Spelling Course
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Starter Course
Teaches all the basic phonic spelling rules using multi-sensory activities and tests. At the end of this course students will understand the basics of English
spelling. Suitable for students aged six to adult.
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CVC words with a or i
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CVC words with the vowel a
CVC words with the vowel i
CVC revision words with the vowels a and i
CVC a and i words + s
CVC words with with e, o or u
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CVC words with the vowel e
CVC words with the vowel o
CVC revision words with the vowels e and o
CVC e and o words + s
CVC words with the vowel u
CVC words with the vowel u
CVC words revision and harder words
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CVC revision words with difficult consonants - set 1
CVC revision words with difficult consonants - set 2
CVC words with the consonants x and z
CVC revision words + s
Final consonant blends
Final consonant blends - set 1
Final consonant blends - set 2
Final consonant blends and harder consonants - set 1
Final consonant blends and harder consonants - set 2
Final consonant blends - set 3
Final consonant blends - set 4
Final consonant blends - set 5
Final consonant blends + s
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Initial consonant blends
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Initial consonant blends - set 1
Initial consonant blends - set 2
Initial consonant blends - set 3
Initial consonant blends - set 5
Initial consonant blends + s
Initial and final consonant blends
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Initial and final blends - set 1
Initial and final blends - set 2
Initial and final blends and harder consonants
Initial and final blends and harder consonants
2 syllable words and harder consonants
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2 syllable words
2 syllable words
2 syllable words
Tricky and common words
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Tricky words
Common words
Main Course
Map to the National Curriculum in England
36 units based on phonics progression covering all English spelling rules including 'Rule breakers'. Suitable for students aged nine to adult.
Basic level
1
The basic 'Building Bricks' of the English language
An introduction to vowels and consonants
Y: When is it a vowel? When is it a consonant?
Ways of spelling consonant and vowel sounds
Long and short vowel sounds
An introduction to syllables
Introduction to prefixes and suffixes
Suffixes
Spelling terms test
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3
4
5
5H
Spelling the consonant sounds, Part 1
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Introduction
Consonants in one-syllable words: one consonant or two?
Spelling end consonants: ff ss ll ck
Spelling longer words with: ff ss ll ck
Spelling the /k/ sound at the end of words: c, k or ck?
Spelling choices: ick or ic?
ick and ic rulebreakers and homophones
Spelling the /k/ sound before a vowel: c or k?
Spelling choices for the /k/ sound: c or k
Rulebreakers for the c/k spellings
Spelling the consonant sounds, Part 2
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Introduction
The /v/ sound: v or ve
Spelling the qu words
Homophones for qu words
Words ending with que
Homophones for que words
Spelling the consonant digraphs, Part 1
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The consonant digraphs wh, th and ch
The /w/ sound: w or wh?
Rules and rule breakers: wh words
Homophones /w/ sound words: w or wh
The /th/ sound: th
The /ch/ sound - is it ch or tch?
Homophones for ch and tch words
Spelling the consonant digraphs, Part 2
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The consonant digraphs sh, ph and ch saying /k/
The /sh/ sound: sh, ch, ti, ci
Spelling test: /sh/ words
Homophones for the /sh/ sound: sh, ch, ti, ci
Another sound for ch: /k/
Spelling test: ch = /k/
Homophones for ph words
Spelling the /f/ sound with ph
Spelling test: /ph/ words
A 'Beat the spellchecker!' test for words from Units 4 and 5
Spelling test 1: Which word is correct?
Spelling test 2: Spot the wrong word.
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6
6H
7
Short vowels, Part 1: a, e and i
Short vowels, Part 2: o and u
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Spelling the short vowel sounds: e, ea, o or u?
Short vowel sound /a/
Homophones for /a/
Short vowel /e/: e or ea?
Spelling test for /e/: e or ea?
Homophones for /e/
Short vowel /i/: i or y?
Spelling test for /i/: i or y?
Homophones for /i/
Long vowels, Part 1: a and e
Short vowel /o/: o, wa, qua
Spelling test for /o/: o, wa, qua
Homophones and rule breakers for /o/
Short vowel /u/: u, o or ou?
When to use o to spell the /u/ sound.
Spelling test for /u/: u, o or ou?
Homophones for /u/
The schwa sound
A 'Beat the spellchecker!' test for Unit 6 words
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/a/ and /e/ words test 1: Which word is correct?
/a/ and /e/ words test 2: Spot the wrong word.
/i/, /o/ and /u/ test 1: Which word is correct?
/i/, /o/ and /u/ words test 2: Spot the wrong word.
