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Spelling

Why is spelling important?

• The young writers’ self-confidence will be improved if they can spell well.  

• They will enjoy writing and all its’ related tasks across the curriculum.  

• A child who struggles with spelling and realises they find it difficult, will be reluctant to write.  

• If a child is a confident speller their written work will develop fluently.

Why we teach spelling:

Some children improve their ability to spell from reading.  However, research has shown that many children need a more

 structured approach.

Our approach:  

• We have carefully chosen the Thrass Spelling Scheme to support our teaching of spellings.  This focuses on spelling patterns and rules.  

• Children work on a focused pattern of spellings for a week.  Not all words follow a pattern and there will be some irregular words they will learn.  

• Children learn spellings more easily if there is a pattern to them rather than a list of isolated words.  

• There are extension activities for the more able spellers.

• Children learn new words with the look, say, cover, write, check method.

Look, say, cover, write, check method

LOOK

Look at the word or small group of words and look for the pattern. Break up the words to see if there are any smaller words within it.  

SAY

Say the word thinking about the pattern within it.  

COVER

The word is covered up.  

WRITE

Write the word with the word still covered.  

CHECK

Children check the word to see if it has been spelt correctly. If they have made a mistake they repeat the process.

Children have a list of spellings to take home each week. They should use this method to learn their spellings at home.  

We test the children on these spellings back at school.  We aim for the children to then incorporate these words into their own writing.

As well as learning spelling patterns it is very important that children also learn spellings from their own written work.  

Additional strategies we use:

• Look at the shape of the word to create a visual picture.  

• Make up rhymes and pneumonics to help remember spellings of words, for example, because—bake eleven cakes and use six eggs;  said—silly ant is dancing.  

• Children are encouraged to use dictionaries and spell checkers.  

• They are encouraged to use their phonic skills (how words sound) to spell independently.  

• Word lists and word banks are displayed around the room.  

• In Key Stage 2, children are tested once a year using a standardised test to give us the spelling level for every child. This helps us monitor the progress of individual children and also the standard of spelling as a school.

How can you help? 

Help at home can really improve your child’s spelling. 

• Your child will bring home spellings every week.  Please support them in the LOOK-SAY-COVER-WRITE-CHECK method.  

• Help them to look at the pattern in the words, eg, jacket, packet.  

• Look for familiar words within the words they are learning, eg, cr/ash/ed.  

• Encourage them to look for their own mistakes.  If they have made a mistake let them go through the process again.  

• Regularly practise spellings throughout the week will enable your child to retain their spellings.

• Above all praise and encourage your child.  Please try to remain positive even if they make a mistake.   

With your support we are sure that we can improve your child’s spelling.