SPELLING BEST PRACTICES

 

When practicing spelling words with your child, remember these important tips:

• Spelling is best learned by repetition, so practice often!
• Don’t overwhelm your child. If the words are more challenging, break them down into two or three smaller lists and study that way.
• Help your child remember difficult words by breaking them down by root word, suffix and prefix. If they can remember a smaller part of it, chances are they can remember the whole word. Or if you have a younger child, break the word down into spelling patterns, like two vowels or a double consonant.
• Teach by word association: like the age old trick of remembering the word “principal” with “the principal is your PAL”. Use a trick to help your child remember them.
• Keep your materials organised so that you can have what you need easily when you need it!
• Find out which way your child’s teacher is covering the words in class, you can follow a similar familiar pattern at home.
• Take a multi-sensory approach when it comes to spelling- we all know that most individuals learn best from a variety of ways: visual (seeing the words), tactile (writing the words), and auditory (sing those words!). Incorporate these into your spelling practice!
• Variety is not only the spice of life, but the spice of spelling! Use a variety of fun ways to work on your child’s words, so they stay interested and WANT to study- which will be easier on them and

SPELLING ACTIVITIES

• Spell your words in the car.
• Write your words on the bathroom mirror using a dry erase marker, erase them as your child masters them.
• Write the words with rainbow letters. Write the words on a white board.
• Use play dough, pipe cleaners, or yarn to make your words (one piece per letter).
• Use letter stamps.
• Write the words 3 times each: BIG, medium, and small.
• Play “roll and spell”: use a dice and each number corresponds to a way to a special way to write the words. There are endless ways to do this, but two fun ways are “Rainbow words” where each number corresponds to a different colour (i.e roll a one, write the word in red, roll a two, write the word in orange…and so on) and this way: 1- write the words with your opposite hand, 2- write the word fast, 3- write the word with your eyes closed, 4- write your words the “Fancy Nancy” way, 5- write the word in all caps, 6- write the word with teeny letters.
• Use letter stamps.
• Draw a flower with a petal for each letter of the word. Type the words on the computer.
• Pour sugar, salt or shaving cream on a tray and write the words in that (fun and messy).
• Use chalk outside to write the words.
• Use letter tiles or magnet letters.
• Paint your words.
• “Hidden Words”-write your words with a white crayon on white paper and then water colour paint over them it make the words appear.
• Cut and paste letters from magazines to spell your words.
• Make ABC rocks and spell your words.
• Make ABC clothespins and spell your words by clipping them on a “line” or on an index card. Make a free word search using your words.
• Have an adult mix up the letters and your child has to unscramble them.
• On paper or a white board, the adult at home writes the word a bunch of times with one ONE being correct, the child has to circle the correct spelling. Write it more times for older children, less for younger.
• Use a website like http://www.spellingcity.com to practice them online.
• Downloaded an app like “super speller” where you can type the words and practice them different ways at home or on the go.
• Bounce a ball outside while spelling your words, one bounce per letter.
• Set a timer and see how many times you can write your words in 3 minutes.
• Write your words in silly sentences.
• Make a picture and “hide” your words in the picture.
• Write your words and circle all the vowels. Put your words in ABC order.
• Write your words with your finger on your parents back.
• Take a written practice test. Remember to correct any unnecessary uppercase letters, if that’s an expectation for your child.
• Write your words in bubble letters and then color them in.
• Make up a word search with your words.
• Use scrabble tiles to spell your words. Write your words in a pyramid shape.
• “Add your words”: each vowel is worth 5 and consonants are worth 10, write your words and add their value! (Change the values for little ones)
• Make up an acrostic poem with your words.
• Write your words across and down.
• Write your words like a choo-choo: onerightafteranother.
• Write a tongue twister for your words.
• Roll and spell your words aloud! Roll a one- spell in a spooky voice, two- spell in a loud voice, three- a quiet voice, four- a squeaky voice, five- robot voice, six- sing your letters!
• Make up a cheer for your words.
• Write them on an etch a sketch.
• Play “hangman” with your words.
• Write a story with all your words, go back and highlight them.
• Write your words on graph paper and cut them out.
• Write your words with pieces of pasta.
• Write your words on a plate of pudding. Yum!
• In a dark room, “write” your words with a flashlight in the air.
• Search a magazine or newspaper for your words and circle them when you find them.
• Spell your words with Legos.