SPELLINGS
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
These
three activities I have used with individual students who are finding spelling
very tricky. I find that they help to develop their understanding of phonemes
and to develop their confidence in their abilities.
BOGGLE: children choose 12 letters randomly and then use the
letters selected to make words. I have
colour coded the vowels in red as some of my students are unsure which letters
the vowels are. I have included the
phonemes and blends for students who are unsure of these and to help them
recognise that they make one sound.
a
|
b
|
c
|
d
|
e
|
f
|
g
|
h
|
i
|
j
|
k
|
l
|
m
|
n
|
o
|
p
|
q
|
r
|
s
|
t
|
u
|
v
|
w
|
x
|
y
|
z
|
ai
|
ee
|
ie
|
oa
|
ue
|
sh
|
ch
|
th
|
th
|
ng
|
oo
|
oo
|
ar
|
er
|
or
|
oi
|
ou
|
ck
|
ll
|
ff
|
zz
|
qu
|
a-e
|
ay
|
ea
|
i-e
|
igh
|
y
|
o-e
|
owsnow
|
ue
|
u-e
|
ew
|
ir
|
ir
|
ur
|
or
|
au
|
aw
|
al
|
oy
|
owcow
|
ear
|
air
|
ure
|
ss
|
br
|
cl
|
cr
|
dr
|
sm
|
st
|
pl
|
sk
|
spl
|
tw
|
squ
|
thr
|
nd
|
lk
|
ft
|
nch
|
mp
|
ct
|
bl
|
ph
|
tch
|
tion
|
wh
|
dg
|
ea
|
ough
|
a
|
e
|
i
|
o
|
u
|
c
|
d
|
g
|
n
|
p
|
r
|
t
|
a
|
e
|
i
|
o
|
u
|
a
|
e
|
i
|
o
|
u
|
SPLAT: In example I
have used the letters b, d and p, however, I have used this activity with
homophones too. Say the letter to the
student who them has to “Splat” the letter with their palm or make a zapper
using a card shape.
b
|
b
|
b
|
b
|
b
|
d
|
d
|
d
|
d
|
d
|
p
|
p
|
p
|
p
|
p
|
d
|
b
|
p
|
d
|
p
|
b
|
d
|
b
|
p
|
|
ONSET AND
RIME
This activity helps the student to recognise that many
spellings follow a pattern (letter strings and letter families). Often I will ask the student to tell me or to
write down a sentence using the words.
|
ook
|
l
|
t
|
b
|
h
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
activities can be easily adapted and used with other strategies, for example
recording the words created playing Boggle on coloured paper with felt pens;
using shaving foam or sand to write the
letter b or d; and using plastic spoons or lolly sticks to create onset and
rime resources.
Above all
else I aim to make the activities purposeful and fun for the student.