Spotlight on Spelling
Spelling is an important part of the English curriculum and your child will tell you that
we have daily spelling sessions in school. Curriculum 2014 details word lists which
children should know at each stage of their development. It is expected that children
leave Year 6 able to spell all these words; there are no statutory word lists at
secondary level.
At Hellingly, we teach the children both the common exception words on these word
lists and spelling patterns. None of us are perfect spellers and occasionally all of us
find words which face us with a problem. Moreover, however many spelling rules you
learn, there are always exception words. George Bernard Shaw famously
demonstrated the inconsistencies in the English spelling systems by pointing out that if
these were phonetically consistent, then the word fish could be spelt ‘ghoti’: ‘gh’ as in
‘laugh’, ‘o’ as in ‘women’ and ‘ti’ as in ‘station’. In fact, one in ten words is not spelt the
way it sounds – including the word ‘phonics’ itself! This means that ‘sounding out’ is
not the only strategy which children need to be able to draw upon.
Although there is more than one way a sound can be written and irregular and
unexpected spellings, spelling is not a matter of memorising random letters in tens of
thousands of individual words: most spelling follows expected patterns. By learning
common spelling patterns and general guidelines, each child is better able to
understand the structure of our spelling. Although there are exceptions, knowing the
patterns, guidelines and expected frequency of occurrence helps children improve
spelling accuracy. Direct instruction and practice in applying these guidelines is what
builds spelling skills.
Different children will learn to spell in different ways – there is no ‘catch all’ approach
which will work for every child. However, frequent reading, accessing a wide range of
materials and a thorough understanding of phonics will greatly support this process.
Just as with learning times tables, no matter how fun the manner in which we try to
present it, there is simply no substitute for repetition – and to make this most effective,
repetition little and often until it becomes automatic.
Each child needs to practise spelling words. They need to learn what spelling pattern
is used for a specific word. The most effective and efficient way to have the child learn
specific spelling words is to have the child write the word 5 to 10 times while saying
the sounds (NOT the letter names). This is highly effective because it directly builds
knowledge in the correct printed representation of the word using multisensory
processes (kinetic-forming the letters), visual (seeing the correct print), oral/auditory
(saying and hearing the word). Repetition enhances learning.
Why do children need to learn to spell correctly?
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Spelling is a fundamental skill for effective written communication.
Poor spelling creates a bad impression - it’s one of the first things a reader
notices
Anxiety about spelling inhibits a child's writing, especially their choice of words
Even though we have word processors, there are still times many times when
we need to write – and we need to understand spelling rules as auto-correct of
spellings requires words to be very close to the correct spelling anyway
It is a key part of the National Curriculum (and therefore statutory). Children
who cannot spell the age appropriate wordlists cannot be considered to be
working at age related expectations
How is spelling taught at Hellingly?
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EYFS pupils will follow the Read Write Inc scheme with a focus on red words
for spellings
KS1 pupils will follow the Hellingly Spelling Scheme structured through the
Read Write Inc programme.
Year 2 pupils who have completed RWInc will follow the school spelling
scheme after Christmas.
Spelling lessons will take place daily, alternating between spelling rules and
patterns and high frequency words (common exception words) / word lists.
The link between the brain and the writing hand is key, therefore when learning
spellings, pupils should write them out in joined handwriting (once they have
learned to join). Children should say the word, write the word, saying each
segemented sound out loud as they do so, underline the tricky bits, and then at
the end of the word, they should repeat it out loud again.
Children will have frequent opportunities to write out the words they are learning
correctly, in joined handwriting, so that it ‘sticks in’ and the muscle memory
supports this. Repetition, repetition, repetition.
In order to spell properly, children need to be able to speak properly. Adults
should sensitively correct poor articulation and mispronunciations.
Spelling tests will take place weekly and these will alternate between spelling
patterns learned and high frequency words (common exception words) /
wordlists. Children will also be regularly tested on the full wordlists.
