10 Tips to Help Your Child Succeed in Spelling

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If your child is struggling with spelling, you may feel frustrated and overwhelmed.

It can be challenging to know where to start when it comes to helping them improve their skills.

This blog post will discuss 10 tips that can make a difference for your child! We will also provide some resources that can help you get started.

Why is spelling so important?

One of the main reasons why spelling is so important is because it is a fundamental building block for reading and writing.

If your child is struggling with spelling, it can impact their ability to read and write fluently. In addition, poor spelling can lead to lowered self-esteem and confidence.

Why do children struggle with spelling?

There are several reasons why children may struggle with spelling.

Some children have difficulty processing and retaining information. Others may have trouble with phonemic awareness, which is the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds in words.

Still, others may have difficulty with visual processing, which means they have trouble seeing and remembering how words are spelled.

Whatever the reason, there are ways to help your child improve their spelling skills!

Things struggling spellers need

There are a few things that all struggling spellers need to improve their skills.

First, they need explicit instruction in spelling. This means that they need to be taught how to spell words using various methods.

In addition, they need ample opportunities to practice spelling words. This can include writing words on their own and participating in spelling games.

Finally, they need positive reinforcement. This means that they need to be encouraged and praised for their efforts.

Now that we have discussed what struggling spellers need let’s look at some specific things you can do to help your child.

What can you do to help your child become a better speller?

1. Encourage Them to Use Spelling Strategies
2. Learn word families
3. Help Them Understand Common spelling Patterns
4. Encourage Them to Read Often
5. Play Spelling Games
6. Give Them Opportunities to Write
7. Create a Spelling Journal
8. Have Them Teach You
9. Make It a Competition
10. Use Rewards

Tip #01: Encourage Them to Use Spelling Strategies

One of the best things you can do is encourage your child to use spelling strategies. Various techniques can be used, and it may take some trial and error to find which ones work best for your child. Some common spelling strategies include:

• breaking the word into smaller parts
• sounding out the word
• using a mnemonic device

Tip#02: Learn word families

Another helpful tip is to learn word families. This can be a great way to help your child remember how to spell similar words. For example, if they know how to spell the word “cat,” they may also be able to spell the words “hat,” “rat,” and “bat.”

Tip #03: Help Them Understand Common spelling Patterns

There are specific patterns that often occur in English spelling. If your child learns to recognize these patterns, it will be much easier to spell words correctly. Some common spelling patterns include:

• words that end in -ed (e.g., played, jumped)
• words that have a silent e (e.g., bite, cake)
• words with a double consonant (e.g., running, swimming)

Tip #04: Encourage Them to Read Often

Reading frequently is one of the best ways to become a better speller.

When children read, they are exposed to various words and how they are spelled. This can help them learn new words and spelling patterns.

Tip #05: Play Spelling Games

Spelling games are an excellent way for children to practice their skills in an engagingly fun way. 

There are a variety of games that you can play at home or online. Some games focus on specific spelling patterns, while others allow children to practice spelling words from a list.

Tip #06: Give Them Opportunities to Write

Writing is another great way for children to practice their spelling skills. You can give them opportunities to write in a variety of ways.

For example, they could keep a journal, write stories, or even list words they want to learn how to spell.

Tip #07: Create a Spelling Journal

One way to encourage your child to practice their spelling is to create a spelling journal. This is where they can write down words they want to practice.

They can also keep track of words that they have spelled correctly.

Tip #08: Have Them Teach You

Another way to help your child practice their spelling is to have them teach you.

This can be done by having them write a sentence using a word from their spelling journal. They can then read the sentence aloud to you and spell the word.

Tip #09: Make It a Competition

If your child is competitive, you can use this to your advantage. There are a variety of ways that you can turn spelling into a game or competition.

This can help them to stay motivated and engaged in the process.

Tip #10: Use Rewards

One way to keep your child motivated is to use rewards. When they reach a goal, such as correctly spelling a certain number of words, they can receive a prize.

This can be something small, such as a sticker or their favorite treat.

Fun games you can play to teach your child to spell

Hangman

Hangman is a game that can help children learn how to spell words. You have to guess the word before the man gets hung. This game can be played with one child or in a group.

Word Ladder

Word Ladder is a game where you have to change one word into another. For example, you could start with the word “cat” and end with the word “dog.” This game can be played with two or more people.

Scrabble

Scrabble is a game where you have to make words using letter tiles. This game can be played with two or more people.

Spelling Bee

A spelling bee is a competition where children compete to see who can spell the most words correctly. This game can be played with one child or in a group.

Boggle

Boggle is a game where you have to find as many words as possible in a grid of letters. This game can be played with one child or in a group.

These are just a few games that you can play to help your child learn how to spell words.

There are many other games and activities that you can do to help them as well. Just remember to make it fun and keep them engaged in the process.

I hope that these tips will be helpful for you and your child who’s struggling with spelling.

If you want to learn more about how to help your child with spelling and how you can help a child struggling with spelling, check out my Instagram or send me an email!

I would be happy to chat with you about your child’s individual needs. Thank you for reading!