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Practice spelling by sounds, not by memory alone. Say the word, say each sound, and write a letter or letter team for each sound. Then check against the word and fix any mistake. Practice a few words a day through the week, and say the unusual part of tricky words out loud.
For a word such as stamp, your child says each sound, s, t, a, m, p, and writes a letter for each one. This works for most words on early spelling lists.
Spelling and reading use the same knowledge of letters and sounds, so spelling practice helps reading too.
Words such as said or was have one part that does not follow the usual sound. Spell the regular part by sound and say the unusual part out loud: said has ai, but we say e.
Practice these a little each day.
Monday: read the list together and sort the words by pattern. Tuesday to Thursday: spell a few words a day, then check. Friday: a practice test with all the words.
Short daily practice beats one long session the night before the test.
After writing a word, your child looks at the correct word and checks each letter. Fixing a mistake right away helps the right spelling stick.
Celebrate the sounds your child got right, not only the whole word.
Practice this in the free reading appReading games your child can play on a phone, tablet or computer. Every word can be sounded out. No sign-up.Open the app
Say each sound, then write it.
Practice a few words a day.
Check each word right away.
Say the tricky part out loud.
Use the words in a short sentence.
Build the WordYour child hears a word and taps the letter tiles in the right order to build it.Play free
Word ChainsOne sound changes each time: map, mad, mud. Your child spots what changed and reads the new word.Play free
Listen and Say the WordYou say the sounds slowly, your child says the whole word. No letters to look at, so it trains the ear first.Play freeShort a words worksheets, CVC word family practice.
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CVC cut and paste worksheets for beginning, middle and ending sounds.
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All 5 read and match level worksheet packs in one download.
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All 7 letter sounds level worksheet packs in one download.
See insideCopying a word many times without thinking helps less than saying the sounds, writing, and checking.
Spelling is harder than reading, because there is nothing to look at. Practicing by sound helps. The free check below shows what may be in the way.
Three to five is enough for most young children.
Lists of words with the same pattern, such as -at or -ing, are easier to learn than random words.
Learn to ReadDoes Phonics Help With Speech Delay?Does phonics help with speech delay? What reading practice can and cannot do for a child who talks late, and why to see a speech-language pathologist.Read the guide
Learn to ReadHow to Help a Child With ADHD With Reading at HomeReading help for a child with ADHD at home: very short daily sessions, one small step at a time, movement breaks, and when to ask the school.Read the guide
Learn to ReadHow to Help a Child With Vowel SoundsYour child mixes up vowel sounds like short a, e and i. How to teach one short vowel at a time, with mouth shapes and short words to read.Read the guideThe packs on this site are free. The One Sheet goes further: one sheet a day, made for your child from what you tell us happened.
See The One Sheet · $9.99 a month
Or try the 10-day plan: Hear It, Write It, $19 one timeOr do the free 3-minute check first