Children will take home spellings to learn each week:
• 3 spellings in Reception
• 6 spellings in Year 1 & 2
• 8 spellings in Year 3 & 4
• 10 spellings in Year 5 and 6
Where a child has got some of their spellings wrong, these may be set again as
additional spellings to ensure they do not fall behind and to make up any gaps.
Children will learn spellings both at school and at home – they are not just
working on their spellings at homework but it is important for them to continue
to practise these as a part of their home learning to reinforce the spelling
patterns and rules and to develop confidence, fluency and automaticity.
Children should mark off in their homework diaries how many of their given
spellings they achieved. A token will be awarded to any child who achieves
100%.
Children need to be familiar with the sounds and combinations of graphemes which
can represent them.
When practising these, adults should be very aware that they are pronouncing the
pure sound only – it is common to put an –uh sound on the end (eg duh rather than d
).
Before practising these sounds with your child, please familiarise yourself with these
‘pure sounds’ using these video clips:
http://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/resources/phoneme-pronunciation-guide/
http://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/resources/sound-pronunciation-guide/
Spelling teaching strategies
Some strategies you can use at home to support your child.
NB the best strategy is usually to write out repeatedly (eg speedwrite)
once you have developed a memorable ‘hook’ – use a combination of
strategies according to the age and preferences of your child.
Look,
think,
cover,
write,
check
With a focus
on
segmenting
and
identifying
the tricky bits
Mnemomics
Eg dis-app-ear
The tricky bit is the app:
disappear – there’s an app for
that
Eg believe – ‘ I believe in Eve’
Eg separate – “Arrr,” said the
pirate, “I’ll put my gold and
silver in separate boxes.”
Eg quiet – keep quiet about
my diet
Eg guitar – I only play guitar
when I’m drinking fruit juice
Eg diarrhoea
eg because = big elephants
can add up sums easily
Ould – Oh, you, lucky duck
(should, could, would)
Ound – Oh you naughty duck
(ground, found)
Laugh – laugh at ugly goat hair
Rhythm – rhythm has your
two hips moving
Necessary – 1 collar and 2
sleeves are necessary
Accommodation – 2 cats, 2
mice, 1 dog - accommodation
Involve the children in segmenting the
sounds (not the letters). Repeating words
out loud is very important. Single letters
rarely indicate and represent a sound in
isolation. Letters work in combination with
other letters – ensure children are
confident with this when segmenting.
Involve the children in identifying the tricky
bit and creating a memorable phrase or
story around this. Use voices to support (eg
the pirate voice, or a cowboy voice, etc as
appropriate to the story) when saying
aloud. Illustrate the word, making use of
different fonts and colours to support
memory.
In this way a striking visual image is created.
This enhances the visual impact of the word
on the child’s memory – a stronger imprint.
When children write the word out in
situations where they can’t decorate (eg
when applying it in their written work or
even in a speedwrite), encourage them to
underline the tricky bit to help them to
remember.
Chant both the mnemomic and the spelling
out loud. Use different accents (including
like a robot, singing, volume, speed etc).
Children to write out the word and use a
different colour for the initial letters. Draw
visuals to support memory.
Words
within
words
eg knowledge = I was kneeling
on an edge with an owl
Island – an island is land
surrounded by water
Piece – a piece of pie
Parliament – Liam went to the
Houses of parliament
Separate – there is a rat in
separate
Secretary – a good secretary
can keep a secret
Terrible – Ribs feel terrible
Business – going by bus is
good business
Soldier – soldiers sometimes
die in battle
Speedwrite Children have to write the
word correctly as many times
as they can in one minute.
Chant the memorable phrase and the
spelling. Children to write and
decorate/illustrate the word.
