Christ Church Grammar School

Parent Education Evening

Second Session: Spelling
Presented by: Brendon Peisley
Focus:
1. What is spelling?
2. Why focus on spelling?
3. What does research tell us?
4. How is it changing at CCGS?
5. How will homework change?

What is Spelling?
Spelling is a productive language process whereby the
speller hears sounds and must translate them to
alphabetic symbols either by writing or speaking letter
names (Henry, 2010 and McGuiness, 2004). It is the
reverse process of reading.

Why focus on Spelling?

1. Life Opportunity

2. All Subjects Benefit

3. School Improvement

What does research tell us

about the teaching of spelling?

Learning to spell is
developmental

Accurate spelling and accurate

letter formation go
hand-in-hand

Spelling instruction must be

targeted, explicit and systematic

The key ingredient in learning

to spell is knowledge of the
alphabetic system

Memory is critical in learning to

spell and must be a multisensory
process

Effective spelling instruction

must teach children about word
parts and meanings, word origins
and spelling facts (rules)

How is spelling instruction changing

at Christ Church?

1. Focussed on the
developmental stage of
students rather than
their age

2. Setting of children
into 1 of 4 spelling
classes in each year
level

3. Daily targeted,
explicit and systematic
spelling instruction

The Christ Church Grammar School Spelling Map of Development

Emergent Stage
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
1.
2.
3.

Focus 1: Phonemic Awareness - Sentence Level

sentence segmentation: breaking sentences into words
changing sentences: changing word order
sentence build-up: adding words to sentences
Focus 2: Phonemic Awareness Word Level
blending: blends two smaller words to make a compound word
segmentation: breaks compound words into two smaller words
deletion: a smaller word is deleted in a compound word
Focus 3: Phonemic Awareness - Syllable Level
blending: blends syllables to make words
segmentation: breaks words into syllables
deletion: deletes a syllable in a word
Focus 4: Phonemic Awareness - Onset-Rime Level
recognise rhyme: determines if words rhyme given sets of words
generate rhyme: says a word that rhymes with a given word
categorisation: finds words that dont rhyme in a set
blending: blends onset and rime together to create a word
segmentation: breaks words into onset and rime
Unit 5: Phonemic Awareness - Phoneme Level
isolation: recognises individual sounds in a word
identity: selects words that have a similar sound from a set
categorisation: recognises odd sounds in a set of words
blending: blends phonemes together to make a word
segmentation: aurally separates words into separate phonemes
deletion: deletes phonemes to create new words
addition: makes a new word when a phoneme is added
substitution: makes new words by replacing phonemes with others
Focus 6: Alphabet Knowledge
letter names
recognising upper case letters
recognising lowercase letters

Alphabetic Stage
Focus 1: Initial Letter Sounds (Short Vowels)
1. m, s, f, a , p, t, c, i
2. b, h, n, o, d, g, l, v
3. y, r, e, q(u), z
4. j, u, k, x, w
Focus 2: Same-Vowel Word Families
1. at
2. an, ad
3. ap, ag
4. op, ot, og
5. et, eg, en
6. ug, ut, un
7. ip, ig, ill
Focus 3: Double letters
1. ss, ff, ll, zz (plural s)
Focus 4: Consonant Digraphs
1. Final: -ck
2. Initial or final: -sh-, -ch- (plural s, es)
3. Initial or final: -th- (thumb)
4. Final: -st
5. Final: -ng (adding ing)
Focus 5: Initial Consonant Clusters (blends)
1. br-, cr-, dr-, fr- gr-, pr-, tr2. pl-, fl-, bl-, gl-, sl-, cl3. st-, sm-, sp-, sn-, skFocus 6: Final Consonant Clusters (blends)
1. -mp
2. -ft, -lf, -sp, -sk
3. Final: -nd, -nt, -nk
Focus 7: Mixed-Vowel Word Families
1. at, ot, it
2. an, un, in
3. ad, ed, ab, ob
4. ag, eg, ig, og, ug
5. ill, ell, all
6. ick, ack, ock, uck
7. ish, ash, ush
Focus 8: Contractions
1. simple contractions
Focus 9: Miscellaneous (End of Year 1)
1. non-phonetic memory words: list 1 (5 words)
2. non-phonetic memory words: list 2 (5 words)
3. non-phonetic memory words: list 3 (5 words)
4. non-phonetic memory words: list 4 (5 words)
5. non-phonetic memory words: list 5 (5 words)
6. alphabetical order and using a dictionary to find words