Long vowels, Part 1: a and e
Long vowels, Part 2: i, o and u
Introduction and Unit Contents
Long vowel /a/ : a-e, ai, ay, ey, ei
Spelling test for long vowel /a/: a-e, ai, ay, ey, ei
Rules and rule breakers for long vowel /a/
Homophones for long vowel /a/
Long vowel /e/ : e in common prefixes
Long vowel /e/ : ee, ea, e-e, y
Spelling test for long vowel /e/: ee, ea, e-e, y
Rules and rule breakers for long vowel /e/
Homophones for long vowel /e/
Long vowels, Part 2: i, o and u
Long vowel /i/ : i-e, igh, y, ie
Spelling test for long vowel /i/: i-e, igh, y, ie
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7H
8
9
10
Rules and rule breakers for long vowel /i/
Homophones for long vowel /i/
Long vowel /o/ : o-e, oa, ow, oe
Spelling test for long vowel /o/: o-e, oa, ow, oe
Rules and rule breakers for long vowel /o/
Homophones for long vowel /o/
Long vowel /u/ : u-e, ue, ew
Spelling test for long vowel /u/: u-e, ue, ew
Homophones, rules and rule breakers for long vowel /u/
Final test on all the long vowel sounds
A 'Beat the spellchecker!' test for Unit 7 words
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/a/ words - Spelling test 1: Which word is correct?
/a/ words - Spelling test 2: Spot the wrong word.
/e/ words - Spelling test 1: Which word is correct?
/e/ words - Spelling test 2: Spot the wrong word.
/i/ words - Spelling test 1: Which word is correct?
/i/ words - Spelling test 2: Spot the wrong word.
/o/ words - Spelling test 1: Which word is correct?
/o/ words - Spelling test 2: Spot the wrong word.
/u/ words - Spelling test 1: Which word is correct?
/u/ words - Spelling test 2: Spot the wrong word.
Syllables: how to divide words
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What are syllables? Spelling test
Vowel and consonant patterns. Spelling test
More vowel and consonant patterns
Spelling test: One consonant or two?
Rules and rule breakers and a trivia quiz
Suffixes: why we need to double letters, change them or drop 'e'
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Vowel and consonant suffixes. Spelling test
The doubling rule, part 1. Spelling test
The doubling rule, part 2. Spelling test
The doubling rule, part 3. Spelling test
When to drop the letter e. Spelling test
The 'Change y' rule, part 1. Spelling test
The 'Change y' rule, part 2. Spelling test
Rules and rule breakers
Changing -f to -ves. Spelling test
A final Spelling test on all the suffix rules
Spelling choices for /ar/ sound; ar, al or a?
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12
The most common spelling: ar
Spelling test for ar words
Longer ar words
Spelling test: longer ar words
rule breakers: the al and a spellings
Spelling test: ar, al or a
Homophones and some more rule breakers
Spelling choices for /er/ sound: er, ir, ear or er
Spelling choices: ur ir ear er
Spelling test: ur ir ear er
Longer /er/ words and the 'schwa' sound
Spelling test: longer /er/ words
wor words and rule breakers
Homophones for /er/ words
Spelling choices for /air/ sound: air, are or ear
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Spelling test 1: Which word is correct?
Spelling test 2: Spot the wrong word.
Spelling choices for /oo/ sound: oo and ou
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Two sounds for oo: long /oo/ and short /oo/
Spelling test: Is the sound long or short?
Spelling choices for long /oo/: oo ou ui
Spelling test: oo ou ui
More spelling choices for long /oo/: u-e ue ew
Spelling test: u-e ue ew
Rules and rule breakers
Homophones
13H A 'Beat the spellchecker!' test for Unit 13 words
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Spelling choices: air are ear
Homophones for /air/ words
Spelling test: air are ear
Longer /air/ words
Spelling test: longer /air/ words
Odd words and rule breakers
12H A 'Beat the spellchecker!' test for words from Units 10, 11 and 12
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Test 1: Which word is correct?
Test 2: Spot the wrong word.
Spelling choices for /or/ sound: or, ore, au, aw and war
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The most common spellings: or ore au aw
Spelling test: or ore au aw
Longer /or/ words
Spelling test: longer /or/ words
war words
Spelling test: war words
Homophones for or ore au aw
14H A 'Beat the spellchecker!' test for Unit 14 words
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16
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Homophones for or ore au aw, part 1
Homophones for or ore au aw, part 2
Spelling choices for /ou/ sound: ou or ow
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Spelling choices for /ou/: ou ow
Spelling test: ou ow
Longer /ou/ words
Spelling test: longer /ou/ words
Rules and rule breakers
Homophones for sound /ou/
Spelling choices for /oi/ sound: oi or oy
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Spelling choices for /oi/: oi oy
Spelling test: oi oy
Longer /oi/ words
Spelling test: longer /oi/ words
Rules and rule breakers for /oi/ words
Intermediate level
17
ough and augh words
Different sounds for ough. Spelling test.
More ough words. Spelling test: rhymes
ought and aught words
Spelling test: ought and aught
17H A 'Beat the spellchecker!' test for words from Units 15, 17
18
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Spelling test: ought and aught, part 1
Spelling test: ought and aught, part 2
Irregular common words – common errors e.g. would, who, does
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20
Common words with odd spellings
Homophones for common words
Spelling test: Which word is correct?
Spelling test: Spot the wrong word.
Soft g: ge, gi and gy words
gue and gui words
Spelling test: -ge -dge -age
Spelling test: anagrams for ge gi gy words
Spelling test: -ge endings + suffixes
Soft c: ce, ci and cy words
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Differences in British and American spelling, part 1
Differences in British and American spelling, part 2
The i before e rule – does it work?
