Classroom guide to dyslexia
Primary School
Written by Belinda Dekker
Founder Dyslexia Sydney Support Group
What is dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a lifelong condition that
occurs across a broad spectrum.
Dyslexia can not be cured. Dyslexia
is the most common learning
difficulty and most recognised
reading disorder and accounts for
approximately 85% of reading
problems. It is estimated that
dyslexia affects up to 20% of the
population and around 5%
significantly. Dyslexia is a
combination of strengths and weaknesses that occurs across a broad range of intelligence
levels. Ability to read has been shown through studies not to be linked to intelligence
levels.
MRI studies have shown dyslexia to be primarily a phonological processing disorder.
Dyslexia is not a visual or auditory disorder but visual distress has been shown to occur as
a result of dyslexia. It is characterised by difficulty with phonological awareness,
phonological decoding, processing speed, orthographic coding, working memory,
organisation, sequencing, motor skills, language skills, verbal comprehension, and/or rapid
naming.
Further information at dyslexia basics fact sheets international dyslexia association
http://www.interdys.org/ewebeditpro5/upload/DyslexiaBasicsREVMay2012.pdf
http://www.lexxic.com/5/faq/29/am-i-dyslexic/
Is My Classroom Dyslexia Aware?
Date: ....................................................... Completed by: .......................................................
Checklist
CLASSROOM CULTURE
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Calm and positive ethos
‘Have a go’ culture
Free to make mistakes
Stress free comfortable learning
Flexible groupings
Good transition process
Group by thinking not just by basic skills
Consistent approaches to behaviour management
Everybody counts
Learning preferences
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Foster success through learning preferences
Alternative ways of recording
Opportunities to present alternative evidence of learning
Adapt tasks to suit
Use multi-sensory techniques
Provide challenge but with accommodations
Embed differentiation in the classroom
Ability appropriate task
Stress free
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Time to think
Give control and responsibility
Encourage student voice
The right to pass- e.g., don’t read aloud
Encourage self- advocacy
Remove time as a barrier
Mark content not spelling
Communication
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Model all learning tasks
Take account of diverse backgrounds
Write instructions down and leave them
Appropriate vocabulary
Visual prompts
Chunk learning
Clear and explicit instructions
Reduce teacher talk time
Pause for processing
‘Can do’ attitude
Homework
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No Homework as an option
Stress free and meaningful
Personalised or differentiated
Related to prior knowledge
Offer alternatives to writing
Routine (set days) timetable
Clear instructions
Time driven NOT task driven
Recording work
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Paste information into book
Make photocopies available / Minimise copying from board
Audio, video or photographs
Encourage mindmaps, flowcharts etc
Non traditional assessment
Resources
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Colour coded
Visual timetables
Well labeled
Familiar and consistent layout
Easily Accessible
Assistive technology available
Presentation
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Print on pastel shades
Use bold to highlight
Create lots of space
Plain font of suitable size
Bullet point key info
Thin notes
Collaborative Work
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Peer tutoring
Inquiry learning
Flexible grouping
Paired reading
Scribed work
Environment
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Ability to refer yourself to a comfort room
Flexibility around set up
Structure and order
Bringing Nature inside
Aesthetically pleasing
Time
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Short achievable tasks
Less is more
Brain breaks
Remove time as a barrier
Time to revisit
Flexible deadlines
Adapted from Dyslexia Foundation New Zealand
www.dfnz.org.nz | www.4d.org.nz
Classroom adjustments and
accommodations
Self esteem and anxiety
DYSLEXIA AFFECTS
Research shows that as many as 20 percent of children with dyslexia also suffer from
depression and another 20 percent suffer from an anxiety disorder (Willcutt, and GaffneyBrown 2004). Studies show that most dyslexic preschoolers do not suffer from anxiety. Their anxiety
develops as they enter school and experience difficulties fitting in with the learning
environment and expectations of teachers and parents.
