Talking to Parents About Spelling with Diane Snowball

In this podcast, expert literacy educator Diane Snowball sits down with fellow experienced teacher/ consultant Sharon Callen to discuss the most frequently asked questions parents have about the teaching of spelling. This insightful conversation aims to provide educators with support as they navigate their parent community.

One common concern raised by parents is the stress they experience when their children's spelling homework consists of memorising lists of words, similar to the way it was taught in their own school days. Diane emphasises that spelling should not be solely focused on rote memorisation. Instead, the crux of the matter lies in understanding the purpose of spelling, which is to enable others to read our writing. Children need ample opportunities to write for their classmates and receive feedback, allowing teachers to observe and analyze their writing.

The podcast explores what makes a good speller and discusses strategies used by proficient spellers. Practical tips, tools, strategies, and techniques are discussed for supporting children in spelling, such as focusing on sounds, spelling patterns, breaking down words, and celebrating attempts etc.

Further insights by the duo include:

• English, being a non-phonetic language, requires different strategies beyond just knowing sounds to learn spelling.
• Learning to spell high-frequency words using a range of strategies is valuable as they are the words encountered most frequently in the students' own reading and writing.
• Understanding base words, prefixes, and suffixes contributes to word meaning and correct spelling.
• A scientific and exploratory approach to spelling helps students form hypotheses, make generalisations, and continuously test them. In this way they better understand the 'why' of how words are spelt, and learn lifelong spelling skills for tackling any word.
• Onset and rime patterns are powerful tools for spelling related words effectively. There are approximately 600 words in English that can be  learned in this way.
• Exploring the etymology and meaning of words makes the 'learning to spell' process interesting, useful and successful.
• Approaches to address incorrect spelling habits and utilise word associations are discussed.
• Good resources like stage-appropriate dictionaries are recommended.

By addressing common questions and concerns about spelling instruction, the episode aims to support both teachers and parents in their efforts to facilitate children's spelling development.

Enjoy, and let us know thoughts and feedback in our Facebook Group.
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FEATURED RESOURCES

Teachific

• Helping Children to Learn High Frequency Words - Information for Teachers
• Helping Children to Learn High Frequency Words - Information for Parents
• Spelling: A Suggested Teaching Plan K-6
• The Usefulness of Onset and Rimes When Reading and Writing
• Am I a Good Speller? Checklist for Beginning Writers
• Am I a Good Speller? Checklist for Experienced Writers
• Questions Parents Ask About Spelling

Books

• Beyond Traditional Phonics  by Margaret Mustafa
   

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The Teacher’s Tool Kit For Literacy is the free podcast for motivated teachers and school leaders who want the latest tips, tricks and tools to inspire their students and school community in literacy learning. 

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At Cue Learning, our literacy specialists draw on over 30 years of teaching and international consulting experience to deliver world-class learning solutions. We equip, empower and support teachers to become their authentic selves. 

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