Spelling and Handwriting at Barrow Hill Aims of

Spelling and Handwriting at Barrow Hill

Aims of this session • To look at the National Curriculum regarding Spelling and Handwriting • To share with you how we teach Spelling and Handwriting at Barrow Hill • To share with you ideas for how to support your child with spelling and handwriting at home

National Curriculum for Writing – Writing transcription • Spelling and handwriting – Writing composition • articulating and structuring ideas – Vocabulary, grammar and punctuation

Writing Transcription: Spelling Lower Key Stage 2 – years 3 and 4: Pupils’ spelling of common words should be correct, including common exception words and other words that they have learnt. Pupils should spell words as accurately as possible using their phonic knowledge and other knowledge of spelling. Upper Key Stage 2 – years 5 and 6: Pupils’ spelling of most words taught so far should be accurate and they should be able to spell words that they have not yet been taught by using what they have learnt about how spelling works in English. Year 6 SATS - SPa. G test – approx. 30 – 40% of marks come from spelling - Writing assessment also has focus on accurate spelling

Examples of statutory requirements Years 3 and 4 Years 5 and 6

Hundred word lists

How do we teach Spelling at school? • 15 minute weekly lesson x 2 – followed up through homework • Spelling taught through ‘investigations’ • Words mostly grouped by patterns / rules • Words contextualised within teaching sequence/relevant to current learning

Example 1: Sorting words - table

Example 2: Sorting words - venn

Example 3: Word family diagrams

Assessing Spelling - Dictations It is important that children learn spelling for writing, rather than for tests.

Correcting Spelling • Approx. 5 or 6 spellings for each piece of writing • Teacher underlines the word, children are encouraged to use a dictionary to find the correct spelling • Children are encouraged to underline their own spelling if they are not sure, and to check it when editing later

Correcting Spellings

Spelling support • Word banks • Working wall • Editing opportunities • Interventions – Wordshark – Phonographix

What can you do at home to support your child’s spelling? • Read as much as possible! • Don’t panic about spelling mistakes • Encourage your child to always ‘ have a go’ first – Ask your child to ‘sound out’ a spelling – Count the syllables – Discuss spellings / rules / ways to remember • Play spelling games – See handout

Writing Transcription: Handwriting Lower key stage 2 – years 3 and 4 • Joined handwriting should be the norm; pupils should be able to use it fast enough to keep pace with what they want to say. Upper key stage 2 – years 5 and 6 • Write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed

Writing Transcription: Handwriting • Quality: – consistently sized letters – equal word spacing – ascenders and descenders are parallel • Speed: – Improve speed of handwriting to allow creative writing to take precedence over the task of handwriting • Stamina: – Have the strength and mobility to be able to write for longer periods of time without fatigue.

Handwriting at Barrow Hill • Taught sessions each week – consolidating spelling • Modelled writing • Presentation policy • Additional intervention for some children • Y 5 and 6 use pen; Y 3 and 4 use pencil. A pen licence is awarded for consistent, neat, joined handwriting

Handwriting scheme - Letterjoin • All letters start on the line • All letters have an instroke and an outstroke

Presentation Policy • In each book • Revisited at the start of each term

What can you do at home to support your child’s handwriting? • Consider posture and seating position

What can you do at home to support your child’s handwriting? • Remind children of expectations when writing – try to copy words accurately! • Provide praise and encouragement • Log in to Letter-join at home…more information to follow! • IXL English!