This year, your child will be learning new spelling patterns in addition to a variety of ambitious words. Please find below, a copy of the statutory word list that your child will be expected to learn over the year.
Whilst children are tested on their spellings on a weekly basis, the national expectation is that pupils can both spell and use these words independently in their writing. It is therefore important for your child to understand the word definitions and practise putting their spelling words into sentences. This approach will support your child to put words into meaningful context, apply the spelling within writing and contribute overall towards successful reading and writing!
Below are some strategies that you can use to help your child become a confident speller:
- Sounding words out: breaking the word down into phonemes (e.g. c-a-t, sh-e-ll) – many words cannot be sounded out so other strategies are needed.
- Dividing the word into syllables, say each syllable as they write the word (e.g. re-mem-ber)
- Look, say, cover, write, check strategy: look at the word and say it out aloud, then cover it, write it and check to see if it is correct.
- Copy out the word and leave gaps for them to fill in the letters e.g. ahe_d
- Learn as many spelling rules as possible e.g. double the last letter before adding _ed
- Look out for changes in spelling when words turn into plurals e.g. baby- babies
- Be careful and aware of silent letters such as Knee, Write
- Finding words within words (e.g. a rat in separate)
- Making links between the meaning of words, root words and their spelling (e.g. sign, signal, signature)
- Have a go: trying out spelling rules and strategies that work for them. If your child is unsure, encourage them to write the word out and reflect on whether it looks right, seek other possibilities and then choose the best one.
- Using a dictionary or Spell It Yourself dictionary
- Encourage your child to check through their work carefully especially after finishing a sentence. If you check their work, underline the incorrect spelling and let them self-correct.
- Keep your child reading everything they can; magazines of interest, books, cereal packets for competitions and children’s newspapers
Thanks in advance for supporting us ‘Enjoying Learning and Growing Together’.