Spelling can be hard! English spelling is particularly hard – we have so many different combinations of letters and sounds that we can spell or read differently, and the list of rules is a mile long. Here are some tips to help your primary school-aged child learn about sounds, spelling, and to help them remember words.
5 tips for helping your child with spelling
- For early readers and writers (Kindy and Year 1), help them learn about the concepts of sounds, letters, syllables, words, and sentences. Learning about sounds vs. letters is one of the most important concepts that younger readers need to understand. It’s not easy for us grown ups to always ‘hear’ all the sounds in words, as opposed to thinking about the letters that you see or write. When talking to kids about words, use language like: “Fish has 3 sounds… ffff–iiii–shhhh. Look! It has 4 letters! The sound ‘sh’ is written with 2 letters, ‘ess’ and ‘atich’“
- Use word boxes to help kids break new words up into sounds. This will help them see, hear, and remember each sound in the word, and the spelling to make that sound.
- For readers and writers in Years 2 and older, help them to become a detecive and find similar spelling-and-sound patterns in words. Try using creative stories and drawings to help kids build associations between words that have similar spelling patterns.
- When practicing ‘sight’ words or ‘camera’ words, have fun with them. Think about activities your child already enjoys, and incorporate the words into that game. Try hiding the word cards around the room, and have a race or a treasure hunt to find them. Play ‘snap’ and memory games with 2 copies of the words. Fill a container with sand or uncooked rice, and hide the words in there for your child to find. You’ll keep their interest longer, and have fun practicing words together.
- Spelling doesn’t just happen in the classroom! Practice spelling and reading in a highly motivating way, using interesting words. Use your children’s interests to help them practice the things that are hard.
It’s OK to have lots of fun with reading and spelling!
If your child is having difficulty with reading or writing, a speech therapist can help you work out what is making it hard for them to learn literacy skills. Get in touch with if you have any questions about your child’s reading and writing development.