Becoming a confident speller can be a challenge. To learn spelling words effectively, use strategies that are appropriate to the child's age and the type of words being studied.

A. Regular words and how to spell them
Regular words can be spelled according to the sequence of the sounds they contain (e.g. 'mat', 'cataract', 'understanding'). They can be grouped into word families based on their spelling patterns, and they tend to follow rules. So:

• Use phonological awareness. Listen to the sounds that make up a word and write down the corresponding letter(s) in the correct order.
• Think of other words that share the same spelling pattern. A child who can spell 'ball' can easily spell 'fall', 'call', 'tall' and 'small' etc.
• Learn useful spelling rules, and understand when and how to use them.

B. Sight words and how to spell them
Sight words don't look like they sound (e.g. 'said', 'one', 'isosceles'). These are often high-frequency words that children really need to know. They may include silent letters (like the 'i' in 'friend'), or just not follow the rules. So:

• Use multi-sensory activities like rainbow writing, using a finger to write the word in sand or shaving foam spread over a table-top, or moulding the letters out of play-doh.
• Use colourful magnetic letters to form the word on a baking sheet. Jumble the letters up and then unscramble them. Remove a letter and say what has gone missing.
• Say the word aloud as it is spelled and remember the quirky pronunciation to help with writing it down (e.g. 'know' as 'kay-now' rather than to rhyme with 'no').