Children could compete against you with
the same word or compete to beat their
own scores with their own wordlists –
children could choose the ‘trickiest’ word of
their weekly spellings and speedwrite it
every day to try to beat their scores – the
better they ‘know’ the spelling, the easier it
becomes and the faster they should be able
to write it. Always insist on joined
handwriting for KS2 children. Never be
afraid of ‘overlearning’ – the repetition is an
important part of the process. Do be aware
of checking that your child has actually spelt
their word correctly every time as you really
do not want them to ‘overlearn’ it
incorrectly – this will make it much harder
for them to relearn.
Variations can be with eyes closed, opposite
hand, backwards, a different colour for each
letter, spiky letters / bubble writing / a
particular font, write in silly letters / fancy
lettering, different sized letters (eg big,
small, big, small or gradually getting larger /
smaller), creating shapes with the words –
eg an arc / whole circle / steps / spiral / etc
or the outlines (ie clouds creating a cloud
shape) or the letters creating the whole
thing eg squirrel opposite)
Children to draw the shapes of the words to
support them in visualising how the words
should look. Then fill the letters in.
Children build up the words one sound at a
time. Focus on saying the words as they
look eg Wed-nes-day / def-in-ite
Use this to highlight prefixes / suffixes.
Shapes of
words
Staircase
words
def
def in
def in ite
def in ite
Hidden
words
Spelling
Scribble
Messy
spelling
ly
Variations include using colours for each
sound and also playing games where some
sounds are filled in and children have to
guess / come up with alternatives which
would fit these – including investigating the
meanings of prefixes or how changing the
prefixes and suffixes change the meaning /
class of the words or if any of the previous
segment have to change in upper KS2
Write the spelling word in white crayon and
then the children have to colour over it to
reveal the word.
Variations include missing letters which the
children then have to fill in to complete the
word – like a letter treasure hunt!
Children create a ‘scribble’ with spaces for
writing in. Each space is filled with a
different word, perhaps using different
colours for each word. Children choose the
words they feel most confident about to go
in the smaller spaces and the words they
feel least confident about to fill the larger
spaces.
Variations include Venn / sorting diagrams
to sort the words according to their spelling
rules.
Children to practise spelling words correctly
in a sand tray, in shaving foam, in jelly,
using a water bottle (on the playground)
etc. Underline the tricky bits.
Variations include creating the letters on
their desks out of art materials such as
straws / pipe cleaners / beans / pasta etc
Children will particularly enjoy ‘tasty words’
- to spell it out of raisins / skittles / smarties
etc – which they are only allowed to eat if
they spell it correctly!
Using scrabble letters (or bananagrams /
magnetic letters etc), children to find the
correct letters to create their words.
Scrabble
spelling
Variations include picking letters from a bag
and deciding whether or not they are
needed for their words or filling in some of
the word, leaving just the tricky bit for
children to complete.
Reading aloud sentences containing these
words for the children to write correctly.
Dictation
Hearing
issues
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This is particularly useful for homophones
and near homophones where the children
have to choose the correct word for the
context.
could’ve ------ could have Dictation sentences will support these.
