Learning to spell can be a challenging task for many children. Learning the different letter sounds and how to put them together can be confusing and difficult to master. Teaching your child to spell can be done using a variety of activities that build familiarity with words and encourage him to remember how to spell them in the future. According to Mark Pennington, author of "Better Spelling in 5 Minutes A Day," games, puzzles and other entertaining approaches to introducing and practicing spelling words will help your child learn to spell.
Step 1
Write each of your child's spelling words on a piece of paper. Show the words to your child and teach your child how to sound them out. Practice two or three times together so your child begins to become familiar with each word. Aim to spend about 15 minutes each day practicing with your child, recommends Nancy Jolson Leber, author of "25 Super-Fun Spelling Games: Easy, Reproducible Games That Help Kids Learn the Words On Their Spelling List." Try spelling the words slow and then fast or try singing or chanting them to make practice time more fun.
Step 2
Teach your child how to write his spelling words. Challenge him to write a letter to a friend using all of his spelling words, suggest Dee Benscoter and Geri Harris, authors of "Spell Well!: 50 Quick, Fun-Filled Ways to Help Kids of All Learning Styles Master Their Spelling Words." Instruct your child to write a short story that uses all of his spelling words at least once. Encourage him to write silly or wacky sentences using one spelling word in each.
Step 3
Make word puzzles for your child. Create a word search puzzle or a crossword puzzle that uses each your child's spelling words. Use fill in the blank puzzles to teach him how to use each spelling word in a sentence. Draft a sentence but leave the spelling word out so your child learns how to use each word. Write each spelling word on a piece of paper, leaving a few letters out. Challenge your child to see if he can fill in the missing letters to correctly spell the word.
Step 4
Play games that use your child's spelling words. Write each spelling word on index cards so you have two copies of each word. Turn them over face down and play memory with the words, suggests Leber. Try writing each spelling word on an index card, having your child choose one and list how many words he can think of that rhymes with the word on the card. Give your child a copy of a few pages of his favorite story and challenge him to circle as many of his spelling words as he can find. Time him for one or two minutes and see if he can beat his score each time.
Step 5
Create a word wall with your child. Each week, write each of his new spelling words on an index card. Separate the cards by beginning letter and hang them on a wall near where he does his spelling homework. Add his new spelling words each week so he has a place to reference while he is learning to spell.
Tips and Warnings
- Try writing spelling words on sentence strips, which are available at many teacher stores. Sentence strips allow your child to see the word in large print so he can become familiar with each letter that makes up a word. You can play spelling games in the car too. Challenge your child to see if he can find any of his spelling words on street signs, billboards or store fronts.
- Do not criticize or belittle your child if he struggles to learn to spell. Keep practicing and offering your support so he is motivated to keep trying.
Things You'll Need
- Paper
- Pencil
- Index cards
References
- "Better Spelling in 5 Minutes A Day"; Mark Pennington; 2001
- "25 Super-Fun Spelling GamesEasy, Reproducible Games That Help Kids Learn the Words On Their Spelling List"; Nancy Jolson Leber; 1999
- "Spell Well!: 50 Quick, Fun-Filled Ways to Help Kids of All Learning Styles Master Their Spelling Words"; Dee Benscoter and Geri Harris; 2000