1.
2.
3.
4.

Within Word Pattern Stage

Syllables and Affixes Stage

Focus 1: Long Vowel CVCe

Focus 1: Inflected Endings

1. one syllable vowel patterns (VVC, VC, VCC, VCe)
2. adding ing to VC/VCC pattern words
3. adding ing to VC/VVC pattern words
4. rules for adding ing to the end of words (double, e-drop, nothing)
5. unusual past tense words
6. plural endings: adding -es
7. unusual plurals (fe-ves, vowel change, no change)
8. y + inflected endings (s, ed, ing)
Focus 2: Compound Words
1. complex compound words 1
2. complex compound words 2
Focus 3: Syllable Junctures
1. syllable junctures: VCV, VCCV 1
2. syllable junctures: VCV, VCCV 2
3. syllable junctures: V/CV long, VC/V short, VVCV long)
4. syllable junctures: VCCCV and VV
5. open and closed syllable and inflected endings
Focus 4: Vowel Patterns and Accented Syllables
1. long a in accented syllables
2. long i in accented syllables
3. long o in accented syllables
4. long u in accented syllables
5. long e in accented syllables
6. ambiguous vowels in accented syllables: oy/oi, ou/ow
7. ambiguous vowels in accented syllables: aw, au, al
8. r-influenced a
9. r-influenced o
10. words with w or /w/ sound before a vowel
11. schwa + r spelled er, ir and ur in first syllable
12. schwa + r and r-influenced e in er, ear, ere
Focus 5: Unaccented Syllables (End of Year 4)
1. final syllable: le
2. final syllable: le, el, il, al
3. final syllable: er, ar, or
4. agents and comparatives: people who do things/ comparative words
5. final syllable: -cher, -ture, -sure, -ure
6. final syllable: -en, -on, -ain, -in
7. final syllable: -et, -it, -ate
8. final: -y, -ie, -y(long i), -y(short i)
9. y + inflected endings
10. initial syllables: a-, de-, beFocus 6: Exploring Consonants
1. initial hard and soft g/c
2. s and soft g/c in final syllables
3. g words: gu-, -gue, -g
4. sound for k spelled ck, ic, x
5. spelling with qu
6. words with silent consonants
7. gh and ph
Focus 7: Affixes
1. prefixes: re-, un2. prefixes: dis-, mis-, pre3. prefixes: ex-, non-, in-, fore4. prefixes: uni-, bi-, tri-, other numbers
5. suffixes: -y, -ly, -ful
6. comparatives: -er, -est
7. suffixes: -ness, -ful
Focus 8: Miscellaneous
1. homophones
2. non-phonetic memory words: list 1 (15 words)
3. homographs: noun/verb, object/object
4. non-phonetic memory words: list 2 (15 words)
5. i before e except after c
6. non-phonetic memory words: list 3 (15 words)
7. geography words: continents and oceans
8. non-phonetic memory words: list (15 words)
9. geography words: Australian states, territories and capital cities

