Multi-sensory games (7-10)

Integrating multisensory techniques into spelling instruction can enhance engagement and retention, particularly for students who benefit from tactile, visual, and auditory learning approaches. Teachers can help students better internalise spelling rules and patterns by involving multiple senses. Below are practical activities and strategies to make spelling more interactive and effective for primary students, particularly those aged 7–10.

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Classroom

Spelling

Multi-sensory games (7-10)

Multi-sensory games (7-10)

For students with lower scores in Spelling

Use Tactile Materials to Learn Spellings

Hands-on activities like forming letters and words with tactile materials engage students’ kinaesthetic senses. Give students playdough, sand trays, or Wiki Stix to shape letters and spell out words. For example, younger students in Years 3 and 4 can create the word train by moulding each letter out of playdough, saying each letter aloud as they form it. This tactile and auditory combination reinforces the spelling process.

If you don’t have playdough, consider alternative materials like magnetic letters, textured fabric, or finger-writing in sand or flour. These tactile methods make spelling fun and memorable, particularly for students who may struggle with traditional methods.

Try With Common Exception Words

Common exception words, such as because, friend, and said, often don’t follow standard phonetic rules and can be tricky for students to master. Introducing these words through multi-sensory methods can make a significant difference.

Word Walls: Display these words prominently in the classroom so students can regularly reference them.
Flashcards: Create flashcards with the word on one side and a mnemonic or visual clue on the other.
Games: Play interactive games like bingo or snap, where students match or recall words. For example, call out “Find the word because” and have students locate it on their bingo cards.

Repeated exposure and varied practice ensure students internalise these challenging words, improving both confidence and fluency.

Add Colour To Spelling Practice

Using colours to highlight spelling patterns and structures adds a visual element to learning. Provide students with coloured pens or pencils and encourage them to:

Write consonants in one colour and vowels in another.
Use different colours to highlight phonetic patterns, such as ea and ee or tion and cian.
For example, in the word station, students could use blue for st, green for a, and red for tion. This activity helps them visually differentiate spelling patterns, making it easier to remember and apply rules. This technique works particularly well for students who are learning phonics or tackling more complex spelling rules.

Get The Student Involved In Making The Aids

Encourage students to design their own visual aids to reinforce tricky spelling words or patterns. For example, students can create:

Posters: Illustrate a word with pictures or symbols that reflect its meaning, like a raincloud for rain.
Flashcards: Write the word on one side and draw an image or create a mnemonic on the other side.
Groupings: Create lists of similar words, such as station, relation, and education, to help students see patterns.

Allowing students to personalise their visual aids makes the activity more meaningful and memorable, particularly for those who are visual learners.

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