A Guide to Spelling in Key Stage 2 at Wyberton Primary School

Children can find writing a real challenge; they need encouragement, support and praise for their efforts. In order for them to become a successful writer they need to be able to spell accurately. Most of us, even if we consider ourselves to be good spellers, make spelling mistakes at some point. What is important is that we know what to do when we get stuck and we know how to correct our mistakes. The English language is a rich but complex language; despite its complexity, 85% of the English spelling system is predictable.

In this leaflet, we outline our dual-approach to the teaching and learning of spelling in line with the National Curriculum 2014:

• Spelling patterns and rules

• Year group word lists

In Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 the children receive daily sessions of ‘Letters and Sounds’ where the children learn phonics, spelling patterns and high frequency words. Progressing into Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 your child will learn the rules and conventions of spelling patterns in addition to set words allocated to each year group. During these lessons, children are introduced to new words, given time to explore their meaning and identify any patterns before ideas are hypothesised and tested. Children are then allowed time to practice the conventions and learning is extended to explore exceptions and variations.

At Wyberton Primary School, we hope that teachers and parents can work together to improve spelling. We hope that this guide will support you to help your child with spelling by exploring strategies in addition to providing some ideas for practising spelling at home

Progression of Spelling

Y1 /  children know simple spelling rules and are able to apply them in their writing across the curriculum
 Use letter names to distinguish between alternative spellings of the same sound
 write from memory simple sentences dictated by the teacher that include words using the GPCs, common exception words taught and words taught in their spelling lessons so far.
 segment spoken words into individual phonemes and then how to represent the phonemes by the appropriate grapheme(s)
 some words spelt in a phonically plausible way
Y2 / Children spell by:
 segmenting spoken words into phonemes and representing these by graphemes, spelling many correctly.
 learning new ways of spelling phonemes for which 1 or more spellings are already known, and learn some words with each spelling, including a few common homophones
 Write from memory simple sentences dictated by a teacher that include words with GPCs, common exception words, and punctuation taught so far.
Y3 / Children spell by:
 Continuing to segment spoken words into phonemes and representing these by graphemes, spelling most correctly.
 Continuing to learn new ways of spelling phonemes for which 1 or more spellings are already known.
 Understand how to use knowledge of word families based on common words, to support spelling, showing how words are related in form and meaning (e.g. solve, solution, solver, dissolve, insoluble)
 Write from memory simple sentences dictated by the teacher that include words and punctuation taught so far.
Y4 /  Children know the spelling rules they have been taught and are able to apply them in their writing across the curriculum
 write from memory simple sentences, dictated by the teacher, that include words and punctuation taught so far.
Y5 /  Children know rules for Y5 and are able to apply them in their writing across the curriculum
 Converting nouns or adjectives into verbs using suffixes (e.g. –ate; –ise; –ify)
 Verb prefixes (e.g. dis–, de–, mis–, over– and re–)
 Use further prefixes and suffixes and understand the guidance for adding them
Y6 /  Children know the Y6 rules and are able to apply them in their writing across the curriculum
 use knowledge of morphology and etymology in spelling and understand that the spelling of some words needs to be learnt specifically

Activities and Games to Develop Spelling at Home

Jigsaw: write the set of words to be learnt on stiff card with thick felt tip pen. Ask the child to decorate around the words. Cut the card up to make a jigsaw puzzle. Time how long it takes to put together, each time trying to beat the record. When the jigsaw is finished, the child reads the words and spells them out.

Crossword: children could create their own crosswords or complete one created for them.

Unscramble: for this game you will need magnetic letters and words written on card. One player needs to look at the word written on the card and then scrambles the letters on the magnetic board. The card is shown briefly to the other player who has to then put the magnetic letters in the right order. Both players check the spellings and a point is awarded for each letter correctly placed. This is a good game for revising previously learnt spellings.

Word games: simple and short one-to-one activities may include filling in missing letters e.g. sc_ool scho_ _ s _ _ ool

Put the missing word in the sentence: I learn spelling rules at home and at ______.

Writing sentences: ask the child to think of and write down a sentence including the word to be learned. The sillier the sentences, the more fun they will be e.g. The train travelled through the strawberry and over the grapefruit.

Words within words: ask the children to be investigators and find any words hiding within the word e.g. rat in separate.

Play hangman: a different version to this is Shannon’s game which builds up the word from the first letter to the last so the children are given the first letter and then have to guess the second, third and so on in the correct order.

Noughts and Crosses: play in the same way as normal noughts and crosses, but one child picks a word from their component’s spelling list to tell them. The second player has to spell the word. If they get the word correct they can add their symbol (a nought or a cross) to the game.

Snakes and Ladders: to go up a ladder, the player must write a word from his/her spelling list correctly – or go down the snake!

Learning Strategies

Children learn in variety of different ways. In order to support our dual-approach to spellings, we will be explaining the many strategies children can use to learn spellings, empowering them to become independent learners and spellers.

Visual strategies

- Try writing the word down in two or three different ways, in joined handwriting. This will fix the spelling in the hand.

- Use a highlighter pen to draw your attention to the part of the word you need to learn.

- Look for words within words (e.g. get in vegetable, lie in believe).

- Use the Look, say, cover, write, check strategy.

- Using different colours to break the word up e.g. disinfect

- Learning about the structure of words can help spelling. For example, find the root of a word and check whether it changes when prefixes or suffixes are added (e.g. smiling: root = smile + ing).

Auditory strategies

- Listen to the word. Break it into syllables and then identify the phonemes in each syllable (e.g. Sep-tem-ber); the syllables could be clapped out.

- When letters or parts of words are silent, say the words in an exaggerated way (e.g. k-nife, bus-i-ness)

- Analogy is using words already known (e.g. could, would, should).

- Mnemonics are a useful memory aid (e.g. Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants = Because or I SENT a preSENT).

- Think of a word that rhymes with the word you are trying to spell.

Kinaesthetic Strategies

- Tracing over words

- Sky writing as you spell each word

- Using magnetic/plastic letters

- Writing on a variety of different surfaces e.g. sand, shaving foam, someone’s back!

Word Lists for Years 3 and 4

accident(ally)actual(ly)addressanswerappeararrive

believebicyclebreathbreathebuildbusy/business calendar caught centre century certain circle

complete considercontinue decidedescribedifferent

difficult disappearearlyearth eight/eighthenough

exercise experienceexperimentextremefamousfavourite

Februaryforward(s)fruitgrammar groupguard

Guideheardheartheight history imagine

Increaseimportant interest island knowledge learn

length library material medicine mention minute

natural naughty notice occasion(ally) often opposite

ordinary particular peculiar perhaps popular position

possess(ion) possible potatoes pressure probably promise

purpose quarter question recent regular reign

remember sentence separate special straight strange

strength suppose surprise therefore thoughalthough

thought through various weight woman/women

Word Lists for Years 5 and 6

accommodate accompanyaccording achieve aggressive amateur

ancientapparent appreciate attached available average

awkward bargain bruise category cemetery committee

communicatecommunitycompetition conscienceconsciouscontroversy

conveniencecorrespond criticisecuriosity definite desperate

determineddevelop dictionary disastrous embarrass environment

equip (–ped, –ment)especially exaggerate excellent existence

explanationfamiliar foreign forty frequently government

guaranteeharass hindrance identity immediate(ly) individual

interfere interrupt language leisure lightning marvellous

mischievous muscle necessary neighbour nuisance occupy

occur opportunity parliament persuade physical prejudice

privilege profession programme pronunciation queue recognise

recommend relevant restaurant rhyme rhythm sacrifice

secretary shoulder signature sincere(ly) soldier stomach

sufficient suggest symbol system temperature thorough

twelfth variety vegetable vehicle yacht

A great app that explores spelling these words through a game is Spell Fix.