There are lots of tricks that teachers use to help kids learn to read. There are tricks that you can use at home too with “look, say, cover, write, check” being a popular method.
This technique uses a grid of spelling words and can easily be done at home which is a fun way for children to learn as it seems more like a game than homework.
Start with the game
To start, get your kids to compile a list of words they want to practice learning to spell. You can make it a theme, such as words found in the kitchen or things you have seen on the way home from school. Divide a piece of paper into three or four columns. You will then write the selected words into the first column.
Start with: Look
Focus on the first word on the list that needs to be learned and encourage your child to break it up into sections. Ask them which bits are easy to learn and which they find tough? Get them to circle the hard parts of the word, using a different coloured pen.
Step two: Say
Get them to recite the word out loud as this will help them to remember the spelling. Ask your child does the word sound like it is spelled or does it sound different?
Step 3: Cover
Here comes the hard part, get your child to cover the word they have been studying. Encourage your child to see the word which is covered, ask them questions like, "What does the word look like?”, Can your child remember the easy parts and the hard parts?
Step 4: Write
Ask them to now write the word from memory. No peeking! Keep the other sections covered and write the word from memory.
Step 5: Check
Now you can reveal the word and compare it with your child’s spellings. Check it letter by letter. If it’s wrong, simply start over and if it’s right, remember to praise and reward them before moving onto the next question.