ADJUSTMENTS
• Many teachers misinterpret avoidance behaviour as laziness. Do not assume a
dyslexic's lack of adequate participation in an activity is due to laziness or poor
behaviour. In fact, the dyslexic's hesitancy to participate in school activities such as
homework is related more to anxiety and confusion than to apathy.
• It may be of benefit to the whole class to participate in a self esteem unit of work.
• Constant praise and positive reinforcement is important in building self esteem.
• Teachers must reward effort, not outcome.
• It is important to help students set realistic goals.
Reading
DYSLEXIA AFFECTS
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Slow, laboured, inaccurate reading of single words in isolation
When reading aloud, reads in a slow, choppy cadence and often ignores punctuation.
Becomes visibly tired after reading for only a short time.
Reading comprehension may be low due to spending so much energy trying to figure
out the words.
• Strong auditory comprehension skills
ADJUSTMENTS
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Provide high interest low ability readers.
Provide books on tape, CDs, or on an electronic reader or textbook.
Create opportunities for oral reading on a one-on-one basis.
only ask the student to read aloud in class if she volunteers.
Provide outlines, summaries of chapters, vocabulary words and preview questions.
Allow students to use a highlighter to mark important parts of the text. Coloured pens
can also often be of benefit.
• Used shared reading or reading buddies.
• printing sheets on pastel paper using a dyslexia friendly font may be helpful. Use arial or
better download free opendyslexia font at http://opendyslexic.org
Spelling
DYSLEXIA AFFECTS
• Their spelling is far worse than their reading.
• Spelling is phonological
• Continually misspells high frequency sight words —despite extensive practice.
• Misspells even when copying something from the board or from a book.
ADJUSTMENTS
• Don't mark all spelling errors on a page especially if the focus is to be creative.
• A useful marking strategy is to tick all the correct letters in a word.
• use a multisensory approach to spelling. Many of the normal classroom techniques
used to teach spellings do not help the dyslexic child. All pupils in the class can benefit
from structured and systematic exposure to rules and patterns that underpin language
taught in a multisensory way.
• Dyslexics seem to be unable to correct their spellings spontaneously as they write, but
they can be trained to edit their work as their reading exceeds their spelling.
• Look, cover, write does not work for dyslexics
Writing
DYSLEXIA AFFECTS
• poor, nearly illegible handwriting.
• Unusual pencil grip, grips too tightly, poor posture when writing
• Writing is a slow, laboured, non-automatic chore.
• there is a huge difference between their ability to tell you something and their
ability to write it down.
ADJUSTMENTS
• "The most widely recommended handwriting style is called continuous cursive. Its most
important feature is that each letter is formed without taking the pencil off the paper –
and consequently, each word is formed in one, flowing movement.The key advantages
to this system are:
- By making each letter in one movement, children’s hands develop a ‘physical memory’
of it, making it easier to produce the correct shape;
- Because letters and words flow from left to right, children are less likely to reverse
letters which are typically difficult (like b/d or p/q);
- There is a clearer distinction between capital letters and lower case;
- The continuous flow of writing ultimately improves speed and spelling"
British Dyslexia Association
• allow students to use a word bank or dictionary as appropriate as this may reduce
spelling errors enough so that writing is more readable.
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Offer alternative projects instead of written reports.
Minimise the amount of copying from the board by providing sheets to highlight.
Enable the student to show her interest, knowledge and skills in other formats.
Reduce written work
encourage verbalisation of ideas before writing. If possible record this to be written later.
use mind mapping for ideas
provide scaffolded text type proformas to support and guide writing. These could include
sentence starters.
• Allow use of assistive technology.
Maths
DYSLEXIA AFFECTS
• Dyslexics three-dimensional visualisation skills help them “see” math concepts
more quickly and clearly than non-dyslexic people. Unfortunately, difficulties in
directionality, rote memorisation, reading, and sequencing can make many math
tasks difficult.
• Maths has its own language, and this can be the root of many problems. Many
dyslexic children have problems in at least some areas of mathematics.
