Supporting children with spelling difficulties is essential for reinforcing the skills they need to succeed. This article is designed to give SENCos and TAs ideas for what to do in specialist spelling interventions.
Like all education, spelling support should be well-rounded and multi-pronged that means in class, in 1 on 1 sessions and at home, there should be as much unified structured as possible.
When a learner has persistent difficulties with spelling, 1:1 support with a teacher/SENCo may be necessary. Ideally this should be delivered using a "little and often" approach, with lots of opportunities for over-learning. Find out through assessment what the learner can and can't spell so that it's really personalised.
Here are some good rules of thumb:
Use assessments to inform your teaching. There may be gaps much earlier on in the curriculum than the pupil's chronological age. You can find out more about tracking progress here.
Teach spellings in patterns, e.g all the words ending in dge, all the words containing the wa sound. Avoid confusing your learner by including exceptions until the spelling pattern is really embedded.
Give the child a dictated sentence to spell. Ensure this includes words that have been taught already and words you are practising, but nothing else that is challenging.
Precision teaching methods. Precision teaching is more practice than teaching' it simply provides a platform for the learner to practise, and become fluent, in spelling words they have been taught. There are a number of ways to do this, but one example is here.
For further guidance, you can also check out additional articles on: Spelling at Home, Spelling in the Classroom, and Morphology.
Spelling for Younger Learners (Ages 7-10)
This section outlines activities and tools teachers/SENCos can use in 1 on 1 sessions to support younger learners who struggle with spelling.
Here are some tips
Use tactile letters to make the words before spelling.
Practise spelling words using multi-sensory methods. E.g. writing in the air, using squirty bottles of water to spell onto the playground, using wax sticks to shape the letters, writing in sand, etc.
Play games for over-learning, e.g. 4 in a Row, Bingo. There are some links below:
Activities and games to try
Simultaneous Oral Spelling (SOS)
This activity is highly effective for reinforcing spelling patterns. The student looks at a word and says each letter aloud while writing it down. For example, with the word "cat," they would say the sound "C" while writing "C," "A" while writing "A," and "T" while writing "T." In the word of, they would say the letter name "O" while writing "O", and the name "F" while writing "F". After writing the word, they say the whole word aloud. This technique links auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learning, which helps solidify spelling patterns in memory. To see how this is done in detail, check out this link.
Visualisation Techniques
This method is excellent for learning exception words, i.e. those which can't be spelled phonetically. Ask students to close their eyes and visualise the word in their mind. You can enhance this by having them picture the word in a particular colour or font. Alternatively, they can write the word down and highlight tricky parts with different colours or doodle related pictures. This engages the visual sense and can boost memory retention of the word. To see how this is done in detail, check out this link.
Look, Say, Cover, Check
This classic technique is fantastic for reinforcing spelling accuracy and building independence in learners. Students start by looking at the word carefully, then saying it aloud to focus on its sounds and structure. Next, they cover the word and attempt to write it from memory before checking their attempt against the original. To make this more engaging, you could use mini whiteboards for the writing step, or have students write in sand trays or with colourful markers. This multi-step process encourages active recall and self-assessment, helping students commit the spelling to memory. For a worksheet, check out this link.
4 in a Row
A versatile game board ideal for practising reading or writing skills. Players take turns marking squares by correctly identifying or writing letters, words, or phrases. The game can be tailored for different skills by filling squares with specific content in advance or using word cards. Great for quick, engaging literacy practice that reinforces learning through a competitive format. See PDF here.
Blank Spinner Bases
Customisable spinner bases that fit standard spinner sizes and can be used for a variety of literacy and numeracy games. Create spinners for fluency practice, spelling, and matching pairs (e.g., phonics sounds and words, number bonds, or prefixes and roots). Ideal for reinforcing key skills with an interactive, hands-on approach that students can enjoy repeatedly. See PDF here.
Headbands Games
An interactive guessing game where players wear headbands displaying a hidden word or letter pattern, visible only to other players. Players ask yes/no or open-ended questions to guess their word, focusing on morphology, phonics, or vocabulary. This game supports vocabulary expansion, phonics practice, and spelling skills, with options to rehearse writing the guessed word for additional learning reinforcement. See PDF here.
