Spelling -the full story For those of us who felt overwhelmed by the original Framework’s long list of spelling objectives, the promise of fewer objectives in the Renewed Framework was welcomed. However, it seems to me that another problem now presents itself – too few objectives! The broad headlines offer insufficient guidance to teachers, e.g. Year 5 Spell words containing unstressed vowels Know and use less common prefixes and suffixes such as im-, ir-, -cian Group and classify words according to their spelling patterns and their meanings I can spell in Y5. The Overviews of Learning give additional information: In Year 5, spelling and punctuation are generally accurate and automatic. Most children start to enquire into the origins of words and recognise how words from other languages have been imported and their meanings retained or slightly altered. They see relationships between words that share a root, which aids their understanding and spelling of new words. Systematic teaching of spelling and punctuation conventions and strategies continues, and these are applied in all writing across the curriculum. The following grid aims to plug that guidance gap and support teachers as they plan focused spelling sessions. These are the key elements to successful teaching of spelling learning spelling conventions –so children can attempt unknown words which may follow a pattern. learning spelling strategies – so “tricky” bits in words can be memorised and learned. practice; assessment / application (including proofreading). Over a unit of work, it is useful to try to build in opportunities for each of these elements. 1. Spelling Conventions Investigation of patterns in written language 2. Spelling Strategies A bank of strategies for personal use when encountering “tricky words”. Break up words into syllables using phonic knowledge & skills Highlight the tricky bit doubling consonants Link new words with old words you can already plurals (see below) e.g. spell Use a mnemonic Change the sound of a word Find words within words Over time, alongside tricky words (could be high frequency words or words relevant to a genre or area of study) and strategies to remember them, children need to investigate the patterns in our language. The range below is taken from the original Framework and the Spelling Bank publication which is still a useful resource http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primary/publications/literacy/63313/ Grammar Principles and Graphic Conventions Morphemic (affixes and roots) Year 5 Term1 Term 2 Term 3 To examine the properties of words ending in vowels other than the letter “e”; To investigate, collect and classify spelling patterns and pluralisation, construct rules for regular spellings, e.g. add “s” to most words; add “es” to most words ending in “s”, “sh”, “ch”, “f” changes to “ves”; when y is preceded by a consonant, change “y” to an “I” and add “es”; when “y” is preceded by a vowel, add “s” To explore words ending in a single consonant preceded by a short vowel which double that consonant when –ing etc are added, e.g. sitting, wetter, hummed; “c” is usually soft when followed by n “I”, e.g. accident, circus; To investigate words which have common letter strings but different pronunciations, e.g. rough, cough, bough, boot, foot; To distinguish between homophones, i.e. words with common pronunciations but different spellings, e.g. eight, ate, grate, great, rain, reign rein, rain; The correct use and spelling of possessive pronouns linked to work on grammar, e.g. their, theirs, your, yours, my, mine. To spell unstressed vowels in polysyllabic words, e.g. company, poisonous, etc. To investigate and learn spelling rules: Words ending in “e” drop that “e” when adding “ing” Words ending in “e” keep that “e” when adding a suffix beginning with a consonant, e.g hopeful, lovely. Words ending in “y” preceded by a consonant change to “I” when adding a suffix, e.g. flies, tried, except for the suffixes ly or ing, e.g. shyly, flying; “I” before “e” except after “c” when the sound is “ee” e.g. receive. Note and learn exceptions To collect and investigate the meanings and spellings of words using the following prefixes: auto-, bi-, trans-, tele-, circum-.; To identify word roots, derivations and spelling patterns, e.g. sign, signature, signal; bomb, bombastic, bombard in order to extend vocabulary and provide support for spelling; To explore spelling patterns of consonants and formulate rules: -ll in full becomes –l when used as a suffix; To recognise and spell the suffixes: -cian, etc. Five Session Spelling – across a two week (10 day) unit of literacy work Session Whole class Independent Plenary 1 Conventions explore feedback 2 Practise/Assess 3 tricky bits explore feedback 4 Practise/Assess 5 Assess/Apply