1. Approaches to supporting spelling October 2015
-respect –responsibility –positivity –resilience –courage –honesty
-aspiration -community –democracy –peace –freedom -diversity

2. Why children need to learn to spell correctly
*Poor spelling creates a bad impression
*Examiners and prospective employers place a lot of weight on spelling
*Anxiety about spelling inhibits a child's writing, especially their choice of words
*Even in this technological age there are still times when we need to write

3. Why is spelling a school priority?
-‘Pupils’ spelling is not good enough.’
(Ofsted, March 2014)
-Spelling scores in end of KS2 tests below the national average
-Preparing children for the demands of secondary school

4. 2015 Y6 spelling test
afternoon
paused
happiest
international
frequent
tapping
unsure
tough
difference
assistant
knee
postage
lorries
fracture
occasion
double
judge
system
luckily
potential

5. To improve and develop their spelling children need….
Research suggests…
To improve and develop their spelling children need….
*to feel safe about trying new words, not just words they're sure about
*to learn about the way words are built up using syllables
*to know about the basic spelling patterns of English
*to have a range of memorizing strategies
*to explore the meanings of words
*to understand prefixes and suffixes
*to read for pleasure

6. Useful memorising strategies

7. Laugh – Laugh At Ugly Goat Hair
Mnemonics are useful for particularly tricky words, or for key spelling patterns:
Laugh – Laugh At Ugly Goat Hair
Because – Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants
Island – an island is land surrounded by water
Piece – a piece of pie
Parliament – Liam went to the Houses of parliament

8. Spelling patterns and rules *Spelling ‘sorts’/investigations
black
bag
always
date
safe
brat
gate
same
plane
packing
flat
slap
Sort the words into piles
Can you spot any spelling rules?
Can you find any other words which fit the rules?
Are there any ‘wildcards’ or exceptions to the rule?

9. Spelling patterns and rules *Spelling ‘sorts’/investigations
black
bag
always
date
safe
brat
gate
same
plane
packing
flat
slap
Short vowel sounds
a/consonant/e (magic ‘e’)
wildcard

10. The Importance of Syllables in Spelling
*All good spellers are skilful at breaking words up into syllables.
care-ful = careful
hos-pit-al = hospital
u-ni-ver-si-ty = university
Breaking a word into syllables makes it easier to deal with one small bit at a time
*Clapping out syllables in names or places

11. Prefixes as an aid to spelling
A prefix is a group of letters placed at the start of a root word to change its meaning. Some complicated words are less difficult to spell if you are familiar with prefixes. Here are some common examples:
PREFIX
MEANING
EXAMPLES
anti-
against or opposite to
anticlockwise, antibiotic 
auto-
 self
autobiography, automat
dis-
not, or away
dissimilar, disconnect
in-
not
insane, inhuman
il-
illogical, illegal
im-
immature, improbable
ir-
irrelevant, irregular
mis-
wrong
misunderstand, misspell
post-
after
postnatal, postscript 
pre-
before
prenatal, prehistoric
pro-
for, or forward
propose, pro-British 
re-
again, or back
rewrite, reconsider
sub-
under
submarine, substandard
super-
above
supervisor, superhuman
trans-
across
transport, transplant
un-
not, or in reverse
unfinished, unarmed

12. How often can you write the word correctly in
Speed Writing
How often can you write the word correctly in
one minute?

13. Look for small words inside the word
about - a, out, bout
teacher – tea, each, her, ache

14. Words that look similar
take is like …
lake and fake

15. Write the word 3 times in different colours
Three Times
Write the word 3 times in different colours
three three three

16. Go back later and fill in the missing vowels
Words without vowels
b _ c _ _ s _
Write each word with a line instead of each vowel.
Go back later and fill in the missing vowels

17. Create your own word searches using your spelling words.
Spelling Bank