The Teaching of Spelling

EYFS

• There are daily discrete phonic sessions of varying length

• Phonemes are taught using the Twinkl Phonics programme.

• Skills of segmenting and blending for spelling are developed and opportunities to practise, to learn and write the ‘tricky’ HFW are included in all phonics planning.

• Children are given opportunities to apply their phonic knowledge and skills in purposeful reading and writing activities across all areas of learning.

• The children’s phonic knowledge is constantly reviewed and assessed.

  KS1

• There are daily discrete phonic sessions of varying length

• Discrete spelling sessions are planned [i.e. separate to developing phonic knowledge for reading skills]. The children will record spelling and activities in exercise books.

• Year 1 use the Twinkl Phonics programme

• Year 2 use the No Nonsense Spelling pathway. When planning, teacher distinguish the 4 distinct stages for teaching a spelling objective:

1. Revise, activate prior knowledge and revisit previous linked learning

2. Teach, introduce new concept, explain, investigate, model

3. Practise, extend / explore independently, investigate, generalise

4. Apply and Assess, explain and demonstrate understanding, assess through independent application

• Children are given opportunities to apply their phonic knowledge and spelling skills in purposeful reading and writing activities across the wider curriculum.

• The children’s phonic and spelling knowledge is constantly reviewed and assessed.

  KS2

• Teachers use the No Nonsense Spelling pathways and a range of resources to support this. Other teaching ideas can be used to support this pathway.

• There are daily discrete spelling sessions.

• When planning, teacher distinguish the 4 distinct stages for teaching a spelling objective:

1. Revise, activate prior knowledge and revisit previous linked learning

2. Teach, introduce new concept, explain, investigate, model

3. Practise, extend / explore independently, investigate, generalise

4. Apply and Assess, explain and demonstrate understanding, assess through independent application

• Learning the words from the NC word list: teachers select words for the children to learn – up to 5 at a time is advisable. Most words can be learnt within the context of science and topic work.

• Spelling work is sent home during the Practise stage of learning for those children who need it.

• School policy does not support the practice of sending lists of spellings home to learn for a test. Any homework will relate to the stage: ‘practise, explore and investigate’. Therefore, spellings are sent home to learn ready for application in class.

• Handwriting is taught alongside spelling.

• A ‘have a go’ policy in the class is promoted.

   

  Consolidating learning

  It is not enough for pupils to learn and know how to spell words out of context. Children need to transfer their knowledge successfully to their independent writing. This is when the learning takes place. Teachers encourage children to do this by:

  • expressing high expectations that pupils will apply the conventions in their own work, and reiterating those expectations when pupils do not do so; establish non negotiables - e.g., if the word is easily accessed (on display/ word chart) then it must be spelled correctly. Children who find copying from a display/screen difficult will be provided with a paper sheet of words that they use side by side with their work.

  • reminding pupils about the conventions during teacher-led writing or editing and proof reading;

  • setting specific spelling conventions as one of the criteria for written work – only if applicable/ relevant (e.g. in discussion writing, the learning could focus on positive and negative prefixes – as oppose to simply ‘to spell words correctly’. Another example would be to focus on past tense verbs when writing a recount.);

  • marking for those conventions in the next piece of extended writing;

  • giving praise for improved spelling;

  • encouraging pupils to use wall posters or personal prompt sheets;

  • conducting frequent but brief spelling consolidation sessions and quick board activities

Word Study

In all year groups, teachers will use Word Study to help the children learn spellings. Word Study teaches children that over 80% of our words follow predictable patterns.

What is it?

Word study builds on knowledge about words which the children have already acquired through phonics teaching, and expands it to develop critical thinking, word observation skills, discussion and reading skills. The children use the skills to describe words, spelling patterns and meanings; developing a knowledge of words and the way they work as they do so. It’s exciting because it pulls together skills we know work in other learning environments, and develops opportunities for children to talk about words and language in meaningful contexts.

How does it work?

Word study teaches pupils the skills they need to look in detail at words. Word study lessons are based around talk and discussion activities which promote children’s observation and use of words in a sequence of lessons and activities. As well as being very actively involved in their learning, pupils are given tools and techniques to learn how to learn about spelling, rather than remembering lists. As they develop through school, pupils’ understanding of the way words work progresses from a sounds or phonics based approach, through an appreciation of how patterns work in language, to a deeper understanding of the ways in which the meanings of words and their component parts add structure to the words themselves.

Word study investigations begin with noticing simple similarities and differences between words, and progress to children developing their own opinions about why words follow certain patterns, based on their observations. Many of these investigations are based around word sort activities, where the children classify words according to observable features. Pupils use terminology they are familiar with from phonics lessons to do this.

Following on from these investigations, pupils are given challenges based on the word patterns they have noticed. These challenges enable children to develop mastery of their use of the spelling patterns by using and applying them in a wide variety of ways.

Once these are established, the spelling patterns and rules are reflected in future lessons where possible, to consolidate learning.