Lesson video

Hello and welcome to today's spelling lesson.

I'm Mr. Moss, I love spelling and I'm really looking forward to teaching you.

With you today for the spelling lesson, you need to bring your looking eyes, your listening ears, and your thinking brains.

As well as that, having something to write on and write with would also be excellent and having something or someone to talk to would also be really helpful.

Right, let's not waste any more time then and let's get straight into today's spelling lesson.

In this spelling lesson, we're going to be spelling key curriculum words.

The outcome will be I can choose and use spelling strategies to spell curriculum words.

Here are the keywords for today's learning.

My turn, your turn.

Suffix.

Letter string.

Root word.

So a suffix is a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning.

It creates a new word.

A letter string is a group of letters that are written together in a word.

And a root word is the base word from which other words are formed, often by adding prefixes or suffixes.

So today we're going to look at a variety of curriculum words that contain some suffixes and some letter strings that might be trickier to remember or spell.

Here's the outline for today's lesson.

We're gonna begin by exploring words and by looking and using the big letters strategy.

Then we're going to use the colour blocking and the look, cover, write, check strategies.

And then we're going to apply some spelling strategies to a host of curriculum words.

So let's get on with looking at our first set of spelling strategies today then, the big letters strategy.

So let's look at some words from the curriculum list.

My turn, your turn.

Pronunciation.

So how a word sounds when you say it.

Explanation.

Dictionary.

Disastrous.

Mischievous.

Marvellous.

Frequently.

Immediately.

Especially.

Sincerely.

Do you notice any similarities between these words? Pause the video, have a think.

Excellent.

Well, I've noticed that these words here, pronunciation, explanation, and dictionary, all contain our -tion or T-I-O-N letter string.

Some of the words end in our suffix -ous.

Adding this suffix to words often creates adjectives.

And some of the words end in our -ly suffix: frequently, immediately, especially and sincerely.

We know this is often linked to adverbs.

The curriculum list is a mixture of words that are used frequently, contain some taught rules or are often misspelt, and might have tricky elements about them.

Here are some examples of curriculum words that we need to learn.

Explanation.

Disastrous.

So you can see there we have a word with our -tion letter string and our -ous suffix.

We have especially as well with our -ly suffix.

With explanation, the root word explain has the letter I, but our word explanation does not.

So there's a slightly tricky element to it that we need to remember.

With disastrous, the E from our root word disaster is removed before our -ous suffix is added.

And with especially, there is a double L, like the words actually and originally that we need to remember.

Look at these key spellings that are also from our curriculum list.

Consider what you notice about them.

Let's say them first.

Pronunciation.

Mischievous.

An adjective.

And immediately.

Look carefully at these words.

Do you notice anything perhaps tricky about them or similar to the words above? Have a think.

Excellent.

Well, I've noticed again in pronunciation, I can see my -tion, -tion letter string.

In mischievous, our root word is mischief and we now have a -vous suffix.

And in immediately, we again have that -ly added to the end of our word immediate.

Remember that double M in immediate as well.

So in the spellings that we just looked at, can you identify the correct spelling for explanation, disastrous and especially now? Off you go.

Excellent.

So explanation.

We know that root word is explain, but we've taken the I out of explain before adding our -tion letter string at the end.

Explanation.

Disastrous.

We know the root word is disaster, but we've removed the E before adding our -ous suffix, so it's disastrous.

And with especially, we've double L and then our Y, especially.

Spelling rules then can help us to know how to spell words.

And I'm sure you know lots and lots of spelling rules, but also, there's no replacement for good old practise.

So today for the rest of this lesson, we're gonna be looking at some more of these curriculum words and using some practise strategies to make practising these spellings fun and to help us remember them.

So when we practise, we remember the words more easily.

You get better at noticing how the words are spelled and you feel more confident with using them.

If we can identify what we find difficult about a spelling, then we can choose a strategy to help us to practise said spelling.

There are loads of different types of spelling strategies and we're gonna be using a variety of them today.

First of all, we are going to have a go at using the big letters strategy.

Can you say it for me? Big letters.

As the name implies, the big letters strategy is all about writing a word, smaller, bigger, and biggest.

And it helps us in a number of different ways.

First, through visualisation.

We have to look really carefully at the word and we pay close attention to its spelling and any tricky parts.

This is particularly useful with these curriculum words that may have tricky elements to them.

Then repeat copying.

We copy the word starting out really small, getting larger each time.

By repeat copying, it helps us to remember.

And our handwriting.

If we use our best script, our best cursive script, it helps to make links between our hand and our brain, working on our muscle memory.

So what order do these go in for this strategy? Put them in the correct order now, one through four.

Off you go.

Excellent.

So the first thing we always have to do is look.

Then we write small, then we write bigger, and then we write biggest, our superlative there.

We should always look carefully at a spelling before practising them to consider what's tricky about them and what we really need to look out for when learning them.

So I'm going to practise using the big letters strategy now.

I'm going to practise it with that curriculum word mischievous, that adjective with our -ous suffix.

I look carefully at the word.

Now, I can see here a thing that might be quite tricky about this is this I-E that it has in it before my -vous suffix.

You cannot necessarily hear the E in mischievous.

So I begin by writing it small, then bigger and then biggest.

So a bit like this, mischievous.

Then I repeat copy it bigger, and then I repeat copy it biggest, getting small to large.

I'd like you now to have a go at practising writing out a word using our big letters strategy.

Here are two curriculum words, pronunciation and immediately.

Remember to look carefully at the word.

Remember to write small, write bigger and write biggest.

Have a go now at using the big letters strategy for these words.

Off you go.

Excellent.

I can see there that you've looked carefully at what's difficult about these words.

In pronunciation, perhaps it's that I-A and then remembering it's our -tion, -tion letter string.

And immediately, the fact that we have an E before our -ly and a double M.

Well done for writing out small, bigger, and then biggest.

So for our practise task, for this learning cycle, I'd like you now to choose four curriculum words from below to practise using the big letters strategy with.

These are all curriculum words.

We have ancient, amateur, committee, competition, develop, occur, persuade, prejudice, privilege, interfere, restaurant, sacrifice, sincere and yacht.

Pick four words that you find particularly difficult here, or four words that you'd like to learn the spelling of and use our big letters strategy.

Off you go.

Brilliant job, team.

So the four words that I chose were occur, interfere, amateur and yacht.

And you can see here I've looked carefully at the words, copied it out small and then copied it out correctly again bigger, and then copied it out biggest, small to large.

Do you now find it easier to spell these words? Share your learning now.

Make any corrections and consider, do you now find it easier to spell these words? Pause the video.

Off you go.

Brilliant, lovely to hear that many of you are able to spell these words more confidently now.

You've put them into your memory.

In our next learning cycle, we're now going to look at colour blocking and the look, cover, write, check strategies.

So colour blocking is a really, really awesome strategy.

Obviously, as the name implies, we get to do a little bit of colouring.

So we first look at the word as we do with any strategy and pay really close attention to how it's spelt.

Then you block the word into sections.

You can decide to chunk the word up into whatever sections you want.

It could be split into syllables, so the beats in the word or tall and short letters.

This can really help when learning longer words in particular because you're breaking the words down.

Next, you get to colour in each of those blocks in a different colour.

As I said, you get to use colouring pencils here.

You can use colouring pencils or pens.

And this helps to reinforce those different sections.

You're visualising, you're seeing the different colours.

Then you look carefully at the word in its sections and you try and visualise it with your eyes closed.

And finally, you have a go at writing your spelling against the original word and you check it.

Did you manage to spell it correctly? So let's try this with our curriculum word pronunciation.

We look closely at pronunciation.

Okay, I could see here, pronunciation.

Then I chunk it into blocks.

I'm gonna go with pronunci, that's C-I, A and then -tion.

So I have that -tion letter string there.

I then get to colour the blocks.

And you can see here, I've used one, two, three, four, five different colours.

I then look and visualise, and I can do this by looking carefully, pronunciation.

Okay, I've got my descender there, P.

So I've got a slightly lower block, my nun, almost a word in a word there.

C-I and then A, and then -tion, pronunciation.

Visualising now with my eyes is closed.

And then I have a go at writing it again, and then I check it against the original spelling.

So now I've got my pronunciation.

There you go.

And I check it against the original.

Yes, I managed to spell that correctly.

So what order did these go in for this strategy, for the colour blocking strategy? Put these in the correct order from one to five.

Off you go.

Brilliant.

Great job, team.

As ever, we always look carefully.

That's the same as the previous strategy we looked at.

Then I need to chunk the word into those different chunks like I just did with pronunciation.

Then the really fun part, we get to colour them in.

And then you visualise, you look carefully at it, perhaps close your eyes and try and see it again.

And then you write and of course, check it against the original.

So we look, chunk, colour, visualise, write.

So I'm going to have a go at practising this strategy now using the colour blocking strategy.

So I'm gonna use this with the word marvellous, one of our curriculum words.

I look closely at the word.

Marvellous.

I then chunk it into blocks, marve, and I'm gonna do it here, M-A-R-V-E.

Then I'm gonna have my double L 'cause they're ascenders.

And then I'm gonna have my -ous suffix there.

Marve, M-A-R-V-E, -llous.

What else? -ous.

Then I colour these blocks in.

There you go.

Use three colours there.

I then look and visualise, marvellous.

Do it with my eyes closed.

Marve, ascenders, double L, -ous.

Brilliant.

I then write it again and of course, check it against the correct spelling and I managed to spell it correctly.

I'd like you then to practise using the colour blocking strategy.

Here's the word frequently.

You're going to look closely at it, remember.

Chunk it into blocks, colour those blocks and look and visualise.

And finally, write it again.

Could you have a go at using the colour blocking strategy now for the word frequently? Off you go.

Great job.

So interesting seeing how people have broken the word down differently.

We block it in whichever way we feel comfortable with and in whichever way is going to help us remember it.

And I love seeing a variety of different colours being used.

As well as that, seeing children close their eyes and visualise it and then practise writing it was amazing.

And of course, make sure you check it against the original spelling to make sure you spell it correctly.

Great.

So could you identify the correct spellings of some of the curriculum words that we've just looked at now? Pronunciation, marvellous, frequently.

Off you go.

Good job, team.

So pronunciation.

Well, I remember this because I just used my colour blocking strategy and I've got that pronuncia and then -tion.

So the root word is pronounce, which we know has that O-U-N-C-E, but we get rid of that O-U and replace it with that U in pronunciation.

The next was marvellous, wasn't it? We looked at that word as well.

I used my colour blocking strategy to help me remember it.

I know it has that double L and then the -ous suffix.

And frequently, I know it's just going to have my -ly there.

You've just had a go at colour blocking this.

Hopefully you saw that it just had that -ly and wasn't -ley.

So next, we're going to use the look, cover, write, check strategy.

And this helps us in several ways.

First, through, again, visualising the word.

We look carefully at it and pay close attention to the spelling and any tricky parts.

Then we get to test our memory by covering the word up and having a go at writing it.

We see if we can remember it.

We practise writing it from memory and using our best handwriting will also help us with this.

And then we self-correct.

We do the check part, we check it against the uncover and check against the original word and see if we spelled it right.

Even if we get it right first time, we can keep using the strategy of looking, covering, writing and checking until it's really embedded in our memory.

This is also really important as it allows you to be independent and responsible for your own learning and to learn from your mistakes.

So what order does this strategy go in? Look, cover, write, check.

Oh, I've just said it.

Put these in the correct order now.

Brilliant.

Of course, it's look as always, cover, write, check.

Brilliant.

So I'm gonna have a good using this strategy with our curriculum word immediately.

I look carefully at the word.

Okay, with immediately, I remember it has a double M, and then it has -tely.

Then I cover the word up, phew, and from my memory, immediately.

I write the word.

There you go.

And then I check the spelling.

I look back at the original, which I know is spelled correctly.

Did I spell it correctly? I-M-M-E-D-I-A-T-E-L-Y.

Yes, I managed to spell it correctly, but I would then do the strategy a few more times to really embed that spelling into my memory.

So I want you to practise using this strategy now with the words sincerely and dictionary.

Remember to look carefully at the word, cover the word up, write the word, and then check the spelling.

Off you go.

Brilliant job, team.

Love seeing you testing your memory there.

So can you identify the correct spellings for me of immediately, sincerely, and dictionary? Off you go.

Great.

Immediately.

Yep, absolutely.

It's our root word immediate and then we added our -ly suffix.

Sincerely.

Yep, sincere, and then we've added our -ly suffix.

And dictionary has our -tion letter string in it and it's -ary at the end.

This is the correct one with that word diction in it.

So for our practise task now what I'd like you to do is to choose two curriculum words from the list below and practise using the colour blocking strategy.

And then I'd like you to choose two different curriculum words from the list below and practise using the look, cover, write, check strategy.

So you're now practising the strategies that we've looked at in this learning cycle and choosing four words, two for each strategy from the curriculum word list below.

Choose those words, use the strategies now.

Off you go.

Amazing job, team.

Really impressed.

Love seeing that colour blocking, love seeing that look, cover, write, check.

Really good strategies, really useful strategies, actually really fun ways to help us remember spellings.

And also really importantly with the strategy look, cover, write, check allows you to be responsible for your own learning.

You get to self-check.

So you can see here I've practised colour blocking with the word queue and neighbour.

And I broke it down into that Q-U-E-U-E for queue and neighbour into neigh, N-E-I-G-H, and then B-O-U-R.

And then I practised sufficient and individual with look, cover, write, check.

Did you manage to spell your words correctly? Make any corrections now but also share your colour blocking.

Share your look, cover, write, check.

Did you have fun? Off you go.

And onto our final learning cycle then, applying spelling strategies.

So we are going to practise spelling more curriculum words now.

When practising spellings, it's helpful to focus on the words that you find difficult.

This is going to be unique to you.

You could choose words with a silent letter, like restaurant, government, language.

You could choose words that are spelled differently to how they are pronounced, queue, ancient, yacht.

Or words you come across really frequently, like especially, desperate and recommend.

First, you need to choose the words to practise.

Then you need to decide a strategy you'll practise.

This could be, and think about the strategies we've looked at today, big letters, colour blocking, look, cover, write, check.

The strategy may depend on the spellings that you've chosen and what makes them difficult.

Different strategies may work better with different words.

Next, practise the spellings.

And finally, you always have to check against the correctly spelled word, the original to check you've written them correctly and to learn from any mistakes you're making.

So what order do these go in for this task? Check, choose the words, decide the strategy and practise.

Put these in the correct order now.

Off you go.

Great.

Well, of course, we need to choose the words first that we're going to practise.

Remember, this is unique to you.

Then we need to decide the strategy.

And you might use a different strategy depending on the type of words you're practising.

Then you need to do the practise itself.

And of course, you need to check.

So choose words, decide strategy, practise, then check.

So look at these curriculum words.

We have aggressive, appreciate community and communicate, two words linked both in spelling and meaning there.

Recommend, desperate, profession.

Another way of saying job.

Controversy, language, criticise, government, that silent letter there.

Are there any words that you find particularly challenging? Look carefully at this list and choose the words that you find most challenging again.

Off you go.

Brilliant.

Remember, this is unique to you.

I find, for instance, the spelling aggressive particularly difficult.

There's a double G and a double S that could be mistaken easily for single letters.

And there's that silent E at the end you don't clearly hear.

The spelling strategy I think that I would use for this is colour blocking could help me to practise this spelling because I could have my A.

Then my double G blocked, my R and my E blocked, my double S blocked.

And then my -ive block together to help me remember double G, the double S and that naughty E at the end.

So now you are going to practise the spellings that you've chosen from this list using the strategy that you find most helpful for each of them.

Choose three words from the curriculum words below that you find most difficult.

Choose the strategies you think are most appropriate and practise them now.

Off you go.

Excellent job, team.

Really, really impressed.

It just makes me so happy seeing you thinking, being responsible, considering the words that you find most difficult and then choosing an appropriate strategy.

I chose criticise, government and recommend, and I used the big letters strategy for criticise.

I used colour blocking for government and I used look, cover, write, check for recommend.

Did you manage to spell your words correctly? Remember to check them against the original for any mistakes and share your strategies with me and those around you now.

Off you go.

Great job in spelling today, team.

We've been practising spellings.

Practising spellings helps us to remember the words more easily.

Spelling strategies help us to notice how words are spelled.

We can use different strategies, like the big letters strategy, the colour blocking strategy and the look, cover, write, check strategy.

The practise spelling strategy you choose often depends on the spelling you are practising and what makes it difficult.

And remember, the spellings you're practising are often unique to you.

Keep up the great spelling practise, enjoy it and I'll see you again soon.