Lidia Stanton’s Spelling Books
These books are designed to be both fun and educational, providing a range of activities that reinforce spelling skills. The simplicity of these books makes them an easy resource for classroom use. Assigning sections from these books as homework or classroom activities can help older students improve their spelling in a structured, engaging way.
Learn the Tricky Words
Common exception words, often called "tricky words," are those that don’t follow standard phonetic rules. Creating classroom spelling challenges or setting up a word wall of tricky words for students to reference can reinforce learning. Focusing on these words is particularly helpful for older students who struggle with memorising irregular spellings.
Recommended app
Spelling Shed
Spelling Shed is an engaging app that gamifies spelling practice. Teachers can create custom word lists tailored to the individual or class needs and track progress over time. The app uses rewards and incentives to keep students motivated, making spelling practice fun.
Recommended app
Wordshark
Wordshark is a highly recommended spelling tool for students with dyslexia, providing engaging, multi-sensory games to support spelling and reading. With options for custom word lists, phonics practice, and high-frequency word reinforcement, Wordshark helps build confidence and literacy skills in a fun, pressure-free environment.
Recommended app
Sir Linkalot
Tradtional spelling practice like the methods listed above are about rote memorisation and normally for the spelling of the UK government’s list of 340 high-frequency common exception words. However, for some children, these methods can time consuming and is difficult (especially those who have dyslexia). Sir Linkalot takes a different approach whereby they use rhymes, songs and games to remember the spellings. Children use the app in 5 to 10 minute daily sessions. They are tested on a list (or ‘bundle’) of words and then shown the animations. They are tested again and once more a month later to see if they have remembered the correct spellings. Each bundle has a multiple choice test to encourage retesting.
Spelling for Older Learners (Ages 11+)
This section includes tips for supporting older learners with spelling in a 1 on 1 setting. We recommend following the best practice put at the beginning of this page. However, for older learners it's also worth focusing on subject specific words that the learner needs to learn. Subject teachers should be able to provide these. You could also try using the Secondary Phrase lists here.
Comparing Spelling Programs for School Use
Morph Mastery Intervention
Teach students about morphemes (the smallest units of meaning in a word), including prefixes, suffixes, and root words. Understanding the structure of words helps students recognise patterns and break down unfamiliar words for correct spelling. There is a structured intervention that you can use called Morph Mastery. For more information check out this article.
Learn the Tricky Words
This is a practice you should continue with older learners too!
Lidia Stanton’s Spelling Books
These books are designed to be both fun and educational and thanks to their range of ages can also be used with older children.
Use Visual Mnemonics
Using visual mnemonics (memory aids) can really help learners who struggle with spelling, as it uses a different channel and they often learn better visually. A mnemonic can be anything that helps you remember, and the best ones come from the learner themselves. the books by Lidia Stanton offer some ideas of visual mnemonics.
Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check (for older learners)
This method is just as effective for older students as it is for younger ones. Encourage independent practice by allowing older learners to self-manage their spelling lists. Have them review the word by saying it aloud, then cover it, write it from memory, and check their work. You can also incorporate peer correction, where students check each other's work. Look at this video for more details.
Spelling Journals
Encourage older students to maintain a journal of advanced vocabulary and words they consistently struggle with. This helps them review and reflect on words they find challenging, reinforcing their spelling skills over time. See more information here.
Focus on Advanced Homophones and Confused Words
Dive into more challenging homophones and commonly confused words, which are more likely to appear in older students' writing (e.g., "affect" vs "effect"). Regular practice with these words can help improve accuracy in their writing.
Recommended tools
Grammarly and Spell-Checking Tools
Grammarly and other spell-checking tools provide real-time corrections and suggestions. These tools not only help correct spelling mistakes but also teach the student the correct spellings, making them a valuable resource for both learning and writing. This is particularly helpful for older learners.
Recommended tools
Speech-to-text
Assistive technology tools like text-to-speech and speech-to-text can be highly beneficial for older spellers, especially those with dyslexia or other challenges. We have written about this in another article, click here for more information.