English - Spelling
We use the Topical Resources scheme to teach spelling. This begins in year 1, where the scheme builds on from Essential Letters and Sounds phonics. Our spelling program focuses on children understanding how to apply patterns, strategies and knowledge to other words. Each week, children in Y1-6 receive a list of spellings to practise as homework. These words are also practised within daily Spelling and Letter Formation sessions in school. A spelling test is completed each Friday so that children and adults can see the impact of the spelling sessions.
How Can I Help My Child with Spelling?
Spelling Tests
Children learn spellings for a spelling test each week. Accept that there will be mistakes in tests, and just look for consistency and improvement. After all, two out of 10 shows that they can spell two more words than they could last week!
Identifying their own mis-spelt words
Encourage children to identify mis-spelt words and ask them to identify what is wrong within the word that they have written.
How to learn weekly spellings
One of the ways in which children can learn their spellings is by using the 'Look, Cover, Write, Check' Method. This encourages your child to 'see' and 'hear' the word, and to see for themselves if they spelt it correctly.
Other ways to learn spellings
- Segment the word (th-a-nk) and spell each part.
- Break the word up into smaller parts (Wed+nes+day = Wednesday).
- Make up a silly sentence or mnemonic to help memorise the word (big elephants can add up sums easily = because).
- Ask the child to be the teacher! Write out the spelling words, make some mistakes and ask them to teach you how to spell it properly.
- Find the words within the word (there’s a ‘hen’ in ‘when’).
- Spell the word together! Take it in turns to write a letter each.
Quotes from Pupil Voice
“I like practising the spellings every morning, it gets me focussed on my learning.”
“Doing spellings for homework is good because my Mum can help me.”
"My teacher tells my parents how I’ve done in my test. They help me to learn the words I get wrong.”
"I like how all the spellings have the same sound in them. Once I know the sound I can spell all the words on the list."
