Spelling

RWI Spelling

At Stephens we use Read Write Inc. as our spelling programme, from Year 2 (for children that have completed RWI phonics) to Year 6.

Direct Teaching

Direct teaching underpins the programme. Spelling is taught cumulatively and systematically, with deliberate, focused practice. Constant revision and practice are key to children’s success.

Children learn the routines and behaviours necessary for each activity, and practise these until they use them automatically. This allows them to focus on what matters most – learning to spell.

Content

It makes sense of the most complex alphabetic code in the world, with its 150 spellings of 44 speech sounds.

The spelling programme:

builds upon teaching strategies and spelling activities from Read Write Inc. Phonics.
is organised in daily, 15-minute well-paced lessons
provides plenty of writing practice, with a clear record of children’s progress

The programme also makes learning to spell enjoyable for children. Aliens from a spelling planet (via OUP online subscription) introduce spelling rules and concepts.

The programme’s core activities teach:

alternative spellings of vowels
alternative spellings of consonants
homophones
the impact of adding prefixes and suffixes to root words
how to spell plural nouns
‘silent’ letters
unusual letter strings
word families.

It includes all the spelling requirements of the English National Curriculum Years 2 to 6, and also revises spelling taught in Year 1.