Table 1. Individual Spelling Activities.
Individual
Visual
Practical Ideas
Look, cover, write check
Why?
A strategy to support visual
knowledge.
Variation 1.
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Look at the word.
Say- make sure you know how to
pronounce the word.
Break the word into syllables.
Write the word without copying.
Check what you have written.
Revise.
Variation 2.
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AusVELS standards:
(ACELA1779), (ACELA1526),
(ACELA1485).
The Look, Cover, Write
strategy is particularly useful
for lower and middle primary
students and struggling
spellers. It is also useful for
spelling irregular words.
Select the word you wish to spell.
Pronounce the word clearly.
Say each syllable of the word.
Name the letters in the word.
Write the word, naming each letter as you
write.
Writing spelling words out in colourful and
creative ways (i.e. bubble writing, different
coloured letters).
Helps create a different way
of visualising spelling words.
Self-correction
Encourage students in their writing to “Have a go”
in their spelling rather than asking you for the
correct spelling. Encourage students to use their
spelling strategies such as sounding the word out,
what words do they know that sound similar?
Encourage students to use words they are not
confident in spelling instead of using easy or
simple words and assure students that they will be
able to correct their spelling once their writing is
finished.
Once students have finished their written work,
have students circle or box words they feel they
have misspelt. Then students can investigate
through various strategies to find the correct
spelling. This can be through a spell checker,
dictionary, asking a friend etc. The types of
investigations is up to the teacher and students.
Once the student has corrected their work (The
teacher can check the final draft) they then
rewrite their final piece.
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Encouraging students to
“Have a go” in their writing
enables the student to write
in a more fluent manner
rather than stopping to get
assistance from the teacher. It
also encourages students to
use alternative words to the
words they are confident in
spelling which will increase
their vocabulary and
confidence in learning to
spell.
Having an investigative
approach to learning to spell
gives the students a sense of
ownership over their learning.
The teacher is not there
crossing out misspelled words
and providing the correct
Table 1. Individual Spelling Activities.
For upper primary students, etymological
knowledge (Word origin), morphemic word
families and homophones in context can be
investigated.
spellings but rather there to
help students if they get stuck
in their investigations by
encouraging them to use an
alternative methods.
Students will have a better
chance at absorbing the
correct spelling of a word if
they have investigated it and
rewritten it in their writing.
AusVELS Standards:
(ACELY1684), (ACELA1780),
(ACELY1683), (ACELA1485),
(ACELA1779), (ACELY1697),
(ACELY1695), (ACELA1513),
(ACELA1498), (ACELA1780),
(ACELA 1526).
Homonyms
(Leading on
from whole
class and
paired
activities)
Construct a proofreading activity with a focus on:
correct spelling of homonyms and correct spelling
of high frequency words. Students circle the
mistakes and write the corrections above.
Demonstrate proof reading to students: read for
meaning, track with a pointer and follow each
word as it is read, re-read for spelling errors.
When re-reading for spelling errors ask:
 Does it look right?
 Can I see letters for all the sounds I can
hear when I say the word?
 Is the word made from a word or group of
words I know?
 What resources can I use to check?
Phonology
Word sort activities can be useful when
investigating blends, syllables, diagraphs and
diphthongs. Write a selection of words onto cards
and have students arrange the cards into groups
(Depending on content explored i.e. blends
students would group all the bl, st, cr etc. words).
Encourage students to sound out words as they
categorise them.
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Reinforces the whole class
and group/paired activities
(See tables for each) for
homonyms. Incorporates
spelling practice in high
frequency words.
AusVELS standards:
(ACELA1780), (ACELA1485),
(ACELA1500).
Word sort activities are an
effective strategy for teaching
students to look closely at
words
AusVELS standards:
(ACELA1485)
Table 1. Individual Spelling Activities.
Also give the students the opportunity to sort out
their words without a category, students can
study the words carefully and make their own
relationships and group accordingly.
Promotes individual, strategic
thinking.
Morphemes Morphemes explored could include:
 Plurals, i.e. s. es
(You may
 Comparatives i.e. er, est
find you
 Verb ending, i.e. ing, ed
need to
 Prefixes, i.e. un, mis, pre, dis
start off
 Suffixes, i.e. ment, ness, ly, able, ful, less.
with whole
class
You could have students create a word web
instruction
around a morpheme i.e. ing. Have ing in the
before
middle of the page then have students write their
moving
words (Create a list of words that are experienced
onto
in student’s reading and writing i.e. run, go, read,
individual
eat, have, come) with the ing morpheme added.
work)
Base word work: select a base word to which
prefixes and suffixes can be added. Students use a
list of prefixes and suffixes and the dictionary to
generate as many words as possible.
Students explore morphemic
knowledge. Aids in extending
the range of words students
can spell.
Create a word wheel: where a base word is
positioned in the middle of the wheel i.e. play
with its associated suffixes and compound words
written around the movable outer wheel i.e.
ground, s, ing, ful, time, ed. So students can move
the outer wheel and position it so that they can
make new words i.e. played.
Computer activities encourage motivation,
practice and give immediate feedback. Please see
the digital links provided in the activities section
on the spelling fireworks website for online
games, apps and online spelling programs.
Have students create an individual word web.
Allocate a different word to each student and
have them put this word in the centre of their
page, then have the students research the
meaning of their word through the dictionary and
exploring the internet.
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AusVELS standards:
(ACELA1526), (ACELA1485),
(ACELA1779)
To help build the student’s
knowledge of base word and
its associated suffixes and
compound words.
Table 1. Individual Spelling Activities.
Etymology
Have students break the word into parts of
meaning i.e. Tele – from the Greek meaning far
and phone-sound. Students could add words
around their word web with words containing tele
or phone i.e. Telescope, phonics.
To assist students in both
spelling and vocabulary by
helping them see why some
words have their present
spelling.
AusVELS standards:
(ACELA1513), (ACELA1500).
At home
practice
If the classroom you are placed in has a weekly
spelling test and therefor a list of weekly spelling
words to be learnt students will be encouraged to
practice their spelling at home in a spelling book.
Some useful and interesting techniques is for
students to do a different activity involving their
spelling words each day (Or at least three times a
week). Such as writing each of their spelling words
in fancy, colourful writing three times. Writing
their spelling words in alphabetical order, word
disappear and reappear i.e. the word friend
frien
frie
fri
fr
f
Finding their spelling words in books, newspapers
and magazines.
Practice spelling words at
home is a good way for family
members to become involved
and help students learn their
words. By mixing up activities
students learn their words in
context and it motivates
learning.
Students are not just
memorising how to spell their
words which doesn’t work
with all students and the
ability to spell those words in
context even if spelled
correctly in the spelling test
may be absent.
Look for words within words i.e. capacity-city, it,
cap.
References
NSW State Literacy and Numeracy Plan (2007). Writing and Spelling Strategies: Assisting students
who have additional learning support needs. NSW Department of Education and Training.
State Literacy Plan (2007). Programming and Strategies Handbook: Assisting year 3 and year 5
Students who need additional support in literacy. NSW Department of Education and Training.
VCAA (2014). AusVELS Curriculum. Retrieved from http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/
Winch, G., Ross Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L., & Holliday, M. (2010). Literacy: reading,
writing and children’s literature (4th ed.) South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press.
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Table 1. Individual Spelling Activities.
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