Spell-check can reduce the spelling barrier in assignments, notes and extended responses, but it does not make the decision for the pupil. It may offer the wrong word, miss a correctly spelt word used in the wrong context or fail to recognise a very inaccurate attempt.

Teach spell-check as a short checking routine. The pupil should read the sentence, compare the suggestions, choose the word that fits and then reread the sentence.

Model the complete routine

Use a real sentence from current work and model these steps:

1. Read the whole sentence, not only the underlined word.

2. Say the intended word.

3. Open the spelling suggestions.

4. Compare the options carefully.

5. Choose the word that matches the intended meaning.

6. Reread the complete sentence.

For example, a pupil writing “Their experiment showed a clear affect” may receive suggestions that do not resolve the confusion between affect and effect. Reading the sentence and checking the meaning remains necessary.

Ask the pupil to explain why a suggestion fits. This turns the tool into supported checking rather than automatic acceptance.

Teach the limits explicitly

Spell-check may not help when:

• the original attempt is too far from the intended spelling;

• the error creates another correctly spelt word;

• several homophones are possible;

• a specialist name or technical term is missing from the dictionary;

• automatic correction silently changes the intended word.

Use examples from the pupil’s subjects. Principle and principal, stationary and stationery, or practice and practise may all require meaning and sentence context as well as software.

Hearing the sentence read back helps the pupil catch a correctly spelt word in the wrong place. In Word, Read Aloud is on the Review tab. On a Chromebook, turn on Select to Speak in the accessibility settings, then highlight the sentence and press the search key and S.

When no useful suggestion appears, prompt a second strategy: check a subject glossary, use a spelling journal, identify the root and affixes, or ask for the word.

Choose when the tool is appropriate

Spell-check is particularly useful during:

• longer digital assignments;

• drafting and redrafting;

• note-making on a device;

• homework completed online;

• checking a small number of important subject terms.

It is less useful when the learning objective is to assess unaided spelling knowledge or when the pupil needs direct teaching of an underlying pattern.

Agree whether spelling assistance is permitted in formal assessments. Classroom practice with a tool does not by itself establish an access arrangement.

Avoid correcting during every sentence

If a pupil responds to every red underline while drafting, the writing process can become fragmented. A more effective approach may be:

• draft a manageable section;

• pause at an agreed point;

• review flagged words;

• apply the check routine;

• reread the paragraph.

For pupils who lose track easily, check shorter sections. The goal is to keep ideas moving while still producing a readable final version.

Build independence across platforms

The appearance of the tool differs between Microsoft Word, Google Docs and other school systems, but the decision routine stays the same. Teach the pupil on the platform they use and check that accessibility settings are consistent across devices where possible.

Useful official guidance includes:

• Microsoft Support: check grammar, spelling and more in Word

• Google Docs Editors Help: check spelling and grammar

These links explain the mechanics of the tools. The teacher still needs to teach how to judge a suggestion.

Review whether the support is working

Look for whether the pupil:

• opens the tool without waiting for an adult;

• reads the sentence before choosing;

• rejects suggestions that do not fit;

• notices recurring errors;

• transfers frequently corrected words into later writing;

• knows when a different checking strategy is needed.

If the same words recur, add them to a spelling journal or teach the underlying pattern directly. Spell-check should support writing while also revealing what needs to be taught.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Telling a pupil simply to “use spell-check”.

• Accepting the first suggestion automatically.

• Checking isolated words without reading the sentence.

• Allowing correction prompts to interrupt every stage of drafting.

• Treating the tool as a substitute for spelling teaching.

• Assuming all platforms make the same suggestions.

• Recommending one product without checking what the school already provides.

Talamo has no commercial relationship with any of the organisations named here. We suggest them only because we think they could be useful to schools.