Top Tips and techniques for learning spellings
 Break the words into sounds. For
example, f-oo-d. Or break it into
syllables and sound each section.
This works well with compound words (e.g.
round-a-bout), prefixes (un-hap-py) and suffixes (de-lightful).
 Use knowledge of spelling choices for each sound. For
example, the sound ee can be spelt in many different ways –
deep, beat, me, tiny, donkey, these. When we can hear an
ee sound at the end of a word it is usually (but not always)
the letters ey or y making the ee sound (key, happy, silly,
money, lazy, very). So this can help us when trying to spell
another word with an ee sound at the end.
REMEMBER, there are some words which don’t follow
the rule!! Always check, does the word look right?
 Use a prompt like a short rhyme,
these are often silly!
because - big elephants can’t always
use small entrances
 Use word families. These are words
which all have same spelling patterns,
such as - would, could, should. Or
two, twelve, twenty.
 Look for words within words, such as
friend until the end, to-get-her, sandwich.
 Use spelling rules. These are particularly important when
correctly adding suffixes (something which is added to the
end of a word such as - ing, ed, est, er) and prefixes
(something which is added to the start of a word such as pre,
un, dis, mis). For example, when you add ing to a word with
an e at the end you take off the e and then add ing, so write
becomes writing.
 Charades – this works very well when practicing spellings. A
word from the spelling list should be
chosen, an action/charade can then be
performed to match this and the
children must write down their guessed
word.
 BINGO – ask the children to choose 6 of their spellings and
write them down on a grid. Call out a word at a time, making
sure the children only cross it off if it is correctly spelt.
 Applying their spellings within writing. It is important for the
children to see their spellings as a part of their writing
journey. Asking the children to write a funny or silly sentence
containing some of their spellings is a useful way to apply
their learning within their writing. It also encourages the use
of adventurous language.