Proficient Speller Strategies:
Explanation
Example
FAMILIAR PARTS
Strategy
Look for whole words or
parts of words (including
base words, prefixes and
suffixes, stressed syllables,
common phonograms).
foot and ball in football
re in remember
SOUND OUT
Sound out predictable parts. str and ong in the word
strong are predictable.
re … mem … ber
in remember are
predictable.
Break the word into
syllables or beats. Listen
(Divide into syllables)
for or look for ‘familiar
parts’ and ‘sound outs.’
SOUNDS LIKE
Compare unknown spelling
words to known words with
(also called ‘Rhyme Time’) similar sounds.
SYLLABLES
Break unemployment into
four beats or syllables:
un … em … ploy … ment
If I can spell claw, I bet I
can spell straw.
I bet deploy is spelled like
boy and joy.
SUFFIX CHANGES
(Look for suffixes that
change the spelling.)
CLEVER CLUES
Use your knowledge of how baby … babies
endings change a base word. run … running
shine … shining
Think of a clever clue to
remember the tricky part.
The word friend ends in
end.
(mnemonic device)
Do you believe a lie?
MEANING
MEMORY
(Use visual recall and
mnemonic cues)
Hear has an ear in it.
Use meaning to help identify The ‘uh’ sound in the
a word or its word family. second beat of invitation is
really hard to figure
out. But if I remember
that it comes from the base
word invite, then I know it
must be an i.
Some words have irregular said
or confusing spellings and does
must be memorized.
they
Source: Newton Public Schools ELA department