Spelling
There are two main statutory lists for KS2 spelling which children will be exposed to throughout the time at Wallace Fields junior School – one for years 3 and 4 and one for years 5 and 6. They will also be given opportunities to revise and use the spellings that they have learned throughout KS1. By the end of KS2, if children use these words in their writing, they are expected to be able to spell them correctly.
In school, all children are introduced to their week’s spellings in a Monday spelling lesson. There are then activities timetabled every day for the children to access, use and play with the weeks focus words.
We have been using Spelling Shed for a number of years to ensure coverage and access to all required spellings, including regular use of the app to complete homework activities, also giving children additional opportunities to develop and use their focus words. Spelling Shed is used as an online tool on a computer or as an App on a phone or iPad, and we also use it in school on our chrome books. The scheme is used to support the teaching of spelling across the school and to help children consolidate spellings by playing games at home and setting lists to practice for homework. We therefore require your child to have access at home via the computer or a mobile device. There is also an App that can be purchased and played independently. It is dyslexic friendly, uses an ‘Open Dyslexic’ font, and has three levels of difficulty to support pupils of all abilities through the spelling lists with appropriate degrees of challenge.
As well as receiving online ‘rewards’ and coins to develop their own avatar, children will be entered into monthly leagues and will be given awards and certificates for great spelling across the month.
For further information about spelling and the use of Spelling Shed, please see the attached document.
Spelling Word Lists
Spelling Shed Guidance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVHb4srs0RU&t=16s
Wordshark
Wordshark provides a fun and effective games-based solution for students learning to spell and read. We have been using Wordshark successfully for many years with children who find spelling a particular challenge and have found that the program is especially useful for those with dyslexia and other special educational needs. It has a diagnostic tool that assess which spelling rules and patterns the children need to practise the most and then teaches and reinforces them using fun games and activities. Wordshark gives our students the essential reinforcement and continuous practice they need to master a wide range of spelling patterns and rules. Children who have been identified by their class teacher as requiring this individual and specialised support will be given a log in that they can use to access Wordshark both at school and at home. Their class teacher is able to access the program to monitor usage and progress of the children using it, to ensure it is the best intervention for them to help them to progress.
