Fun Ways to learn spelling words

Let's Make Spelling Fun
Let's make weekly spelling lists a fun challenge & not a Chore - children love to "win"!
This blog is the STEP 2: Fun Spelling in the "Coping with the Weekly Spelling List" series
Let's Talk
Spelling List Fun

Speech TherapistDr Sandra McMahon PhD
Make weekly spelling lists a fun challenge and not a Chore - children love to win! Fun spelling approaches can make all the difference.
Research has shown that looking at “My score before I try to learn them” is vital. Comparing this score to at the end of the week after practising can give the child a sense of achievement (“My After-Practise Score”) (Wallace, 2006). See our “Look How Many Works I Can Spell this Week” In the Spelling List Helper Package. The FREE printable gives an easy to use template to record before and after practise scores. It includes a fun ‘graph” for your child to colour. This provides visual feedback to show them their progress. See the instructions on the Free printable below.
Fun Spelling challenges you can incorporate into spelling routines include:
- Challenge of Accuracy
- Challenge of Speed


a challenge of accuracy
Why does it work?
Parents & Child might be pleasantly surprised just how many they do know!
You immediately know which words to work more on.
Even if they don’t get all 10 right at the end of the week you can make a big deal of the improvement they have made!
Use the graph on the printable as it can give a visual image of success! Let the child fill it in as it can be really motivating! Graphs are fun spelling devices to set up personal goals.
What if a child needs extra motivation? Sometimes I lower the target goal. rather than aiming for a 10/10 a lower target it set e.g., I will put a star at say “4 correct” and set up an easily achievable challenge. I suggest they try to beat where I put my Star by the end of the week. If they get above my “star” they are the “winners”! This makes fun spelling challenges rather than setting challenges they feel they are unlikely to achieve.
Have a look at the attached printable. The instructions indicates that the CHILD SHOULD MARK THEIR OWN first attempt. Self-correcting their first spelling attempts themselves immediately draws their attention to the correct spelling. If only you “mark” it, then they are “not learning from their mistakes”. Once they have "marked" it you can go through it with them. This ensures they have marked it correctly and to provides an opportunity to point out the good things they got right.

a challenge of speed
Another fun spelling approach you can use to set up the challenge of a PB (personal best) is to time how QUICKLY they can spell all the words correctly. Remember to reduce the challenge if a child is struggling with a list (e.g.,make it how quickly they can spell half the words). Speed challenges are best once the child seems to have the correct spelling. The aim is then for fast, neat and accurate spelling! You can record their time on the FREE printable in the FREE Spelling List Helper Package. Can they beat their own time over several attempts?
Why does it work?
In nearly all learning work I do I will incorporate a “how quickly can you do it” component. This is because for us to do something, respond quickly to something, we have to know how to that something really, really well. If a child can write their spelling words down very quickly (including a check over), then you know the spelling is moving into the automatic phase of learning.





HELP IS HERE!

THE WEEKLY SPELLING LISTS
HELPER PACKAGE
FREE HERE!
WHERE CAN YOU FIND HELP?
> BRISBANE & SPRINGFIELD LAKES AREAS: INDIVIDUAL & GROUP THERAPY AT SPEECHNET
> HOME / SCHOOL / CHILDCARE / EDUCATIONAL CENTRE VISITS
> SKYPE / FACETIME SPEECH THERAPY
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