ADJUSTMENTS
• Provide tools and manipulatives such as number lines, counters etc.
• If one strategy does not work maybe another strategy will. The best way may be a way
The student has worked out themselves.
• put key words number lines, hundreds charts, multiplication charts on the inside cover of
the pupils maths book so it can be used for reference.
Testing
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Allow students to take tests orally
Allow for extra time
Provide alternatives to testing, such as projects, oral or video presentations
Allow tests to be taken outside of the classroom, in a quiet area with minimal
distractions
• Have students state answers into a tape recorder
• Allow the use of assistive technology
• Avoid timed tasks.
Instructions and organisation
DYSLEXIA AFFECTS
• Learning any task that has a series of steps which must be completed in a
specific order can be difficult. That's because you must memorise the sequence
of steps, and often, there is no logic in the sequence.
• learning facts that are not personally interesting and personally relevant is
extremely difficult for most dyslexics.
• People with dyslexia have an extremely difficult time organising their belongings
and schoolwork.
ADJUSTMENTS
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Break large tasks into steps
Read written directions or instructions to the student
Make sure the parent is provided with a copy of the assignment.
Make instructions short, simple and clear
Ask children to repeat instructions back to make sure they have understood
Make lessons engaging and relevant.
• Use visual adds
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Homework
• A student with a low processing speed ,which is common in dyslexia, is likely to take far
longer at the same homework task than other students who do not have difficulties.
• Reduce homework, especially assignments requiring reading.
• Limit time spent on homework. Dyslexic students are already working very hard at
school.
• Wrote learning of spelling lists for homework is no benefit to a dyslexic. They must be
taught the patterns and rules of spelling.
Technology
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY CAN:
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enable dyslexics to be more independent learners.
improve the speed and accuracy of work increasing their confidence
help students to 'fit in' with classroom learning and routines
decrease frustration and remove areas of great difficulty
Classroom learning environment
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Have student sit near the teacher
use multi-sensory activities to further understanding of topics
Use a positive reinforcement program with rewards and consequences
Allow additional response time when answering questions or contributing to class
discussions.
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Increase communication with parents.
Assign classroom jobs that will help to increase self-esteem
Work with student to create achievable goals
Sit student with good role models and well motivated peers that could offer assistance
when needed.
• Provide one step directions at a time. Because dyslexia is a processing disorder,
students with dyslexia have a difficult time processing, prioritising, and remembering
long lists of directions at one time.
• acknowledge that students with dyslexia have to work harder than most of their peers
and even then the results may be disappointing (both to the teacher and the student)
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appreciate that dyslexics have good days and bad days
accept that progress is likely to be slow and praise small achievements
recognise signs of fatigue & give a break, change activity
If one approach doesn’t work, try something different, work on one step at a time, go
back to a stage they can manage and build from there
Marking
• Credit for effort as well as achievement are both essential. This gives the pupil a better
chance of getting a balanced mark. Creative writing should be marked on context and
ideas and not on spelling and
• Spelling mistakes pinpointed should be those appropriate to the child's level of spelling.
Marking should be done in pencil and have positive comments.
• Try not to use red pens to mark the dyslexic child's work. There's nothing more
disheartening for the child than to have work returned covered in red ink, when they've
inevitably tried harder than their peers to produce the work.
• Only ask a pupil to rewrite a piece of work that is going to be displayed. Rewriting pages
for no reason at all is soul destroying as usually much effort will have already been put
into the original piece of work.
• To gain a true representation of the student's content knowledge the teacher should
scribe answers during assessment tasks.
• Allow additional time for low processing speed.