children often write ‘could
of’
should’ve ------ should have
children often write ‘should
of’
Hearing the s in the third
person singular:
He needs, she wants, he
thinks
- He need, she
want, he think
The difference between of
(ov) and off
The difference between
are and our (ower)
Hellingly Spelling Full Wordlist Year 1
the
a
do
to
today
of
said
says
are
were
was
is
his
has
I
you
your
they
be
he
me
she
we
no
go
so
by
my
here
there
where
love
come
some
one
once
ask
friend
school
put
push
pull
full
house
our
rain
wait
train
paid
afraid
oil
join
coin
point
soil
day
play
say
way
stay
boy
toy
enjoy
annoy
made
came
same
take
safe
these
theme
complete
five
ride
like
time
side
home
those
woke
hope
hole
June
rule
rude
use
tube
tune
car
start
park
arm
garden
see
tree
green
meet
week
sea
dream
meat
each
read
head
bread
meant
instead
read
her
term
verb
person
better
under
summer
winter
sister
girl
bird
shirt
first
third
turn
hurt
church
burst
Thursday
food
pool
moon
zoo
soon
book
took
foot
wood
good
boat
coat
road
coach
goal
toes
goes
out
about
mouth
around
sound
now
how
brown
down
town
own
blow
snow
grow
show
blue
clue
true
rescue
Tuesday
new
few
grew
flew
drew
threw
lie
tie
pie
cried
tried
dried
chief
field
thief
high
night
light
bright
right
for
short
born
horse
morning
more
score
before
wore
shore
saw
draw
yawn
crawl
author
August
dinosaur
astronaut
air
fair
pair
hair
chair
dear
hear
beard
near
year
bear
pear
wear
bare
dare
care
share
scared
off
well
miss
buzz
back
bank
think
honk
sunk
pocket
rabbit
carrot
thunder
sunset
catch
fetch
kitchen
notch
hutch
have
live
give
cats
dogs
spends
rocks
thanks
catches
hunting
hunted
hunter
buzzing
buzzed
buzzer
jumping
jumped
jumper
grander
grandest
fresher
freshest
quicker
quickest
very
happy
funny
party
family
dolphin
alphabet
phonics
elephant
when
where
which
wheel
while
sketch
kit
skin
frisky
unhappy
undo
unload
unfair
unlock
football
playground
farmyard
bedroom
blackberry
Hellingly Spelling Full Wordlist Year 2
door
floor
poor
because
find
kind
mind
behind
child
children
wild
climb
most
only
both
old
cold
gold
hold
told
every
everybody
even
great
break
steak
pretty
beautiful
after
fast
last
past
father
class
grass
pass
plant
path
bath
hour
move
prove
improve
sure
sugar
eye
could
should
would
who
whole
any
many
clothes
busy
people
water
again
half
money
Mr
Mrs
parents
Christmas
badge
edge
bridge
dodge
fudge
age
huge
change
charge
bulge
village
gem
giant
magic
giraffe
energy
jacket
jar
jog
join
adjust
race
ice
cell
city
fancy
knock
know
knee
gnat
gnaw
write
written
wrote
wrong
wrap
table
apple
bottle
little
middle
camel
tunnel
squirrel
travel
towel
tinsel
metal
pedal
capital
hospital
animal
pencil
fossil
nostril
cry
fly
dry
try
reply
July
flies
tries
replies
copies
babies
carries
copied
copier
happier
happiest
cried
replied
copying
crying
replying
hiking
hiked
hiker
nicer
nicest
shiny
patting
patted
humming
hummed
dropping
dropped
sadder
saddest
bigger
biggest
fatter
fattest
runner
runny
all
ball
call
walk
talk
always
other
mother
brother
nothing
Monday
key
donkey
monkey
chimney
valley
want
watch
wander
quantity
squash
word
work
worm
world
worth
war
warm
towards
television
treasure
usual
enjoyment
sadness
careful
playful
hopeless
plainness
badly
merriment
happiness
plentiful
penniless
happily
can’t
won’t
didn’t
hasn’t
couldn’t
it’s
I’ll
station
fiction
motion
national
section
there
their
they’re
here
hear
quite
quiet
see
sea
bare
bear
one
won
sun
son
to
too
two
be
bee
blue
blew
night
knight
Hellingly Spelling Full Wordlist Years 3&4
accidentally
actually
address
answer
appear
arrive
believe
bicycle
breath
breathe
build
busy
business
calendar
caught
centre
century
certain
circle
complete
consider
continue
decide
describe
different
difficult
disappear
early
earth
eight
eighth
enough
exercise
experience
experiment
extreme
famous
favourite
February
forwards
fruit
grammar
group
guard
guide
heard
heart
height
history
imagine
increase
important
interest
island
knowledge
learn
length
library
material
