Curriculum Corner – Spelling

Throughout this term all teachers and learning support assistants have been engaged in professional learning in the teaching of spelling. We have partnered with Jocelyn Seamer from Jocelyn Seamer Education. Jocelyn Seamer is a former classroom teacher and school leader who now works as an educational trainer and consultant in early literacy development and student support. She is committed to promoting evidence-based reading and spelling practice in schools both in Australia and internationally. As part of our professional learning Jocelyn worked with classes this week to model spelling lessons and the instructional practices and routines that are incorporated into the spelling program Spelling Success in Action 2. Years 3-6 will use the resource and data collected from pre-assessment to inform their spelling practice.

                               Figure 1 https://www.jocelynseamereducation.com/spelling2

Ways to Unlock Spelling Proficiency

Phonics - Connecting sounds to letters

Phonics focuses on the relationship between sounds and their corresponding letters or letter combinations. By mastering phonetic principles, your child can decode words phonetically and apply sound-symbol correspondences to spelling eg c - a - t.

Morphology - Understanding word structure

Morphology focuses on the structure of words, including roots, prefixes, and suffixes. By exploring word families and analysing word parts, your child can decipher unfamiliar words and predict spelling patterns.

Figure 2 https://curriculum.nsw.edu.au/learning-areas/english/english-k-10-2022/content/stage-1/fa39e0d73c?show=example

Orthography - Mastering spelling conventions

Orthography refers to the standardised spelling system of a language. By teaching spelling rules, patterns, and conventions, your child gains insight into the principles governing spelling.

Figure 3 https://curriculum.nsw.edu.au/learning-areas/english/english-k-10-2022/content/stage-1/fa39e0d73c?show=example

Figure 4 https://curriculum.nsw.edu.au/learning-areas/english/english-k-10-2022/content/stage-2/fa0e9b346f?show=advice%2Cexample

Etymology - Tracing word origins

Etymology involves studying the origins and historical development of words. By tracing word roots back to their linguistic origins, your child gains insights into spelling variations and connections across languages.

Integrating Linguistic Tools into Home Learning

Interactive Word Exploration: Encourage your child to explore words dynamically, incorporating morphology, orthography, etymology, and phonics into spelling practice sessions.

Word Investigation Challenges: Challenge your child to investigate the origins and meanings of unfamiliar words they encounter in everyday reading, promoting curiosity and vocabulary expansion.

Leanne Skinner  
Primary Co-ordinator and Pedagogical Mentor