a mad/made
i pin/pine
o rob/robe
u cub/cube, e pet/Pete

Focus 2: Vowel Digraphs Long Vowel Sound

ai, ay, (open syllable a)
oa, ow, (open syllable o)
ee, ea (open syllable e)
igh (open syllable y)
Focus 3: R-influenced Vowel Patterns
1. ar
2. or, ore, oar
3. ir, ire, ier
4. er, ear, eer
5. ur, ure, ur-e
6. air, are
Focus 4: Other Vowel Digraphs/Ambiguous Vowels (End of Year 2)
1. oi, oy
2. ou, ow
3. au, aw,
4. oo (spoon)
5. ew, ue, (open syllable u)
6. oo (book)
7. ei, ie
8. wa, al, ou
Focus 5: Complex Consonants and Clusters (blends)
1. silent beginning consonant kn, wr, gn
2. Initial blends: scr, str, spr
3. Consonant digraph blends: thr, shr, squ
4. hard and soft c and g
5. dge, ge
6. tch, ch
7. Final: -ce, -ve, -se, -ze
8. w/a, qu/a, w/or, w/ar, qu/ar
Focus 6: High Frequency Words/Contractions
1. high frequency words starting with wa- and be2. contractions
Focus 7: Endings/Plurals and Past Tense
1. plural endings s and es
2. three sounds of past tense -ed
Focus 8: Homophones
1. long a homophones
2. long e homophones
3. long i and long o homophones
Focus 9: Miscellaneous (End of Year 3)
1. non-phonetic memory words: list 1 (10 words)
2. days of the week
3. non-phonetic memory words: list 2 (10 words)
4. months and seasons
5. non-phonetic memory words: list 3 (10 words)
6. maths words 1
7. non-phonetic memory words: list 4 (10 words)
8. maths words 2
9. Non-phonetic memory words: list 5 (10 words)
10. using a dictionary to find word meanings
1.
2.
3.
4.

Derivational Relations Stage

1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Focus 1: Prefixes
prefixes: in-, un-, dis-, misprefixes: pre-, fore-, post-, afterprefixes: re-, ex-, in-, deprefixes: sub-, com-, pro-, enFocus 2: Morphological Suffixes (End of Year 5)
suffixes: -y, -ly, -ily
comparative suffixes: -er, -est, -ier, -iest
noun suffixes: -er, -or, -ian, -ist
suffixes: -ment, -less, -ness
suffixes: -ary, -ery, -ory
suffixes: -ty, -ity
suffixes: -al, -ial, -ic
adjective suffixes: -ful, -ous, -ious
verb suffixes: -en, -ise, -ify
Focus 3: The Suffix -ion
adding ion to base words, no change
adding ion/-ian, no spelling change
adding ion, e-drop, spelling change
adding ation, -cation, -ition
Focus 4: Vowel/Consonant Alternations
consonant alterations: silent to sounded
vowel alternations: long to short
vowel alternations: long to short or schwa
adding ity: vowel alternation, schwa to short
vowel alternations: long, short and schwa
adding ion: vowel alternation, spelling change
multiple alternations
Focus 5: Greek and Latin Elements
number prefixes: mono, uni, bi, tri
size: mega, micro, super, hyper
roots: tele, phon, photo, graph
roots: geo, therm, scope, metre, logy
roots: spect, port, form
roots: die, aud, form
roots: gress, rupt, tract, mot
roots: fract, flect/flex, ject, mis/mit
roots: man, scrib/script, cred, fac
Focus 6: Greek and Latin Elements 2 (End of Year 6)
roots: duc/duct, sequ/sec, flu, ver/vert
roots: bene, mal, ante, post
amounts: magni, min, poly, equ, omni
related to the body: cap, corp, dent/dont, ped/pod
roots: terr, astr/aster, aer, hydra/hydro
roots: gen, mort, bio
roots: ven/vent, junct, spir, sec/sect
roots: jud, leg, mod, biblio
Focus 7: Greek and Latin Elements 3
roots: voc/voke, ling/lang, mem, psych
roots: path, snes/sent, med/medi, sol
prefixes: intra-, inter-, intro-, circumroots: press, pur/purg, fus, pend
roots: pos, loc, sist, sta/stat/stit
roots: ced/cess/ceed, ten/tend, lit
predictable spelling changes: ceiv/cep, tain, ten, mounce/nunc
Focus 8: Advanced Spelling-Meaning Patterns
suffixes: -ent/-ence, -ant/-ance
suffixes: -ent/-ence/-ency, -ant/-ance/-ancy
suffixes: -able, -ible
adding: -able and ible (e-drop and y to i)
accent and doubling
French words
Focus 9: Prefix Assimilation
prefix assimilation: inprefix assimilation: comprefix assimilation: subprefix assimilation: ex-, obprefix assimilation: ad-