medicine
mention
minute
natural
naughty
notice
occasion
occasionally
often
opposite
ordinary
particular
peculiar
perhaps
popular
position
possession
possible
potatoes
pressure
probably
promise
purpose
quarter
question
recent
regular
reign
remember
sentence
separate
special
straight
strange
strength
suppose
surprise
therefore
though
although
thought
through
various
weight
woman
women
forgetting
forgotten
beginning
beginner
prefer
preferred
gardening
gardener
limiting
limited
limitation
myth
gym
Egypt
pyramid
mystery
young
touch
double
trouble
country
disappoint
disagree
disobey
misbehave
mislead
misspell
inactive
incorrect
illegal
illegible
immature
immortal
impossible
impatient
imperfect
irregular
irrelevant
irresponsible
redo
refresh
return
reappear
redecorate
subdivide
subheading
submarine
submerge
interact
intercity
international
interrelated
supermarket
superman
superstar
antiseptic
anticlockwise
antisocial
autobiography
autograph
information
adoration
sensation
preparation
admiration
sadly
completely
usually
finally
comically
happily
angrily
gently
simply
humbly
nobly
basically
frantically
dramatically
measure
treasure
pleasure
enclosure
creature
furniture
picture
nature
adventure
division
invasion
confusion
decision
collision
television
poisonous
dangerous
mountainous
famous
various
tremendous
enormous
jealous
humorous
glamorous
vigorous
courageous
outrageous
serious
obvious
curious
hideous
spontaneous
courteous
invention
injection
action
hesitation
completion
expression
discussion
confession
permission
admission
expansion
extension
comprehension
tension
musician
electrician
magician
politician
mathematician
scheme
chorus
chemist
echo
character
chef
chalet
machine
brochure
league
tongue
antique
unique
science
scene
discipline
fascinate
crescent
vein
weigh
eight
neighbour
they
obey
accept
except
affect
effect
brake
break
grate
great
mist
missed
ball
bawl
berry
bury
fair
fare
groan
grown
plain
plane
rain
rein
reign
scene
seen
here
hear
heel
heal
he’ll
knot
not
mail
male
main
mane
meat
meet
peace
piece
weather
whether
whose
who’s
girl’s
girls’
boy’s
boys’
men’s
children’s
babies’
Hellingly Spelling Full Wordlist Years 5&6
accommodate
equip
physical
malicious
assistance
incredibly
through
complement
accompany
equipped
prejudice
suspicious
obedient
sensible
thorough
descent
according
equipment
privilege
ambitious
obedience
sensibly
borough
dissent
achieve
especially
profession
cautious
independent
referring
plough
desert
aggressive
exaggerate
programme
fictitious
independence
referred
bough
dessert
amateur
excellent
pronunciation
infectious
adorable
referral
doubt
draft
ancient
existence
queue
nutritious
adorably
preferring
island
draught
apparent
explanation
recognise
official
adoration
preferred
lamb
farther
appreciate
familiar
recommend
special
applicable
transferring
solemn
father
attached
foreign
relevant
artificial
applicably
transferred
thistle
guessed
available
forty
restaurant
partial
application
reference
knight
guest
average
frequently
rhyme
confidential
considerable
referee
advice
heard
awkward
government
rhythm
essential
considerably
preference
advise
herd
bargain
guarantee
sacrifice
observant
consideration
transference
device
led
bruise
harass
secretary
observance
tolerable
co-ordinate
devise
lead
category
hindrance
shoulder
observation
tolerably
re-enter
licence
morning
cemetery
identity
signature
expectant
toleration
co-operate
license
mourning
committee
immediate
sincere
expectation
changeable
co-own
practice
past
communicate
immediately
sincerely
hesitant
noticeable
deceive
practise
passed
community
individual
soldier
hesitancy
forcible
conceive
prophecy
precede
competition
interfere
stomach
hesitation
legible
receive
prophesy
proceed
conscience*
interrupt
sufficient
tolerant
dependable
perceive
aisle
principal
conscious*
language
suggest
tolerance
comfortable
ceiling
isle
principle
controversy
leisure
symbol
toleration
understandable
ought
aloud
profit
convenience
lightning
system
substance
reasonable
