Welcome to That Spelling Thing!
If you’re looking for help teaching a teen or adult to read, please go to That Reading Thing.
That Spelling Thing is an evidence-based method which aligns with the ‘science of reading’. It uses phonics and morphology to support memory, ensure accuracy and increase vocabulary. Spelling is a vast subject which can feel overwhelming. Learn this approach and both teaching and learning spelling will naturally fall into place.
Check that everyone can say and use the word.
Spelling is as much about voice as sight. Make sure everyone can say and use the word in speech. If a student writes trapzum, they are unlikely to be saying ‘trapezium’. If they say ‘inpossible’, they’re unlikely to write impossible. If they aren’t completely secure about what a word means, they are unlikely to use it convincingly in writing. Be explicit about the connection between what we say and what we write.
Start with the everyday root.
Spelling lists often include words like happening, definitely and immediately. Take these words back to their everyday root – which means the one you know without looking it up in an etymological dictionary. So, for ‘immediately’, start at immediate then talk about adding the ly suffix. There will be time later to look at ‘med-‘, ‘mediate’, medium’ etc.
Use the following 3 elements consistently:
Note that you don’t have to ‘talk through’ this process once it becomes the established approach to spelling in your classroom. Do the groundwork and spelling becomes much easier for everyone.
1. syllables (nudged for meaning)
Ask how many syllables are in the word and have them tap or extend fingers – nothing embarrassing. The only reason to count is to slow down and be aware of the parts of the word.
Ask everyone to say the syllables clearly. Teacher ‘nudges for meaning’ if necessary. For instance, if someone says in/ter/es/ting, nudge to isolate the obviously meaningful part, /ing/. This is not word study – just everyday affixes.
Suggest a spelling voice to clear up any unstressed vowels or unclear syllables. Some words have more than others: en/vi/ron/ment
2. sounds & graphemes, with or without puzzle pieces
Puzzle pieces make the sound-letter/s relationship explicit and make the correct spelling almost inevitable. Some students will need to build the word syllable by syllable and sound by sound. Others won’t need puzzle pieces at all and will write words syllable by syllable. This method can be differentiated for all students. See That Spelling Thing (available on Amazon) for a full explanation of building with puzzle pieces.
3. everyday morphology & etymology
Looking beyond phonemes and graphemes is particularly useful in subjects where meaningful parts of words are repeated. It’s also a great way to approach long words which are visually similar but morphologically distinct. Here’s an example based on a training with college vocational tutors who noted that their students struggled to visually differentiate ‘physiology’ and ‘psychology’.
If you use an etymology website like etymonline.com or wiktionary, you will notice references to Greek, Latin, Old French and PIE (proto-Indo-European) roots. Use your judgment about whether or not the information found there will make spelling easier or not. Make the best use of limited memory.
Ask (don’t tell) which bit needs extra concentration.
Once you’ve built or spelt the word, ask each student to decide which is their ‘tricky bit’ (or bits). They will often be predictable but not always. Give your students ownership of their spelling in a shame-free environment. Reinforce the fact that teachers aren’t perfect spellers by letting them know which bits you have to remember. Good spellers know where their gaps are and how to fill those gaps.
Bundle to support memory and extend vocabulary.
Choose words with the same morpheme even if pronunciation is different – hierarchy, arch-enemy, archbishop, archangel
Choose words with the same spelling pattern – hanging the unknown on the known – relevant, elephant
Sometimes you will want to start with a bundle of words to clarify spelling and meaning. Here’s an example of starting at ‘finite’ to get to the target spelling word, ‘definite’.
Explore the frequency and context of spelling patterns.
Choose mnemonics carefully
Avoid the Never Mnemonics at all costs: words within words and stories that have nothing to do with the word you are trying to spell. No more elephants or salmon sandwiches. And be careful that your ‘words within words’ aren’t toxic morphology. There is no ‘cat in location’!
As far as possible, let spelling words arise from lessons.
Use this method to introduce important subject vocabulary and to tackle frequently misspelt or misread words. Every subject has words that trip everyone up. Isosceles?
If you have a statutory spelling list to master, group the words logically which is usually not alphabetical order. If almost every student spells a word wrong then use puzzles. Once you have spelling framed as a conversation, every student and staff member can take responsibility for improving spelling across the curriculum.