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Spelling Strategies Workshop

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Spelling Strategies Workshop

Work through the challenges to practise different ways of spelling unfamiliar words. For open-ended questions, more than one answer may be possible.

Spot the strategy

Read each challenge carefully and choose or explain a strategy that would help.

1.A classmate keeps writing “definately”. Which correction and memory clue would best help them remember the standard spelling?

definitely — remember that it contains the word “finite”
definatly — remove the extra vowel
definetely — add an extra e at the end
defanitely — say it quickly and guess

2.Choose all the useful strategies for checking an unfamiliar spelling: say the word slowly, look for meaningful word parts, check a dictionary, or guess without checking.

Say the word slowly and listen for its syllables
Look for meaningful word parts
Check a dictionary or reliable spellchecker
Guess without checking

3.The word “disagreement” can be divided into meaningful parts. Write its prefix, base word and suffix, then explain how the parts help you spell it.

4.Break “environment” into syllables by adding slashes. Then identify the syllable that is easiest to misspell.

Repair the message

An event organiser has drafted a message with spelling slips. Use context and spelling strategies to edit it.

5.Edit this sentence by correcting its three misspellings: “Our commitee will recieve the final desicion tomorrow.” Write the corrected sentence.

6.In the sentence “The new rules will affect everyone”, what does “affect” mean, and how can you remember which spelling is used here?

7.Match each spelling challenge to the strategy most likely to help.

accommodation: remembering the double c and double m
unhelpful: identifying how the meaning changes
a word you cannot confidently spell in a report

Separate the prefix, base word and suffix
Look it up in a dictionary
Break the word into chunks and check the repeated letters

8.True or false: If a word sounds a certain way, its spelling can always be worked out just by sounding it out.

TrueFalse

Make a spelling aid

Create a memory aid, then plan how you would use it when editing your own writing.

9.Create a mnemonic, rhyme or visual memory clue for “necessary”. Include the correct spelling and make your clue explain the tricky letters.

10.Choose one word that you often find difficult to spell. Write it correctly, name a strategy you could use to learn it, and explain how you will check the spelling in your next piece of writing.

Draw a small visual memory aid for the word you chose in the final challenge. Label the tricky part of the spelling.