What tips are helpful in teaching a student how to spell?

Answer 1

There are many tips for helping a student learn how to spell. First, spelling does not always come easily to every student. Phonics is a great foundation in developing excellent spellers. And still, there are those tricky sight words that are not always spelled the way they sound and must be memorized. Flashcards come in handy for sight words and even words with a particular spelling pattern (word families). I have noticed in teaching my students that they seem to enjoy flashcards and working on words with the same spelling pattern for each session such as “ch” or “sh” words. 

Teaching spelling rules also helps. I emphasize spelling rules in my lessons and review them periodically. I don’t want my students to feel pressured, so I let them know that they do not have to memorize the rule all at once, and that I will keep reminding them about the spelling rules as we proceed. Reviewing is very helpful in spelling related words and reinforcing these rules. Having the student write these new spelling words more than once helps them recognize new words. It also helps with their reading ability.

Finally, spelling games make the whole process more enjoyable for the students. I love to use this approach and love to see when the spelling patterns unfold for the student and it all starts to make sense for them. Please message me if you have a student who needs extra help with spelling, and I will be very happy to schedule that first session with them.