Resources
The following are excellent resources for teaching strategies and best practice for dyslexia friendly
schools. http://dlb.sa.edu.au/specedmoodle/pluginfile.php/583/mod_resource/content/1/Dyslexia%20friendly
%20schools.pdf
http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/files/dfs_pack_English.pdf
http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/files/Technology-for-Literacy-2013.pdf
http://education.qld.gov.au/health-safety/promotion/drug-education/docs/pd-part-f.pdf
https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/primary/programs/mind-magic-confidence-box
http://www.sess.ie/dyslexia-section/dyslexia-and-reading-instruction
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0089900
http://www.interdys.org/ewebeditpro5/upload/DyslexiaInTheClassroom.pdf
DYSLEXIA FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES
"Effective instruction for students with dyslexia needs to be explicit, direct, cumulative, intensive,
and focused on the structure of language. Multisensory learning involves the use of visual,
auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways simultaneously to enhance memory and learning of
written language. Links are consistently made between the visual (language we see), auditory
(language we hear), and kinesthetic-tactile (language symbols we feel) pathways in learning to
read and spell." IDA
• A multisensory approach helps to exercise a dyslexic student's weak areas such as auditory
processing whilst utilising their strengths in visual processing and kinaesthetics.
• A multisensory approach has the added benefit of appealing to all learning styles so no
one student is disadvantaged.
• Auditory learners succeed best when directions are read aloud, by listening to and
giving speeches, and when information is presented and requested verbally.
• Visual learners succeed best when directions are written, by writing things down, and
when information is presented in pictures, movies, diagrams and charts.
• Kinaesthetic learners succeed best by participating in field trips, science labs, using
manipulatives (blocks, felt, props), and by being actively involved in some type of
activity.
We remember
20% of what is said
30% of what we hear 40% of what we see
50% of what we say 60% of what we do
90% of what we see, hear, say and do
Five finger planner
INSTRUCTIONS:
• Develop sentences and
paragraphs
• One question per finger
• Questions can be changed
depending on the desired
outcome or text type
• One question should be written
on each digit of the finger or on
a hand outline
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Introduce the 5 finger strategy and model it many times with the class.
Display a poster of the hand prominently in your classroom.
Provide a mini-version for each student.
You may want to send a photocopied version home with each child.
Writing on band-aids or post it notes
BENEFITS:
• kinaesthetic story writing technique
• Hand becomes a visual and kinaesthetic memory
tool
• Helps children develop a writing technique
• By using this strategy, they can be sure to include the five major elements.
• Helps dyslexics organise their thoughts
Thinking hats See for a detailed outline of lesson and guided questions for each hat
https://www.ocps.net/cs/services/cs/currareas/read/IR/bestpractices/SZ/
sixthinkinghats_Mar2009.pdf
EQUIPMENT:
• 6 coloured hats or arm bands - one for each group leader
• Cardboard in 6 colours or coloured pens on butchers paper (white on black paper)
• Instruction card with guide questions.
INSTRUCTIONS:
• Works well with issue type topics where students can come up with different solutions or points
of view.
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Give examples and explain each hat
Outline the topic/ issue/ problem
Organise into groups
Each group presents ideas to class.
Students can also be given all hats to discuss as a class one hat at a time. (see PDF)
BENEFITS:
• Students are allowed to say things without risk of ridicule.
• Awareness is created that there are multiple perspectives on a topic or problem.
• Is a convenient
mechanism for transitions.
• Will lead to more creative
thinking.
• Improves communication.
Mind maps
BENEFITS OF MIND MAPS
• helps students brainstorm any topic and think creatively.
• Mind maps are particularly helpful in the writing process and provide students with a
natural way of thinking and building thoughts on a story plot or theme.
• By asking students to create mind maps demonstrating their comprehension of a
concept, teachers are able to understand what a student’s prior knowledge was and how
well the student understands the assignment or the material being taught.
• Facilitates better understanding of relationships and connections between ideas and
concepts
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Makes it easy to communicate new ideas and thought processes
Allow students to easily recall information
Helps students take notes and plan tasks
Makes it easy to organize ideas and concepts
HOW TO MIND MAP
• All mind maps begin with a main concept or idea that the rest of the map revolves
around.
• From that main idea, create branches (as many as needed), that each represent a
single word that relates to the main topic. It’s helpful to use different colors and images
to differentiate the branches and sub-topics.
