This is the second post looking at spelling lists generated by teachers.* This one, know as the 'Dirty Thirty' came from an academy chain which had noted these as the most frequently misspelt at GCSE and includes many words that come up in our spelling workshops.
The first step to conquering these words is to start with the root then look at the patterns for adding suffixes. You end with an less rhymable 38 words but an easier to teach lest. There are several ways to group these words but the following works well with our principles of developing a spelling conversation around syllables, sounds, graphemes and morphemes then bundling by similar patterns.
The first goal of That Spelling Thing is to show our students how trustworthy much of the language is so I'd get the following words out of the way first. If you can say the word clearly and write each syllable, these words take care of themselves.
begin
quiet - Use a clear spelling voice for the second syllable.
until - Look at patterns for words ending <ill> and <il>.
Next look at split digraphs. These should be familiar from primary school. Make puzzles and physically split the vowel digraphs to put them around the consonant.
decide
extreme
minute (adjective) Then talk about the etymology of the noun, 'minute'.
persuade
quite
separate (verb) Then move to the adjective.
surprise
Next are words that require memory for one grapheme or common ending.
Remember the TST method: syllables - say them clearly - attach sounds to each syllable - identify the tricky bit for you.
because
believe
ceiling
friend
immediate - pirate - senate - separate (adjective) - add others
nervous - famous - jealous - joyous - numerous - add others
opportunity
receive
sincere
definite
Sometimes it makes more sense to start with meaning rather than sound. Move from finite to infinite to definite.
Next are a couple of words that might require memory for more than one grapheme. Bundle them with similar words.
accommodation - See Double Doubles
embarrass - Create a list of word final double doubles?
disappear & disappoint
necessary - Mnemonics are a strategy of last resort but 'one collar, two sleeves' helps a lot of students.
neighbour
Then add endings and note what you have to do.
Do you drop a letter?
decided
surprised
Do you double a letter? This should be a lesson in itself, comparing words where you double a final letter (begin, sit, wrap etc) and words where you don't (spend, instruct, talk etc). Sort a list with at least 10 of each and have students discuss and decide what feature seems to be determining the pattern. Let them pretend they're linguists in the field charting a new language.
beginning
Do you just add the suffix without changing the root word?
disappointed
queueing
I'm always surprised at how often words ending -ly end up on these lists. -ly is as trustworthy as they come. Here's a post about adding -ly. Do a comparison between words ending in <ly> and words ending in <ley>.
definitely
extremely
immediately
sincerely
Finally are the words that aren't straightforward. That means they require a spelling voice substantially different from their everyday pronunciation or another strategy altogether. Note that they are 3 of 38. The English code is limited and learnable.
beautiful - Foreign friend. Talk about the meaning of 'beau'
business - Add a syllable for spelling. Let students decide what they're doing to say.
queue - I don't mind if they just learn the letter names for this one word.