Class lists of spelling words can often feel like a struggle of epic proportions for families. In addition to discussing the words, spelling them aloud, writing them down and using them in sentences, how can you do to help kids LEARN the words?
1. READ every day. The more a child reads, the more opportunities he/she will have to encounter their pertinent words they’ll need in their daily lives. (many lists are such words)
2. Try writing the words on his/her back. If students can “pull the word through their body” and “see it”, they have a better chance of knowing how to spell the word.
3. Hang the words around the usual places they spend time in the house (bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, basketball hoop, family room) so they must spell the words before they do whatever activity they want/need to do in that space.
4. Play/Create word games with past and present lists: Hangman (Hate that title but love the game!), Scrabble, Pictionary, etc.
5. For young students have them jump rope and spell out their words, write the words in a hop scotch game, play Four Square and spell each word between bounces to the other people (or make it Two or Three Square if that’s how many people you have to play).
6. Look up the words in the dictionary and use them in meaningful sentences. Look for the synonyms and antonyms to enhance their understanding of the words.
7. Write the words outside with chalk, water, watercolors. Draw the word in sand, shaving cream, rice.
8. Have kids skip and spell the words one letter for each skipping step. Stop, use the word in a sentence and move on to another word. (Wait until the word is known since you will not want to have the words spelled wrong and reinforce the wrong spelling.)
9. Walk a low balance beam or a 2×4, toss a beanbag as you spell the word. (The more sensory inclusions you are able to include, the better!)
10. Sing the spelling of each word using a song they know such as “Twinkle, Twinkle” and “London Bridge” have longer phrase patterns so they work better than “Row, Row Your Boat” which has a choppier phrase.
