Literacy Update
Supporting with spelling at home
Support at home helps reinforce what children are learning in class. Talking about words and noticing spelling patterns helps children practise strategies, revisit concepts, and build confidence as readers and writers. Even short, focused activities can make a difference. The suggestions below are optional and designed to be simple to use at home.
Practical ways to help
Notice words together
When reading or seeing words in the environment, point out patterns or familiar parts of words. For example:
- That word looks like another word you know.
- Can you see a smaller word inside it?
Ask how your child how they worked it out
If your child is unsure how to spell a word, guide their thinking:
- What sounds can you hear?
- Do you know a similar word?
- Is there a base word you recognise?
Look for word parts
Many words are built from smaller parts. Students learn to recognise:
- Base words (help, play)
- Prefixes (un-, re-, dis-)
- Suffixes (-ing, -ed, -ful, -less)
Focus on the strategy
Acknowledge the thinking behind spelling, not just whether it is correct.
- You listened carefully for the sounds.
- You broke that word into parts.
Foundation and Year 1 students
InitiaLit – Tricky words
Students are learning to read, write, and spell tricky words. These words are called tricky because they cannot always be sounded out and often need to be recognised on sight.
Ways you can support at home:
- Say and stretch the word – Slowly say the word together, focusing on the tricky parts (for example: said → /s/ /ai/ /d/).
- Tap or clap the letters – Break the word into parts to feel the rhythm.
- Build the word – Use magnetic letters, letter tiles, or a whiteboard.
- Spot it while reading – Look for tricky words in books, labels, or around the home.
Years 2–6
Students continue learning spelling patterns and strategies.
Additional optional activities for home:
- Sort words by pattern – for example: night, light, bright or ball, call, tall.
- Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check – Look at the word, say it, cover it, write it from memory, then check.
- Find the pattern in books – Notice other words with the same spelling pattern while reading.
- Build more words from the pattern – Think of other words that follow the same pattern.
- Use the word in a sentence – Saying or writing sentences helps with memory and understanding.
Spelling is more than a weekly test
Spelling is a skill that develops over time and is explicitly taught at school. It relies on strong phonological knowledge, understanding the sounds in words and how those sounds connect to letters. Sometimes students may have gaps in their knowledge of letters and sounds, which can make spelling more challenging. Strengthening these foundational skills helps students become more confident readers and writers.
Spelling is more than scoring 10 out of 10 on a spelling test. It involves understanding the sounds in words, recognising spelling patterns, and learning how words are built. The goal is for students to apply this knowledge when reading and writing across all learning areas.
Over time, the aim is for students to transfer their spelling knowledge into their everyday writing, not just remember words for a weekly test.
A final takeaway - Read every day!
One of the most effective ways to support spelling development is through regular reading. When children read often, they see words used correctly in meaningful contexts. This helps them notice spelling patterns, recognise familiar word parts, and strengthen their understanding of how words work.
Over time, regular reading builds vocabulary, reinforces the sounds and patterns students are learning at school, and helps spelling knowledge transfer naturally into their own writing.
SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB
Issue 2 catalogues are now available. If you would like to place an order, please complete it online by Friday, 20th March.
Bernadette Parnis
Literacy Leader