To ask for the best tips to improve 15 yr olds spelling

[TheColourofspring]

DS 15 has terrible spelling and it’s affecting his GCSE work. Anyone got any good tips on how to help him improve? I wondered if going back to basics was the answer- like getting him a younger spelling book 10 mins a day or something?

Anyone got thoughts or tips?

How does he feel about it and what have teachers said? How come it’s only being addressed now he’s preparing for his GCSEs?

Get them to read as much as possible. This will improve spelling.

You could help him to make a spellings list each week (a bit like they have at primary) but it could have 10 key words on that are linked to his GCSE subjects.
Then he could practise them by spelling them aloud, doing 'look, cover, write l, check', etc. Choose a day to do a spelling test on the week's list and any he gets wrong stay on the list, ones he can do are replaced with new ones.

He needs to read

Regular spelling tests like children do in primary have been proven to be ineffective at learning how to spell. Reading lots helps. If you don't already, put the subtitles on your TV always. Studying the different spelling rules and patterns is helpful too.

Yea, he’s an extremely reluctant reader- I just bought him a book about Messi as he’s a big footy fan in the hope it would encourage him! Have tried doing 20 mins of reading every day but he’s not keen

Does he want help? Because I'm nit sure treating him like he's six as RedTeapot suggested is going to engage him.
I agree with pp - read, read, read!

Does he type much? I read that using a qwerty keyboard can help with spelling.

Has he tried SF and fantasy books? It might just be he hasn’t found his particular genre if he doesn’t read much.

Reading more doesn’t always help. That attitude from teachers and TAs when my dyslexic daughter was small was very damaging. She read All The Time and expected, because adults had said so, that this would somehow magically improve her spelling.

There’s a brilliant, really cheap resource called ‘That Spelling Thing’ aimed at older and adult poor spellers. Tricia Miller. Explains a clear strategy and is really effective (though won’t be immediate change).

My DD was a happy reader. Still had trouble spelling, would spell the same word 3 different ways in the space of a few lines. Turns out she's dyslexic.

Note that for English Language GCSE you get more marks for interesting use of language than you do for spelling. So better to use picturesque spelled incorrectly than pretty spelled correctly.

It may be worth trying to get common technical words for some subjects sorted if he can, but otherwise it may well be that time could be better spent elsewhere.

Look, cover, write, check is really heavy on memory load and ineffective for most weak spellers.

Just to say those saying ‘he needs to read need to be a bit cautious. Good readers can also struggle with spelling, reading is not necessary the magic solution.

At 15 and still with poor spelling, the school should have a literacy programme in place. What do they say about his SpaG?
Don't make him learn lists, and don't force him into reading if he doesn't want to. That way madness lies.

@parrotonmyshoulder

Totally agree, it's exhausting isn't it.
For my dd we managed to catch her early ie she 7 when she was failing her spelling test and tried different techniques and now she's a very decent speller

Op you could try breaking words down into route words and then adding pre fix and suffix.

Go through the word groups etc

Has he been assessed for dyslexia? My spelling and handwriting was awful as a child but I was bright so my school never picked up on it, in fact they actively said I couldn’t have it as I was in top sets. I was only diagnosed at university when my tutor picked it up in the first term.

My child was a reluctant reader but her spelling was off the wall. Turns out she’s dyslexic. Being smart had helped her cover up her reading issues but there was no covering up the spelling.

the advice has been to learn to type and use a laptop for course work and exams.

So true!

Get him reading. Would he like horror? Ask him to treat it like homework. 20 minutes a day.
If he's willing, The Enemy is a good series.
Bribe him, if that works. Cash/treat for every book he reads.
Watch some tv with subtitles on and low volume.
Buy a newspaper and get him to read a few articles over the week.

Do try the resource I suggested (I’m not on commission, just discovered it and am delighted - teacher and SEN parent!). Website explains it all too.
Whether or not there is a dyslexia diagnosis, he is a weak speller. For most people, this can be improved. It’s extra difficult of course as they often perceive themselves as being ‘rubbish’ and see spelling as such a walk to climb.
It’s a shame spelling is so complex and holds so much weight.

Or even ‘wall’ to climb. Ironic typo on a spelling thread!

I wouldn't say that I was suggesting treating him like he is 6 - but if the OP is looking for a way to improve his spelling in time for his exams then it will help to focus on a small group of words each week, and if they're keywords from his GCSE subjects then it will be some content revision for him too.

My dyslexic daughter could always memorise her words for the test and get full marks. Couldn't spell them later in the week doing a writing exercise though so I'd agree it doesn't always work. She was same with times tables and number binds etc...

*Number bonds 🤦‍♀️

Well sadly, reading is the key. Being exposed to words every day is how to learn and memorise and visualise them. It’s a shame when kids don’t read, it’s such an enriching, lifelong pastime.