Weekly Spelling Activities: Alphabetic and Within Word Pattern Stages

Focus
Strategy
Time
Allocation
Organisation

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Know the spelling fact(s)

Chunk into syllables

Chunk into phonemes

Word building

Meaning building

35 minutes

15 - 20 minutes

15 - 20minutes

15 - 20 minutes

15 - 20minutes

Spelling sets

Classroom

Classroom

Classroom

Classroom
Students write at least

Students are given their

spelling lists for the
week. They are taught
explicit knowledge about
the words in the list.

Activity

They write these facts

in their books and then
sort their words into
categories based on this
knowledge, writing their
words under headings in

Students chunk their

5 of their spelling words

in a complete sentence.

Students write their

spelling words into

spelling words. They

phonemes (sounds) by

circle the graphemes

putting each grapheme

They underline that

Students create mind-

spelling word. If they

making the vowel

into a separate Elkonin

maps with their spelling

dont know the meaning

sounds in their words

box. If there is a silent

words in the middle and

of the word they are to

and/or by writing a v

e at the end of the

see as many words they

look it up in a

or a c above each

word making the vowel

can make from it.

dictionary. For an

letter if it is a vowel or

before it long, link the e

extension activity

a consonant.

with the preceding vowel

students are to add

with a smile line.

adjectives and adverbs

their spelling books.

to their sentences.

ai is never used at the

end of a word to
represent the /ay/ sound
because it ends in i.

Example

Instead ay will usually

be used.
ai

ay

snail

day

fail

clay

mail

play

ay

ai

The snail climbed the

snail
day
sailing

fence.
The slimy snail slowly
climbed up the wooden
fence.

Weekly Spelling Activities: Syllables and Affixes and Etymological Relations Stages

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Chunk into syllables

Chunk into phonemes

Word building

Meaning building

35 minutes

15 - 20 minutes

15 - 20minutes

15 - 20 minutes

15 - 20minutes

Spelling sets

Classroom

Classroom

Classroom

Classroom

Focus

Know the spelling

Strategy

fact(s)

Time
Allocation
Organisation

Students chunk their

Students are given their
spelling lists for the
week. They are taught
explicit knowledge about
the words in the list.

Activity

They write these facts

in their books and then
sort their words into
categories based on this
knowledge, writing their
words under headings in
their spelling books.

Students break their

spelling words into

syllables by putting a

Students chunk their

backslash (/) between

spelling words into

each syllable break.

phonemes (sounds) by

They check to make

putting a hyphen

sure there is a vowel

between each grapheme.

sound in each syllable

If there is a silent e

by circling or

they use a particular

highlighting the

silent e marking to show

grapheme making the

its particular function

vowel sound and/or by

(see the Silent e

writing a v or a c

markings sheet).

above each letter if it is

words into parts by

creating word sums to
show how the word
changes or stays the
same. They do this by
identifying the base
word and prefixes
and/or suffixes that are
added to it. In brackets
they need to write the
rule to explain the
change if a change has
occurred.

a vowel or a consonant.

Students write at least

10 of their spelling
words in a complete
sentence. They
underline that spelling
word. If they dont know
the meaning of the
word they are to look it
up in a dictionary. For
an extension activity
students are not to start
their sentences with
The, I or We.

ai is never used at the

end of a word to
represent the /ay/ sound
because it ends in i.