bought
allowed
prophet
correspond
marvellous
temperature
substantial
enjoyable
thought
affect
stationary
criticise
mischievous
thorough
innocent
reliable
nought
effect
stationery
curiosity
muscle
twelfth
innocence
possible
brought
altar
steal
definite
necessary
variety
decent
possibly
fought
alter
steel
desperate
neighbour
vegetable
decency
horrible
rough
ascent
wary
determined
nuisance
vehicle
frequent
horribly
tough
assent
weary
develop
occupy
yacht
frequency
terrible
enough
bridal
who’s
dictionary
occur
vicious
confident
terribly
cough
bridle
whose
disastrous
opportunity
precious
confidence
visible
though
cereal
embarrass
parliament
conscious
confidential
visibly
although
serial
environment
persuade
delicious
assistant
incredible
dough
compliment
Some useful spelling guidelines
1. The position of a phoneme in a word may rule out certain graphemes for that phoneme.
The ai and oi spellings do not occur at the end of English words or immediately before
suffixes; instead, the ay and oy spellings are used in these positions (e.g. play, played,
playing, playful, joy, joyful, enjoying, enjoyment). In other positions, the /ai/ sound is most
often spelt ai or a consonant-vowel, as in rain, date and bacon. The same principle applies
in choosing between oi and oy: oy is used at the end of a word or immediately before a
suffix, and oi is used elsewhere. There is no other spelling for this phoneme.
2. When an /o/ sound follows a /w/ sound, it is frequently spelt with the letter a (e.g. was,
wallet, want, wash, watch, wander) – often known as the w-special. This extends to many
words where the /w/ sound comes from the qu grapheme (e.g. quarrel, quantity, squad,
squash).
3. When an /ur/ sound follows the letter w (but not qu) it is usually spelt or (e.g. word, worm,
work, worship, worth). The important exception is were.
4. An / or/ sound before an /l/ sound is frequently spelt with the letter /a/ (e.g. all, ball, call,
always).
5. English words do not end in the letter v unless they are abbreviations (e.g. rev). If a word
ends in a /v/ sound, e must be added after the v in the spelling (e.g. give, have, live, love,
above). This may seem confusing, because it suggests that the vowels should have their
long sounds (as in alive, save and stove) but in fact there are very few words in the
give/have category (i.e. words with short vowels) – they are mostly common words and
are quickly learned.
6. Elisions, sometimes known as contractions, such as I’m, let’s and can’t are usually easy to
spell, but children need to know where to put the apostrophe.
7. Confusions are common between their and there and can persist unless appropriate
teaching is given. There is related in meaning (place) and spelling to here and where. Their
is related in meaning (plural person) and spelling to they and them. To avoid confusing
children, experience shows it is advisable not to teach these two similar sounding words at
the same time but to secure the understanding of one of them before teaching the other.
8. Giving vowel graphemes their full value in reading can help with the spelling of the schwa
sound. For example, if children at first sound out the word important in their reading with
a clear /a/ sound in the last syllable, this will help them to remember to spell the schwa
sound in that syllable with the letter a rather than with any other vowel letter.
9. In deciding whether to use ant or ent, ance or ence at the end of a word, it is often helpful
to consider whether there is a related word where the vowel sound is more clearly
pronounced. When deciding, for example, between occupant or occupent the related word
occupation shows that the vowel letter must be a.
Note: The i before e except after c rule applies only to words in which the ie or ei stands for a
clear /ee/ sound and unless this is known, words such as sufficient, veil and their look like
exceptions. There are so few words which follow the rule that it is easier to learn the specific
words.