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“Empowering young minds with the building blocks of communication—one word at a time!”
For every child to be an accurate speller of high frequency words and key words that they will need to write regularly.
Take a look at how our children’s learning in spellings progresses as they move from Year 3 to Year 6 and then into Key Stage 3. All lessons have been carefully considered, planned to cater for the learning needs of all children and with careful links made wherever possible to previous year/next year learning in spellings and writing.
At Carbeile, 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 and their meanings in a variety of exciting ways. They may play vocabulary games to match the meaning to the correct word on their spelling list. They may explore mnemonics or helpful sayings to help them recall how to spell the words. They may complete a morphology matrix to see how words change meaning when you add prefixes or suffixes. They may unscramble letters to reveal the correct spelling of a word or apply the spellings taught into their own sentences or short stories.
On Fridays, pupils are given a short dictation task that includes 2-5 of the spelling words from that week. This allows pupils to apply the spellings taught in context as well as practise handwriting and punctuation.
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.
A paper copy of the spellings are sent home on Mondays so pupils can practise at home. Pupils are also asked to log onto Spelling Shed each week to practise their weekly spellings through a range of online games. This forms part of their home learning every week.
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 Carbeile Junior School
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:
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.