ing

This site is full of creative poetry/art exercises that aim to bring pleasure back into using words and writing. We welcome the participation of you and your child, please have a look at the list of contents, or the blog archive and try out any of the exercises that you like the look of. We welcome your comments on the success (or otherwise) of the idea…

Monday 8 November 2010

play with your food (and other spelling ideas)

This year Joe's spelling homework is coming in thick and fast. We're finding the LOOK, SAY, COVER, WRITE AND CHECK method very effective, but I do like to try other methods to make things more interesting, less stressful and more pleasurable, for child and parent. Particularly the latter.

spaghetti ABOUT

We've just had a go at spelling in spaghetti shapes; they looked great, but Joe found it difficult to concentrate, as he wanted to eat his spellings. Perhaps it would work better with a less hungry child. These spelling suggestions are based on the idea of using the MATERIAL of the words as an important part of their composition. A word made out of elastoplast, for instance, will tend to stick (ha ha) in the mind more readily than one written with the usual biro - especially if the material and the subject of the word complement each other. The sticking plaster word might be 'injury'.

Other ideas you could try: 

*  Write the words on a black or white board.
*  Write each word (or even the different parts of each) in a different colour and/or decorate the letters.
*  Use chalk to write the words outside on the pavement, how big can you write your words?
*  Use bath crayons or foam letters and decorate the bath with your spell list.
*  Use Scrabble letter tiles to spell the words.
*  Type your words on a computer, using your nose.
*  Find sticks, pebbles, rock, leaves and create the words on the ground out of your found objects.
*  Use your finger to spell out the word on a friend or family member's back, then take your turn to feel the words on your back.
*  Use letter magnets, on the fridge or other metal surfaces.
*  Write the words in sand, or in mud, or a steamy window, or snow.

If you have any other creative ways to help with spelling practice that you could share, it would be great to hear about them. Spelling is never my favourite, so any tips will be welcomed as honoured guests. Phil is fine with spelling, but can't add numbers up - however that's a matter for a different blog.

No comments:

Post a Comment