Spelling simplified: Visual and auditory learning

Don’t forget to check out the exciting interactive resource that will help your class practise their spelling

English spelling has rules — but numerous exceptions. So there is no magical secret to teaching spelling. Nevertheless, recognising that children learn in different ways will simplify it. In our new series, we’ll provide a multi-sensory approach to learning: visual (seeing) and auditory (hearing) this month; tactile (touching) and kinaesthetic (moving) in February 2010.

Begin with sounds. Set up a classroom spelling area, displaying written (graphemic) representations of vowel and consonant phonemes. Play regular sound-matching games as starter activities for literacy lessons. Encourage a positive attitude, the children supporting one another and regarding spelling as fun.

Activities

1. Magic ‘e’
2. Word sums
3. Spelling bee
4. Hear the difference
5. Look, listen and match