Inspire workshop

Spelling is the ability to arrange letters in the correct order to make words that are communally understood. Aims of our Workshop

 To introduce and understand how the RML Spelling Programme is structured.  To discuss differentiation within each year group.  To share the importance of weekly spelling tests.  To discuss common exception words.  To share strategies for learning spellings. Did you know that English is the hardest language in the

The English language has one world? of the richest vocabularies in English has many ways of writing down the world. each sound because we have more speech sounds than letters. For example, we write Everyone uses the same 44 sounds the sound ‘ay’ at least eight different ways. to speak all English words, though Spelling tends to improve the way we write down these throughout our lives and it is only sounds varies. with lots of practise that we become good spellers. Most children need explicit systematic teaching that is continually practised and Even now, as adults we tend reinforced, until spelling knowledge is to avoid writing down words committed to children’s long term memory. that we cannot spell. Why is spelling important?

Children will begin to use Builds the basic foundation that exciting vocabulary in their all children will need throughout dialogue and writing. their education and life in general.

Children can quickly discern the correct meaning of that word.

Helps a child to develop a strong Ensures children recognise connection between the letters and their different words in real sounds and learning high-frequency life contexts and ‘sight words’ (i.e. words that can not unfamiliar texts. easily be sounded out) will assist a child in both their reading and writing. RML Spelling Read Write Inc Spelling is a robust, face-paced, systematic spelling programme for children in Years 2-6 who have completed RML Phonics.

It is an interactive programme which teaches spelling in a fun and engaging way.

Although the teaching of phoneme-grapheme correspondence underpins this programme, it also develops children’s knowledge of word families, how suffixes impact upon root words, and provides mnemonics to remember the trickiest spellings.

The teaching revolves around instruction (with the help of online alien characters), partner and group practice, and competitive group challenges that help children commit new words to memory. RML Spelling The programme supports the aims of the National Curriculum to ensure that children:

‘Spell the new words correctly and have plenty of practice in spelling them…including exception words and homophones’. ‘Spell words as accurately as possible using their phonics knowledge and other knowledge of spelling, such as morphology (the study of the form of words) and etymology (the study of the origins and development of words).’  ‘Are supported in understanding and applying the concepts of word structure’. ‘Spell words that they have not yet been taught by using what they have learnt about how spelling works in English’. RML Spelling The Spelling Team characters are Star Spellings called Zeta, Gamma and Mia. They are ‘humaliens’ whose mission is to help Earth children become confident spellers. They introduce the spelling rule and flag up any ‘Tips’ or ‘Weird Word Warnings’ to help children get to grips with rules and exceptions. Gamma loves Mu is an adventurer, sport so his historian, time explanations are traveller, code- often related to breaker and his recent sporting archaeologist. If a adventures. spelling focus is Zeta is interested in related to the history music and singing, so and etymology of a she will often share word, he might rhymes or jingles in travel back in time her video. to find out more. Groupings Children in Years 2 and 3 stream across the year groups so teaching is tailored to the children’s needs.

The adults they may have are: Miss Gallagher Mrs Edwards Mr Harding The adults The children will Miss Williams work on the spelling may rotate Miss Davies rules within their during the year. year group. Miss Kent Mrs Lees Mrs Crouch Groupings Children in Years 4 and 5 stream across the year groups so teaching is tailored to the children’s needs.

The adults they may have are: Mrs Williams Miss Miles Mr Graves The adults The children will Mrs Anslow work on the spelling may rotate Mr Connolly rules within their during the year. year group. Miss Sanderson Miss Burrows Groupings Children in Year 6 stream across the year group so teaching is tailored to the children’s needs.

The adults they may have are: Miss Cannon Mr Wymer Mrs Flower The adults The children will Mrs Sadler may rotate work on the spelling Mrs Ewins rules from their during the year. Mrs Lane own or previous year groups, depending on what areas of need were identified in their assessments. Pre Programme Activity

Complete the pre programme activity to find all the sounds. Check your sound chart!

Weekly Spellings

Years 2 and 3 children will receive their new weekly spellings on a Monday. Years 3 and 4 children will receive their new weekly spellings on a Wednesday. Year 6 children will receive their new weekly spellings on a Thursday. They will be tested on their previous weeks spellings on the same day,. The children will highlight the spellings they get right and circle the spellings they get wrong in their planner. Staff will address the words the children get wrong during their next lessons. (Any additional practice at home will be beneficial). Common Exception Words

Exception words are words in which the English spelling code works in an unusual or uncommon way.

They are not words for which phonics 'doesn't work', but they may be exceptions to spelling rules, or words which use a particular combination of letters to represent sound patterns in a rare or unique way.

Some common exception words are used very frequently, which is why children are introduced to them very early on in their phonics learning. Strategies To Learn Common Exception Words

 Mnemonics – use phrases to help children learn the tricky bits of a word.  Say it as it looks – simply pronounce the word in a silly voice by the way it looks and then as we say it normally.  Word in a Word – sometimes it helps to notice that there is a word within a word.  A Sticky Letter – write the word with the sticky letter really big and then draw something in the shape of the letter.  Rap It – say the word, then the graphemes in a rhyme and then repeat the word again. Strategies to learn new spellings Common Exception Words

Children will practise their common exception words weekly in class. Children will be tested on their common exception at the end of every half term. Their first common exception word test will be at the end of Autumn. A copy will be sent home to parents/carers each time to show progress.

Thank You! Please complete the parent questionnaires.