Ways to help remember spellings

• Beat out the syllables and write out each ‘bit’ of a word as you say it.

• Highlight the difficult bits of the word.

• Link a new word with words you already know.

sound - round - ground

rain - train - Britain

If you are a visual learner

• Change the look of the word:

div/ ide div ide d ivi de

re ce ive r / ece / ive r ece ive

• Find words within words:

fat her cap a city

If you are an auditory learner

• Change the sound of the word. Exaggerate the pronunciation or ‘say it funny’.

be - ca - use Wed – nes – day• Say the names of letters in rhythm:

p-e o-p l-e q-u e-u e

especially confusing endings:

-t-i-o-n -g-h-t -c-i-a-l

If you are a manual or physical learner (hands)

• Trace the letters with your finger as you say or picture the word.

• We remember physical things with our motor or muscle memory, which is powerful. e.g. Once you can swim, it is difficult to forget!

For everyone:• Learn the derivations of words (where they

come from) television:

‘tele’ means afar, over a distance ‘visio’ means sight (from Latin)

• Remove or add prefixes and suffixes:un – like – ly in – vis – ible

un – re – strict - ed

If you’re really stuck:

• Make up a mnemonic (from the Greek root for ‘remember’). A mnemonic is a verse, rhyme or other device to aid the memory, for example,

‘Never believe a lie.’

‘Big Elephants Aren’t Ugly they are BEAUtiful!’

Another S.J.Dillingham Production for Salendine Nook High School

2003