Learn to Spell

1. Learn to Spell YOUR way

2. Learning to Spell 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.

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

4. 1) Use a dictionary • Sound out the beginning part of the word and then find that letter combination in the dictionary

5. 2) Practise writing down the word • Choose a word you can’t spell • Write it down several times • Cover up your work • Write down the word from memory • Could you remember the word? • Try with another word

6. 3) Make a reminder • Write down a spelling on a post-it note or large piece of paper • Stick it up in your room • After a few days take it down • Can you still remember it after the reminder has gone?

7. 4) Look, say, cover, write, check • Look at an unfamiliar word • Say it aloud • Cover the word • Write the word down • Check to see whether you have spelt it correctly

8. 5) ‘Photograph’ the word • Choose a word you cannot spell • Write down the word • Look at it for 10 seconds • Shut your eyes and try to ‘see’ the word • Repeat opening and closing eyes • Cover up the word before writing it down again • Could you remember the word • Try with another word

9. 6) Break up the word into syllables • Write down a word, breaking it up into syllables. • Say the word one syllable at a time • Cover up the word • Try to write the word from memory • Could you remember the word?

10. 7) Look for words within words • Choose a word you cannot spell • Write down as many smaller words in the word as you can find • Cover up your work • Write the word from memory • Can you remember the word? E.g: Opportunity: op, port, unit, it

11. 8) Make up a mnemonic • Choose a word you can’t spell • Make a reminder (either a picture or a silly sentence) • Cover up you reminder • Write the word from memory • Could you remember the word?

12. 9) Sound out silent letters • Choose a word you cannot spell • Find the silent letters in the word • Say the word by sounding out the silent letter(s) • Write down the word from memory • Could you remember the word?

13. 10) Trace the letters • Choose a word you can’t spell • Write the word down so that it fills a piece of paper • Trace over each letter with your finger • Repeat • Cover the word • Write down the word from memory • Could you remember the word?

14. 11) Highlight the hard bits • 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! • Choose a word • Cover the word then write it down • Compare your spelling with the correct word • Underline/highlight any parts you mis-spelt • Cover the word again • Write down the word from memory? • Could you remember it this time?

15. 12) Learn a spelling rule • 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

16. 13) Keep a personal dictionary • Create a blank dictionary (some school planners have one in them) • Choose words that you can’t spell and include them within your dictionary. • Read your ‘entry’ several times • Cover the word • Write down the word from memory • Could you remember the word?

17. 14) Be active • Choose a word you cannot spell • Think of an ‘active’/physical way to remember the word. E.g hopping on one foot to remember the word ‘hopping’ • Learn your word actively- get on your feet/get creative • Write down the word from memory • Could you remember the word?

18. Most of all… 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. 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.