Example

Instead ay will usually

be used.
ai

ay

snail

day

fail

clay

mail

play

skel/e/ton

s-k-e-l-e-t-o-n

mir/ror

m-i-rr-or

tour/na/ment

t-our-n-a-m-e-n-t

beauty+ful = beautiful
un+help+ful = unhelpful
run+ing = running
(double consonant n)

The young child dressed

as a skeleton for the
Halloween party.
Looking into the glass
mirror, the Evil Queen
could see her reflection.

How is homework changing

in relation to spelling?

1. Individual spelling
list

2. 6 nights to complete
only 4 spelling tasks

3. Prescriptive

Weekly At-Home Spelling Activities: Alphabetic and Within Word Pattern Stages

Focus
Strategy
Time
Allocation

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

Know the spelling fact(s)

Chunk into syllables

Chunk into phonemes

Word building

10-15 minutes

10 15 minutes

10 15 minutes

10 15 minutes

Students sort their weekly

Activity

spelling words into categories

based on their spelling fact/s
for the week.

Students write their weekly

spelling words and recognise
the vowels and consonants.

Students separate their

spelling words into phonemes
(sounds) and their graphemes
(letter combinations).

Students write their spelling

words, identify words within
words and create a list.

LOOK

Process

LOOK

LOOK

LOOK

SAY

SAY

SAY

SAY

COVER

COVER

COVER

COVER

SAY

SAY

SAY

SAY

WRITE

SORT

WRITE

SEPARATE

IDENTIFY

by spelling fact/s

RECOGNISE

into sounds

words within words

CREATE

WRITE

vowels/consonants

WRITE

CHECK

CHECK

CHECK

a list

CORRECT

CORRECT

CORRECT

CHECK
CORRECT

ai is never used at the end

of a word to represent the /ay/
sound because it ends in i.

Example

Instead ay will usually be

used.
ai

ay

snail

day

fail

clay

mail

play

snail
day
sailing

d a y
s n ai l
m a t - e

snail a, I, ail, nail

day - a
mate a, ate
sailing I, a, ail, sail

Weekly At-Home Spelling Activities: Syllables and Affixes and Etymological Relations Stages

Focus
Strategy
Time
Allocation

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

Know the spelling fact(s)

Chunk into syllables

Chunk into phonemes

Word building

10-15 minutes

10 15 minutes

10 15 minutes

10 15 minutes

spelling words into categories

Students chunk their weekly

spelling words into phonemes

words,

based on their spelling fact/s

spelling words into syllables.

(sounds) and their graphemes

and create a word sum

Students sort their weekly

Activity

Students separate their

for the week.

identify the base word

(letter combinations).
LOOK

Process

Students write their spelling

LOOK

LOOK

SAY

LOOK

SAY

SAY

COVER

SAY

COVER

COVER

SAY

COVER

SAY

SAY

CHUNK

SAY

WRITE

SORT

into syllables

SEPARATE

IDENTIFY

by spelling fact/s

WRITE

into sounds

the base word

WRITE

RECOGNISE

WRITE

CREATE

CHECK

vowels/consonants

CHECK

a word sum

CHECK

CORRECT

CORRECT

CORRECT

CHECK
CORRECT

ai is never used at the end

of a word to represent the /ay/
sound because it ends in i.

Example

Instead ay will usually be

used.
ai

ay

snail

day

fail

clay

mail

play

rab / bit
ti / ger
li / on

d a y

beauty+ful = beautiful

s n ai l

un+help+ful = unhelpful

m a t - e

run+ing = running (double

consonant n)

Accurate spelling is a laudable goal, and not only because poor

spelling is often interpreted as a sign of laziness or a lack of
intelligence (vos Savant, 2000). Practically, relying solely on computerbased spellchecks takes time, requires substantial knowledge to
differentiate between plausible spellings, and can be unreliable. The
authentic benefit of being a strong speller, however, goes beyond the
superficial. A skilled speller is a stronger reader and writer.
(Reed, 2012)