• Then, create sub-branches that stem from the main branches to further expand on ideas
and concepts. These sub-branches will also contain words that elaborate on the topic of
the branch it stems from. This helps develop and elaborate on the overall theme of the
mind map. Including images and sketches can also be helpful in brainstorming and
creating the sub-branch topics.
Scaffolds
Dyslexics often have trouble organising their thoughts as they see the "whole picture." Writing with
scaffolds helps dyslexics overcome some of their writing difficulties.
Scaffold writing:
o provide writing frames or templates
o provide prompt sheets and word lists
o provide clue cards
o provide a note-taking frame to help identify key information, whilst allowing space for the
student’s own notes and diagrams.
Multisensory spelling activities
for the classroom
General
• When teaching words that are able to be sounded out. Sound out phonemes not letters.
Cloud has 5 letters but only 3 sounds. Cl ou d. You can start with individual letter sounds
but then these must be blended. Or say " if we put those 2 letters together what sound
do they make?"
• When teaching irregular words that can't be sounded out make sure you say individual
letter names NOT SOUNDS. E.g w h a t. Sounding out non phonetic words is confusing!
• So for every activity SAY THE WORD AND THEN SOUND IT OUT but if this is not
applicable spell it out. This is represented by SAY IT SOUND IT
• Sounds need to be sounded out very clearly for dyslexic children. Correct any
mispronunciation of sounds. Exaggerate the sound if needed. Constantly sounding out
the phonemes for every word reinforces a dyslexic student's area of phonic weakness.
• For the classroom you may wish for these activities to be followed up with writing the
words down in a spelling book. Writing in colour especially a different colour for each
letter or sound adds a good visual element.
• In the classroom provide the dyslexic student with a short list rather than on the board.
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Ck shields
• For learning when to use ck or k
• Example word list :
• lick leak lack seek rock soak tack weak back week lock meek wick cloak tuck sleek buck
cheek pack break deck steak neck creak peck croak sock squeak dock squawk mock
outbreak brick daybreak
• Equipment: cardboard, coloured markers
• This activity draws from fun terminology used in the Nessy learning programme.
• Student makes a large shield and sword out of the cardboard. Make sure there is
enough room on these for words.
• Draw a Big ck on the shield and k on the sword
• Say a word and sound it out while writing in the air the word with the sword. SAY IT
SOUND IT . If the ck protector shield is needed raise the shield and say "we need the ck
protector because ...is a lonely vowel.
• Then write the word on the shield while sounding out again.
• If the vowel is not lonely then say for example ea is strong and not so lonely so we don't
need the ck protector. Then write the work on the sword whilst sounding it out.
• Props can be stuck on the wall as a reminder.
Chalk
• Equipment: coloured chalk preferably sidewalk chalk.
• Some concrete or bricks or a wall. It will wash off most things!
• Chalk can be used in a number of ways for spelling. Even a small chalk board can be
used for spelling but the bigger the better. Use different colours for each letter.
• Hopscotch spelling: write out a hopscotch style grid to suit word. Hop and sound out.
Can do a double foot hop to sound out a 2 letter phoneme. SAY IT SOUND IT
• Spelling steps: write a letter on each step. Jump up the steps and sound out. SAY IT
SOUND IT
• Big letter: chalk is great for writing big large letters with lots of movement while
sounding out. Otherwise if you don't have somewhere to do your chalk spelling a black
board is fine. Still a very visual and tactile activity. SAY IT SOUND IT
Magnetic letters
• Buy a set or 2 of lower case magnetic or plastic letters or wooden letters these are
invaluable and inexpensive. Get these and a magnetic whiteboard from online teaching
suppliers such as modern teaching aids. Magnetic or plastic letters are tactile in the
shape of the letter.
• After you have spelt out and sounded out a word the student can trace the word with
their finger or write on the whiteboard. SAY IT SOUND IT
• Then swap out letters to teach a spelling rule. Sack becomes back, or coat becomes
boat. Great when you have lists of words following a spelling phonetic rule.
• Can give a struggling student the letters needed jumbled up to rearrange correctly. Tell
student the word, sound it out together.
VARIATIONS
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note: lowercase is best
Letters in the shape of the letter are better than Tiles or blocks.
alphabet pasta
Cardboard letters cut out and in different colours
Write a letter set on beans or rocks
Scrabble tiles
Letter stomp
• Equipment: whiteboard (the bigger the better), whiteboard markers, cardboard or
coloured paper, markers
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Cut up large cards (half a4 size)
Write letters that you need for the spelling list. One on each card. As large as possible.
Each word will be done separately so you can reuse letters.
Spread the cards randomly over the floor.
SAY IT SOUND IT Call out the the sounds together as the student then finds and
stomps on and picks up a card.
• Once you have all the letters for the word then arrange the letters to make the word in
front of a whiteboard. Sound out and write out the word as big as possible.
• Replace the letters and start again.
Variation running words
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Student stands behind a hat and Instructor says a word and starts the stopwatch.
Student then runs to letter cards on the ground says the words.
Then sounds out the letters and makes the word.
Stop the clock
write it into work book
Phonix blocks / Lego
• Phonix blocks are a great teaching aid but are expensive. Great for a classroom,
particularly for those students that need a more tactile experience.
• You can make your own phonix blocks by using masking tape and a marker to make
phoneme blocks with Lego
• Use different coloured Lego for blends, ends, vowels, consonants, vowel blends etc
• Don't have to make a whole set. Just make what you need for an activity.
• These are particularly useful when making a range of words to reinforce a phoneme as
blocks are available in phonemes such as st or ea.
• students can also make nonsense words using these blocks and the focus phoneme.
• Follow up by writing words created in coloured pencil in a list or a sentence.
• SAY IT SOUND IT
Puffy stickers
• Available from Kmart lowercase letters. $2 for a big packet. These are wonderful. Very
visual and tactile. Lots of colour and some are sparkly.
• Make spelling booklets with coloured paper. Kmart has love hearts, stars, squares.
• Run figures over each letter as you sound it out. Very visual and tactile.
Making / drawing words • Use a variety of materials to make or draw spelling words. Only limited by your
imagination.
• Plasticine, trays of sand, trays of flour, trays of rice pipe cleaners, string, stick in dirt,
shaving cream in trays
• Make or draw the words as you sound out.
• If words are made they can be displayed in a classroom and spelling can be reinforced
by tracing the letters whilst sounding out.
• Follow up with writing out the words.
• SAY IT SOUND IT
Cut out
• Equipment: card, glue, scissors
• Create worksheets (thick card is preferable) with large letters so spelling words can be
cut out.
• The letters can be scrambled (with a separate list ) or presented in a list of words.
• Students are to cut out the letters and paste onto paper whilst sounding out. SAY IT
SOUND IT
• You may wish to print letters so they can also be coloured in to may the exercise even
more visual.
• Could also do this activity by cutting letters out of a magazine or newspaper
Magic e
• Equipment: cardboard, coloured markers
• Get students to create a set of short and long vowels with an accompanying picture.
These should be roughly the same size as a set of magnetic letters.
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For example a is made twice. a with a little apple drawn in it and a with an ape.
It is best that the student comes up with their own visual symbols.
These vowels can be used for other spelling games also.
Students also need to make a magic e with a cape or a little super hero.
The idea is to first make a CVC word that can be changed into a magic e word using the
short vowel letter. Then students add the magic e to the end of the word and swap the
short vowel for the long vowel.
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So the magic e gives all it's power to the weak vowel and becomes silent.
Example list: bit bite fat fate mat mate dot dote
Students can make nonsense words also
When words are made say the word and sound it out before and after the magic e is
added.
Bean bags
• Great bean bag letters can be bought online at modern teaching aids. These have
lowercase on one side and upper case on the other side. A range of games can be
played. The only limitation is that you have only one of each letter.
• These can be used as alternative equipment in the magnetic letters activity or letter
stomp activity.
• BEAN BAG BOARD THROW.
A. Student writes spelling word on whiteboard or chalk in large letters. Bigger the better.
B. Student throws beanbag at each letter whilst yelling the sound.
Body words
• Great as a class group activity.
• Aim is that words are spelt using a students body!
• Allocate groups with a word each. Supply this on paper if necessary. Numbers of
students in each group need to be the same as letters in the word.
• Give each group time to practise their words.
• Group out the front of the class. Make sure when they present their word to the class
the letters are around the correct way!
• Group has to spell the word using their bodies.
• The student also yells out the sound they represent. For blends ends the 2 students can
say the sound they make individually then together. (c
l then cl) Or if a letter becomes
silent they get to say nothing. The 2 students can also get close together!
Two vowels rule
• For teaching the rule two vowels go out walking the first one does the talking. The first
one shouts it's name can be a more useful rule as it is more specific and less likely to
get confused.
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Can be done as a class, in groups or individually.
Equipment : cardboard, markers, scissors.
Each group could be allocated a vowel pair to present to the class.
Students make large letters on card and cut out. E.g. e
And
a
Students can also make letters that form a word using the ea (beat)
Students can dramatise the presentation. The students holding letters can walk around
the front, introduce themselves to the other letter by saying their sound. Then they can
stand together and e (ea) for example can shout its name! The rest of the group can
now make words using the vowel sound. (beat)
Stamps
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Purchase an alphabet stamp kit
Stamp out the words on the spelling list. Don't forget to sound out.
Can make little spelling booklets that are very visual with lots of different colours.
Otherwise use a stamp pad and dot out each letter. Use any stamp symbol, potato
stamp, stick, finger, cotton bud. Can even use paint instead of a stamp pad.
• After the dots have dried join the dots with marker to spell out the letters. Sound the
word out as you join the dots.
Paint
• Paint in large letters the spelling words. Either with a paint brush or finger paint.
• One word per a4 page to create a spelling booklet.
• SAY IT SOUND IT
Water
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Water can be used for a lot of activities to write words as you sound out them out.
Used a paint brush with water and write on a blackboard covered in chalk, concrete
Lots of fun using a water pistol to write words on a wall.
SAY IT SOUND IT
Spy writing
• Write out spelling words with a white candle
• Then cover paper with a paint wash one letter at a time sound out as the letters
magically appear.
• Then SAY IT SOUND IT for the whole word
Syllable Clap
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For use with long words where the focus is on breaking up into syllables
Clap out the syllables
Then use fingers to break up into syllables
Write out the word with each syllable a different colour
• Could then sound out phonemes.
• put your hand under your chin when you say a word you can work out the syllables
because as you say the word generally your chin lowers with each syllable. If you say
Hello.. your chin will lower twice. Say celebrity and your chin will lower 4 times. Each
syllable is attached to a vowel sound so the chin lowers.
Creative ways to spell and display
• Write your words in eye catching ways and display them
• Use coloured letters....different colour for each letter in crayon, markers, pencil, chalk,
glitter glue, highlighters ....limited by equipment and imagination
• Use post-it-notes to write the letters of the words and post them on the wall or chart.
• Draw a visual representation of the word
• Remember SAY IT! SOUND IT!
Prefixes, roots and suffixes • This borrows from the terminology used in the Nessy Learning programme
• Prefixes are heads, roots are bodies and suffixes are tails
• Students draw words an outline of an animal with a head body and tail leaving room in
the animal to write the word. Make it crazy and colourful.
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Prefix in the head
Root of word in the body
Suffix of the word in the tail
Work on roots then add prefixes first then add the suffixes after to build your animal
Provide students with a suitable word list
Remember to SAY IT! SOUND IT!
