What is the best way to do spellings at home?

[mankyscotslass]

DS (in YR) has come home with a note in his planner stating that as he knows all the National Literacy words for YR, YR1 and YR2 by sight, we have to start going back over his words and learning to spell them. Apparently his teacher wanted a word with me but I don't pick him up on Fridays, so will have to wait. But I do want to start him on his spellings so that when the other children do literacy work on Monday, he has something to do too. Is there a best practise way of learning spelling? I have a magnetic wipe board, and magnetic letters, or is paper and pencil best? Sorry, not got a clue about this and as you can probably see from previous posts, spelling is not my strong point!

Look, cover, spell, check is the way that I teach the kids to learn spellings.

Mind you nothing beats reading for teaching spellings

Thanks Pixiefish, will do some after tea....he seems quite excited about it, so i will just do one or two at a time because I don't want to put him off.

Look, cover, spell, check has worked for us too.

and repeat up to about 5 times for each word, so we draw a grid with vertical rules...let them use a pencil and give VERY big ticks at the end! (and some smiley faces)...

If he knows the phonics spelling is generally easy.

Tell him to listen for the sounds in each word and then write them down. Save the complicated memory stuff for the tricky bits!

My son is in Y2 and when he gets spellings it is usually 6 words. What I do is get him to write them out a few times,then I test him. Maybe start with two or three words first and get them to copy them first.

Two ways ds1 particularly enjoys practicing spellings. We have a smallish blackboard, a git bigger than A4, that he can hold on his lap, or use on a table etc (the flexibility is important, as young boys can find it quite difficult to be still for long periods). I draw a grid of 2 columns and 3 rows, write 3 of the words down one side, let him study them for a minute, and then cover up the side and have him write the words out on the other side of the grid. It works as a memory test as well as a spelling challenge, but I'm not that bothered about the memory aspect and will dictate the words to him if he forgets.

The other way he likes to do spellings is as straight dictation, but instead of writing in pencil on paper he writes the words in chalk on the patio. I think he likes this way because it's slightly crazy, but also because his pencil control isn't good and he struggles with handwriting, so writing in letters 4" high is easier for him.

As his penmanship improved we have started using a notebook where he can write the date on each page and then take down the list word by word dictation. He can then mark himself using the printed list. I then write out all the words opposite his words, pressing very faintly, so that he can go over them to practice the letter forms. He likes having his own exercise book.

what are the lit. words for Y1 & 2 out of interest?

Some good/creative ideas here to avoid it becoming drudgery.

In our house, dd copies out a list of the words for me. I then dictate the words back, using her list, and she writes. We check and discuss any mistakes. I dictate the list again, and she writes. We take a break, and do something else - sometimes the break is as long as a day. Then we do the list one last time, but to make it fun I make up silly sentences using the words - which gets her laughing, while she writes.

If she seems unsure of some words, or if we simply haven't had time to do the spellings properly, I say the words and she spells them to me verbally while we're out and about (maybe even on our walk to school).

some fab suggestions already

another one that my ds1 loves - also excellent for children who need practise with fine motor skills but good for all

get a big roasting tray
fill it with rice
get ds to choose a food colouring colour
dye the rice
let it dry - can take a while
then once dry, write the words in the rice with your finger
feels lovely and just shake the tray to do the next word

diy etch a sketch

a variation on popsy's, a tray of sand with a stick.

air-writing - write word in the air with finger (or with your nose for a bit of fun)

pick groups of words with the same spelling pattern sometimes so he can apply the pattern to trickier words later on

say the words in syllables (Wed-nes-day) especially if vowels might be unclear

make up a funny short dictation to put the word in context sometimes

You don't want to bore him to death at home so a little burst of fun!

Great, thanks everyone, loads to try here!
Ernest, I think this is an example of the ks1 list here

or here

thanks mankyscotslass. ta for links

Somebody linked to this the other week which my dd has enjoyed using, and has taken the boredom out of spellings. HTH

sorry, meant to ask, how does it work inschools then? do they just work through the list, or put them in ceratin groups? And on average, how many do they have to learn each week? I must start teaching my lot. i've been meaning to start for about 2 years

Phonetic words.

Get your child to say the word and listen for the sounds. Just ask them to count the sounds on their fingers. Then "write" each sound on a finger saying each sound out loud.

For example cat is c-a-t
and sheep is sh-ee-p

When your child has learn to do simple three letter words then you can try longer words. Sometimes there is more than one way of writing a letter sound and like "ee" in tree or "ea" in leaf and your child has to remember which way to write the sound.

For irregular words
If its really difficult then look, cover, write and check.
If there is only a small part of the word that is irregular then get your child to underline in red the part of the word that is irregular for example

if you were spelling the word "only" you would underline the "n"
Or you if you child is confident in reading the word properly you could get them to remember the way the word should sound. Ie. wed-nes-day instead of wensday

ernest,
Ruth Misken Superphonics spelling tells you step by step how to teach your child to spell.

www.amazon.co.uk/Superphonics-Spelling-Ruth -Miskin/dp/0340851953/ref=pdbbssr_1/026-7348588-3418839?ie =UTF8&s=books&qid=1182188136&sr=8-1

Don't do it. He's in Reception. He should be playing.

Sorry - minority viewpoint, I know!!!!!

katelyle, Id propbably agree with you, but my dss are now 6.5 and almost 8, so while I totally agree with younger kids, and still really value their playing outside and having fun, at some point I'm going to have to pull my finger out and start teaching them or they'll be illiterate.

Some great ideas here. How do you all know this stuff? Is every mum in UK sent on teacher training course?

Also liked that link mmc, ta

In schools they will generally be sent home with a 'look-cover-write-check' sheet. The idea is you do one list per day - little and often gets them in their brains better than last minute cramming before the test.

"Is every mum in UK sent on teacher training course?" No, but a lot of the ones who reply to things in the education section will have done one!

Katelyle, I agree that reception should be mostly about play, but this last term the format is changing in preparation for yr1 and they are doing a little bit more work. Plus as he has already learned all the words for reading, the next logical step is spelling for him. He does seem to see this as a game, and i do it when he asks...he asked this morning on the way to school!