Supporting children with spelling difficulties is essential for reinforcing the skills they need to succeed. This article is designed to give SENCos and TAs ideas for what to do in specialist spelling interventions.
Like all education, spelling support should be well-rounded and multi-pronged that means in class, in 1 on 1 sessions and at home, there should be as much unified structured as possible.
For further guidance, you can also check out additional articles on: Tracking Progress, Spelling at Home, Spelling in the Classroom, and Morphology.
Spelling for Younger Learners (Ages 7-10)
This section outlines activities and tools teachers/SENCos can use in 1 on 1 sessions to support younger learners who struggle with spelling.
Intervention Activities
Simultaneous Oral Spelling (SOS)
This activity is highly effective for reinforcing spelling patterns. The student looks at a word and says each letter aloud while writing it down. For example, with the word "cat," they would say "C" while writing "C," "A" while writing "A," and "T" while writing "T." After writing the word, they say the whole word aloud. This technique links auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learning, which helps solidify spelling patterns in memory. To see how this is done in detail, check out this link.
Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check
A tried-and-true method, this activity can be used for group work or independent practice. Write the word on a whiteboard or worksheet, have the child look at the word and say it aloud, then cover the word. The child then writes the word from memory. Afterward, they uncover the word and check if it’s correct. This process helps students focus on both visual memory and recall. To see how this is done in detail, check out this link.
Visualisation Techniques
Ask students to close their eyes and visualise the word in their mind. You can enhance this by having them picture the word in a particular colour or font. Alternatively, they can write the word down and highlight tricky parts with different colours or doodle related pictures. This engages the visual sense and can boost memory retention of the word. To see how this is done in detail, check out this link.
Recommended app
Spelling Shed
Spelling Shed is an engaging app that gamifies spelling practice. Teachers can create custom word lists tailored to the individual or class needs and track progress over time. The app uses rewards and incentives to keep students motivated, making spelling practice fun.
Spelling for Older Learners (Ages 11+)
This section includes tips for supporting older learners with spelling in a 1 on 1 setting.
Comparing Spelling Programs for School Use
Morph Mastery Intervention
Teach students about morphemes (the smallest units of meaning in a word), including prefixes, suffixes, and root words. Understanding the structure of words helps students recognise patterns and break down unfamiliar words for correct spelling. There is a structured intervention that you can use called Morph Mastery. For more information check out this article.
Learn the Tricky Words
Common exception words, often called "tricky words," are those that don’t follow standard phonetic rules. Creating classroom spelling challenges or setting up a word wall of tricky words for students to reference can reinforce learning. Focusing on these words is particularly helpful for older students who struggle with memorising irregular spellings.
Lidia Stanton’s Spelling Books
These books are designed to be both fun and educational, providing a range of activities that reinforce spelling skills. The simplicity of these books makes them an easy resource for classroom use. Assigning sections from these books as homework or classroom activities can help older students improve their spelling in a structured, engaging way.
Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check (for older learners)
This method is just as effective for older students as it is for younger ones. Encourage independent practice by allowing older learners to self-manage their spelling lists. Have them review the word by saying it aloud, then cover it, write it from memory, and check their work. You can also incorporate peer correction, where students check each other's work. Look at this video for more details.
Spelling Journals
Encourage older students to maintain a journal of advanced vocabulary and words they consistently struggle with. This helps them review and reflect on words they find challenging, reinforcing their spelling skills over time. See more information here.
Spelling Pattern Themes
Organise sessions around specific advanced spelling patterns (e.g., "-able" vs "-ible") to deepen understanding of rules. This helps students grasp tricky spelling conventions that often trip them up in written work. See some more ideas here.
Focus on Advanced Homophones and Confused Words
Dive into more challenging homophones and commonly confused words, which are more likely to appear in older students' writing (e.g., "affect" vs "effect"). Regular practice with these words can help improve accuracy in their writing.
Recommended tools
Grammarly and Spell-Checking Tools
Grammarly and other spell-checking tools provide real-time corrections and suggestions. These tools not only help correct spelling mistakes but also teach the student the correct spellings, making them a valuable resource for both learning and writing. This is particularly helpful for older learners.
Recommended tools
Speech-to-text
Assistive technology tools like text-to-speech and speech-to-text can be highly beneficial for older spellers, especially those with dyslexia or other challenges. We have written about this in another article, click here for more information.