Example word lists at http://eps.schoolspecialty.com/downloads/articles/PrefixSuffixWordList.pdf
VARIATION
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Provide animal blanks on a worksheet
suffixes, prefixes, body can be cut out and rearranged
For example words (animals) can have -ed or pre- for instance added
Snake plural s
Very simple activity
Students draw a colourful s in the shape of a snake to add to words
• S can be added to lists of words or even better students make words using magnetic
letters etc then add the s
• SAY IT! SOUND IT !
• As a class could chant one dog two dogs etc. repeating the list as you point to list on the
board.
qu in love
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Equipment red cardboard, markers
Love hearts drawn on cardboard
Students cut out love heart
Draw on qu in large letters
Student says qw sound then a qu word. E.g. Say qw quiet
In a class students take turns to offer an example of a qu word.
Then write qu words on the love heart .... Write these on the board.....dyslexic students
may need to copy off a list or from a partner.
Compound words
• Students draw a visual representation of the separate words on separate flashcards or
post it notes and then paste together the two pictures in their book.
• Underneath the picture write the compound word.
• Say the word as one word.
• Draw another picture to represent the compound word.
Pyramid writing
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Write the word in a pyramid
E.g.
s
se
sea
seat
SAY IT! SOUND IT !
Sorting words
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For teaching or over learning of soft/hard c, or g
Equipment: sheets of hard and soft words, scissors, containers labelled
Students cut out words then sort into hard or soft container.
Can be done individually, in groups, or as a class
As students sort the words SAY IT! SOUND IT!
Scratch n' Sniff
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Write letters with glue on paper
sprinkle with Jelly crystals.
scratch n' Sniff when tracing over the letters.
SAY IT! SOUND IT !
Fishing for Words
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On paper fish shapes print the letter of the spelling words
Fish are returned to bowl so only need enough letters to spell words being practised.
fasten each with a paper clip
Place the cards in a large bowl.
Using a toy fishing pole or make a fishing line with a stick, magnet and string.
The students go fishing for letters to spell a word to practice.
SAY IT! SOUND IT !
Eggs
• Use the plastic Easter eggs available at easter.
• Tissue Paper Tracing- The teacher writes the weekly spelling words on a large piece of
paper. The students then place tissue paper over the words and trace over them with
crayon.
• Palm Reading- Motivate your students with palm reading. Write a spelling word with
watercolor marker, (you might want to make sure that this is all right with the parents
first. ) on the palm of each student. Have the students try to spell each other's words.
The students can check their spelling by reading each other's palms.
• Sandy Words- Have students write their spelling words in glue, sprinkle sand over the
glue. The students then trace over the words with their fingers for practice. They make
terrific flash cards!
• Sandpaper Practice-Students write their words on sheets of sandpaper. The students
can really feel their words!
Resources mnemonics strategies
http://resources.sparkleboxteacherresources.ltd.uk/sb2329a.pdf
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/english/spellingtipsposters.htm
Getting a student to create their own visual representation and mnemonic strategy on a
flashcards may make remembering more relevant for them. Create a booklet.
Other spelling resources
These resources have all been reviews and are recommended.
http://www.tesaustralia.com/Download.aspx?storycode=6022314&type=X&id=6833265
http://www.tes.co.uk/TaxonomySearchResults.aspx?area=resources&keywords=Spelling
+multisensory
To access TES you need to join tes Australia which just involves an email and then you
can access some great resources on TES Australia, UK and US for free.
http://ilove2teach.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/multi-sensory-spelling-activity-cards.html
http://www.resourceroom.net/readspell/sightwordspell.asp
http://specialed.about.com/od/Dyslexia-Resources/a/A-Lesson-Plan-To-Help-StudentsWith-Dyslexia-With-Spelling.htm
Dyslexia Sydney support group
Twitter :Dyslexia Sydney@sydney_dyslexia
Pinterest boards :dyslexia information and resources, spelling, maths, reading/phonics,
assistive technology, anxiety, guides.
http://www.pinterest.com/bdekker0059/dyslexia-sydney-support-group/
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DyslexiaSydney/