Spelling
Spelling - Our Intent
For every child to be an accurate speller of high frequency words and key words that they will need to write regularly.
Implementation
- Discrete spelling lessons are taught 3 times a week in KS2 and daily in KS1 and EYFS through the Little Wandle Phonics Scheme.
- Children participate in exciting, fun spelling games and activities.
- Children have time to explore words in order to find spelling rules, patterns and exceptions.
- Children have regular opportunities to use their age-appropriate spelling words when writing independently.
- Children respond regularly to marking that has identified errors for them to correct and practise.
- EYFS and KS1 pupils are taught spelling rules daily through the Little Wandle Phonics Scheme and KS1 also have a weekly whole class spelling lesson.
At Fourlanesend, in KS2, we use the ‘Spelling Shed’ resources to help children to learn and recall a range of age- appropriate spellings.
On Mondays, pupils are introduced to a set of new words. Children discuss and share the meanings of these words and sometimes their origins.
On Tuesdays, pupils count the syllables in each of their spelling words. Children also use dots and dashes to identify the phonemes and the corresponding graphemes. Dots show where one letters makes that sound and dashes show where two, three or even four letters (digraphs, trigraphs and quadgraphs) make one sound.
On Thursdays, pupils practise their spellings in a variety of exciting ways such as playing dice games, making up silly stories or sentences with their spelling words in or playing Hangman. Examples of these types of activity are on the links, labelled ‘Spelling Games at Fourlanesend.’
Opportunities
Teaching spelling at the primary level naturally integrates speaking and listening skills, as it encourages children to engage actively with language. By sounding out words, pupils practice phonics and develop an ear for the nuances of pronunciation. Group activities, such as spelling games or collaborative word-building, foster discussions that enhance their vocabulary and verbal communication. Additionally, listening to peers or teachers spell aloud helps children tune into patterns, syllables, and the structure of words, reinforcing both their auditory processing and comprehension. This holistic approach ensures that spelling is not just about written accuracy but also about building a strong foundation for effective oral communication.
Download: SEND Provision for Spelling at Fourlanesend CP School
Download: Year 1 and 2 Spelling Words National Curriculum
Download: Year 3 and 4 Spelling Words National Curriculum
Download: Year 5 and 6 Spelling Words National Curriculum
Home Learning
Spellings are set every Mondays so KS2 pupils can practise at home. Pupils are asked to log onto Spelling Shed each week to practise their weekly through a range of online games. This forms part of their home learning every week.
Recommended Links
Spelling Shed Website for Home Learning
Impact
For every child to be an accurate speller of high frequency words and key words that they will need to write regularly.
Assessing Spelling at Fourlanesend
- Formative Assessment
Formative assessments are useful for gauging ongoing progress and understanding during the learning process. These methods help guide teaching and provide instant feedback to children:
- Classroom discussions and questioning: Engage children in questions related to spellings, their meanings and origins.
- Mini-whiteboard responses: Ask children to practise spellings on mini-whiteboards, which allows for quick feedback and encourages participation.
- Peer and self-assessment: Encourage children to reflect on their own and others’ spellings within their work. Teachers mark spelling errors using green pens at least once a week. The teachers will use sound buttons to identify the part of the spelling the pupils got wrong. The pupil then uses their purple pen to correct/ have another go at this spelling. This also regularly occurs during the Invent stage of our writing units in English. Incorrect spellings are bracketed by the teacher. Children are asked to edit their spelling errors in purple pens before publishing their written work.
- Summative Assessment
Summative assessments measure the overall understanding of key concepts and topics after a series of lessons. These assessments typically occur at the end of a week or term.
- Analysis of pupil interaction on Spelling Shed website: teachers check pupil engagement on the Spelling Shed platform every Friday. This shows which pupils have practised their weekly spelling lists online and how well they have performed.
- Formal Written Tests: children have a formal spelling test at the end of every term. This informs teachers judgements on INSIGHT and for reports to parents.
Strategies for supporting pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Spelling: