Spelling. My teaching nemesis. I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of teaching it – probably because I haven’t found anything that works.
However, one thing that does seem to stick (for at least a few words!) are silly mnemonics or quirky rhymes that help the children remember. Thanks to my mum, when writing the word rhythm, I always recall an odd mnemonic she told me when I was younger. I even remember exactly when she told me – we were in the car, on the way to school, and I told her about this one word I could never remember how to spell. Thinking of this recently prompted the following tweet:
So many people replied (thank you everyone!), so I have collated them here in case they are useful to anyone else. If anyone has any more, particularly for those pesky words on the Year 5/6 (or Year 3/4) word list, then please tweet me so I can add them on!
Accommodation: 2 double rooms (@4321jc) / Cosy Cottage, Massive Mansion (me!)
Accident: if you have a car accident, it may dent your car (@mrsbteachy)
Affect/effect: (@missnolan91)
Believe: don’t believe the lie(@lissylawhuds)
Could/should/would: O U Little Devil (@emily489)
Dessert: double S because with dessert, you always want seconds (@misshuby23)
Diarrhoea: Done In A Rush Right Here Or Else Accident (@chrisjames_78)
Friend: I am your friend until the end(@emily489)
Here/hear: (@missnolan91)
Incubated: a man in Cuba called Ted (@charlotteraby)
Island: an island IS LAND surrounded by water (@rachelorr)
Mention: MEN, put your TIe ON (@mrsbteachy)
Necessary: Never Eat Cake Eat Salmon Sandwiches And Raspberry Yoghurt (@lifeatthenest) / 1 coffee 2 sugars (@sarahdrayton1) / 1 collar 2 sleeves (me!)
Off: (@missnolan91)
Onomatopoeia: as it’s phonetic until the P, you can then use Onomatopoeia Ends In A (@kateowbridge)
Peace/piece: (@missnolan91)
People: People Eat Oranges, People Like Eggs (@creativecards_) / Put Eggs On Plate, Let’s Eat (@slbsamantha)
Possession: it possesses a lot of Ss! (@siancumming1)
Queue: it’s a queue of ue ue (@simbo442)
Rhythm: Rhythm Helps Your Two Hope Move (@simbo442) / Run Home, Your Teacher Has Measles (@jeniwren87)
Said: Small Ants In Danger (@peinkoffer) / Sausages Are Incredibly Delicious (@nohandsup)
Separate: I want to separate myself from a rat! (@jam272)
Speech: (@missnolan91)
There/their: (@missnolan91 and @thinkpix_suze)
Too/to: (@thinkpix_suze)
Hi – could I chat to you about using this post as a jumping off point on my new spelling blog? I’m on twitter: @TRT_Tricia @spelling_thing Thanks!
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This is my favorite. Geography is George E’s Old Grandmother Rode A Pig Home Yesterday.
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My grade 4 teacher helped the class with this word- you wish there were two of ‘u’ to vacuum
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Thank you so much for this! Got a 2nd grader who often has trouble with things like this. I was running out of ideas!!
(One I used last year was pronouncing ‘sheep’ like I was bleating. ‘sheeeeep!’ reminded her there were 2 e’s! )
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Big elephants can always understand small elephants.. Because..
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Together…..
To-get-her!!!!
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Together : to get her
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in 1st grade many students have difficulty with together…. I need to get her …we will then be together
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The word Diarrhoea is spelled wrong. There’s no “o” in Diarrhea.
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Only in the US. In the UK, it has an o.
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It’s the ‘ee’ sound like in Phoenix or Oedipus.
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Arithmetic: Andy ran in the house many evenings there in Colorado.
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Dessert – are sugary-sweet two s
Desert – nothing but sand 0ne s
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