ESOL Ww/L2.1b Develop strategies to aid accurate spelling

Writing > Word Focus (Spelling and Handwriting) > Spelling> Ww1.1 Spell correctly words used most often in work, studies and daily life, including familiar technical words
Ww1.1b Develop strategies to aid accurate spelling

(i) Apply knowledge of spelling rules if appropriate to the learning style of the learner
(ii) Systematically and consistently apply strategies for learning and remembering spelling that take into account the part played in accurate spelling by visual memory (what words look like), motor memory (the use of joined-up handwriting), and auditory memory (what words sound like)
(iii) Make effective use of different types of dictionaries

Sample activities:

• In pairs, learners identify and write down the root word from a list of words ending in –ly and then try to formulate a rule, testing it out on another list of words.
• Learners are given their own personal list of spellings to learn on a regular basis.
• Learners discuss strategies for improving spelling which work at the visual, auditory and kinaesthetic level, trying out different strategies and choosing the ones that suit them best individually.
• Learners are encouraged to keep a personal vocabulary or word book.
• Learners are set a spelling test, using words with the prefixes: auto–, bi–, trans–, tele–, circum–, which they previously discussed and were previously given to learn.
• To develop their ability to use spell-check, learners use mis-spelt texts that need to be spellchecked on a computer and proof-read for homophones.

Source: Adult ESOL Core Curriculum (DfES, 2001) (pp386-7)