English spelling is hard, even for native speakers. "Write" and "right" sound the same. "Bread" and "read" do not. Your child does not need to be perfect. They need a few good habits.
Say the word in parts
Break a word into sounds, and clap each part.
yes-ter-day, beau-ti-ful
Look, say, cover, write, check
A simple method for any word.
- Look at the word.
- Say it.
- Cover it.
- Write it.
- Check it.
Learn families of words
Words with the same pattern stay together.
night, light, right, bright
Write the word in a sentence
A word in a sentence has meaning. A word alone is easy to lose.
I read a book last night.
Keep a small list
Five words a week. Not fifty.
Do not make spelling a punishment
If you write it ten times as a punishment, the child will hate it.
Words to remember
- spelling — the letters of a word
- pattern — something that repeats
- cover — to hide
- punishment — a bad thing you must do after a mistake
Questions & answers
Q: Why is English spelling so difficult?
Because English keeps old spellings, and borrowed words from many languages.
Q: Should I correct every spelling mistake?
No. Choose two or three words for the week.
Q: Is copying words useful?
A little. Copy, then cover and write from memory.
Q: My child spells well in our language. Why not in English?
English spelling follows different rules. It needs its own practice.
Q: How long should spelling practice take?
Ten minutes a day. Short and regular.