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Words that follow the best-known rule 'i before e except after c': ie and cei
Spelling test: ie and cei
Long /a/ sound: ei words. Spelling test. A new rule.
Final spelling test
Homophones
21H A 'Beat the spellchecker!' test for words from Unit 21
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Introduction. Word endings: -ce -nce -rce -ice
ce ci and cy words
Spelling test: anagrams for ce ci cy words
Tricky words: cc exc sc
Spelling test: cc exc sc
Adding suffixes to -ce endings. Spelling test
Homophones
Differences in British and American spelling
20H A 'Beat the spellchecker!' test for words from Unit 20
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Homophones, part 1
Homophones, part 2
Words with silent letters e.g. wrap, comb, sign, knight
Introduction and learning tips
Silent letters: k w b t
Spelling test: k w b t
Harder spelling test: k w b t
Silent letters: l n h g
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Spelling test: l n h g
Harder spelling test: l n h g
Silent p; silent letters in common spelling patterns
Spelling test: proof-reading.
Homophones
22H A 'Beat the spellchecker!' test for words from Unit 22
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Spelling test 1: Which word is correct?
Spelling test 2: Spot the wrong word.
Prefixes: when letters need changing
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Introduction. Spelling test: Spot the prefix
The meaning of prefixes. Spelling test
Confusing prefixes e.g. per/pre anti/ante
Spelling test: Choose the best prefix
Rules for changing prefixes. Spelling test
The weak 'schwa' sound: stress in words
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What is the schwa sound?
Stressed and unstressed syllables. Spelling test.
Learning tips for schwa words
Advanced level
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26
Word endings: -er, -ar, -or, -our, -re, -a and -ery,
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2 sounds for er ar or. Rules for word endings.
Words ending in -er -ar -or. Learning tips.
Spelling test: -er -ar -or endings.
British & American differences: -our/-or -re/-er.
Spelling test - British spelling: -our -re.
Spelling test - American spelling: -or -er.
Words ending in -ery -ary -ory.
Spelling test - American spelling: -or -er.
Words ending in -a.
Homophones.
Word endings: -le, and exceptions e.g. -al, -el, -ol
Words ending in -le -al -el. -al as suffix.
When to use -le: -ble -cle -kle -dle -fle -gle -ple -tle stle -zle
Spelling test: -le endings
Rules and rule breakers
When to use -al and -el. Some -il words
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Spelling test: -le -al -el
Homophones
26H A 'Beat the spellchecker!' test for words from Units 25 and 26
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31
32
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Spelling test 1: Which word is correct?
Spelling test 2: Spot the wrong word.
Word endings: -able, -ible
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Spelling test: add the suffixes
Common -able and -ible words
Adding suffixes to -able and -ible words
Word endings: -tion, -cian, -sion
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Syllables in -tion words. Spelling test.
3 ways of spelling the /sh'n/ sound: -tion -cian -sion
Spelling test: -tion -cian -sion
Another sound for the -sion ending. Spelling test
Rules and rule breakers. Final Spelling test.
Word ending: -ous, -us
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Vowels before -ous: -eous -ious -uous words.
Spelling test: -ous or -us?
Spelling test: adding -ous.
Final spelling test
Words with ci and ti e.g. ancient, special, initial, gracious
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Word endings -cial and -tial.
Spelling test: -cial and -tial.
Word endings -cious and -tious.
Spelling test: -cious and -tious.
Rules and rule breakers and homophones.
Word endings:-ture, -tain, -ine
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Introduction and Unit Contents.
Words ending in -ture. Spelling test.
2 sounds for the -ain ending. Spelling test.
3 sounds for the -ine ending. Spelling test.
Word endings: -et, -ot, -ate, -ite
Introduction and Unit Contents.
The /it/ sound spelled -et.
Spelling test: -ot -et -it.
Rules and rule breakers and Homophones.
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33
Spelling test: -ite words.
Spelling test: -ite and -ate words.
Word endings: -ant, -ent, -ance, -ence
Introduction and learning tips for word ending in -ant and -ent
Some common -ant and -ent words
Spelling test: -ant or -ent?
Some common -ance and -ence words
Word endings -ancy and -ency
Spelling test: -ance -ence -ancy -ency
Homophones
33H A 'Beat the spellchecker!' test for words from Units 30 to 33
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35
36
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Spelling test 1: Which word is correct?
Spelling test 2: Spot the wrong word.
Adding suffixes to longer words – double or not?
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Review: Suffix rules; Stressed syllables - Spelling test
The suffixing rules for longer words. Spelling test
More on these rules. Spelling test
Rules and rule breakers: Words ending in l.
A brief history of English spellings
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Introduction and quiz.
History of English spelling: the early years. Quiz
History of English spelling: the later years.
Recent additions. Word origins.
Spelling proper nouns. Brand names.
What does the future hold for English spelling?
British / American spelling differences
Summary of the main differences
Detailed lists of differences
Spelling test: British spellings
Spelling test: American spellings
Spelling test: Pick the correct spelling
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