1. For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.
Spelling Strategies
This presentation matches key objective W8.
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For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.

2. Spelling strategies What sort of speller are you?
I hate spelling tests.
What sort of speller are you?
Do you keep a record of your errors?
Do you know what your spelling problems are?
Do you know how to improve?
Me too!

3. Spotting mistakes Keep a sharp eye out for errors in your spelling.
Then try to identify what kind of mistakes you usually make.
Now you can start to do something about them!
Typical errors include:
problems with homophones
missing silent letters
confusion over double letters
confusing words which sound similar
not knowing rules
endings.

4. Spotting mistakes

5. Spotting mistakes

6. Spotting mistakes 1. Draw a table like this one: Spelling error
Correct spelling
Type of error
2. Gather as many pieces of your writing as you can.
3. List the mistakes, the correct spelling and the type of error.
4. Try to identify common mistakes.
5. Now give yourself at least one spelling target.

7. Personal spelling notebook
Keep a personal spelling notebook.
Here are some of the things you might include in it.
Spelling strategies
Personal errors
Rules and conventions
Types of errors
Targets
Subject keywords

8. Study, cover, write, check
Strategies
If you have problems with a word, try one of the strategies suggested here!
Write the strategies down in your spelling notebook.
Study, cover, write, check
spelling
study the word carefully
cover it
write it down from memory
check it
repeat until you are happy you know it.

9. Strategies Sounding it out
Sometimes it is helpful to sound out the syllables of a word, e.g. re-mem-ber.
Some words, particularly those with unstressed or silent letters, can be sounded out very deliberately: e.g. Wed-nes-day, def-i-nite
Find five other words suitable for sounding out.

10. Look for letter patterns
Strategies
Look for letter patterns
E.g. guard is often misspelled (as gaurd).
gu is the problem area
So look for other words with gu, like ‘gun’, ‘gust’, ‘league’. You can even invent a phrase to help you remember:
‘The guard with the gun.’
It’s difficult to remember the pattern of letters in some words.
So try to find the same pattern in other words that you do know.
This may help you to associate the words and remember the pattern.
Find letter patterns for three other difficult words, e.g. calendar.

11. Strategies
Mnemonics
These are rhymes or phrases that help you to remember the letters in a word.
E.g.
rhythm – rhythm helps your two hips move
because – big elephants can always upset small elephants
In your notebooks, write down any mnemonics you know.
Create a new mnemonic for a tricky word.

12. Strategies Words within words
Lots of words contain other words. Use this knowledge to help you spell the more difficult words.
E.g.
There is a lie in the middle of believe.
Conscience is another tricky word, but it has a school subject in it: con + science.
See how many other examples you can find of words within words.