there are parts you can do!

1. Choose a word2. Cover the word then write it down3. Compare your spelling with the correct word4. Underline/highlight any parts you mis-spelt5. Cover the word again6. Write down the word from memory?7. Could you remember it this time?

11) Highlight the hard bits

There are a number of spelling rules.

Try to learn these rules and use them in your writing

Look at this example http://

www.mourass.eq.edu.au/spelling.htm

12) Learn a spelling rule

1. Create a blank dictionary (some school planners have one in them)

2. Choose words that you can’t spell and include them within your dictionary.

3. Read your ‘entry’ several times4. Cover the word5. Write down the word from memory6. Could you remember the word?

13) Keep a personal dictionary

1. Choose a word you cannot spell2. Think of an ‘active’/physical way to remember the word.

E.g hopping on one foot to remember the word ‘hopping’3. Learn your word actively- get on your feet/get creative4. Write down the word from memory5. Could you remember the word?

14) Be active

The reason people give up is because they tend to look at how far they have to go instead of how far they have got.

Most of all…

Don’t view spelling techniques as offering you an overnight transformation. It might take you weeks or even months before you see improvements, but you will.