How to learn spelling: a simple method that works

Most people try to learn spelling by saying the letters over and over. That is the slow way. Good spellers do something different: they see the word. Here is how to learn spelling the way strong spellers do it.

Why sounding it out is not enough

English does not spell words the way they sound. Said, friend, because and people all break the "sound it out" rule. If you only listen to a word, you have to guess which letters make the sound.

Strong spellers do not guess. They remember what the word looks like. When a word is spelled wrong, it "looks wrong" to them. That is a visual skill, and anyone can practise it.

The five-step method

1. Look. Look at the whole word for a few seconds. Notice the tricky part, such as the ie in friend.
2. Say. Say the word out loud, so the sound and the picture go together.
3. Picture. Close your eyes, or look up and away. See the word in your mind. Can you read the letters off the picture?
4. Cover and write. Cover the word. Write it from the picture in your head, not from the sound.
5. Check. Uncover and compare, letter by letter. If it is wrong, look again at the part you missed and repeat.

Teachers call this "look, say, cover, write, check". It has been used in classrooms for decades because it trains the eye, not just the ear.

A quick test: spell it backwards

Here is how to tell if you really have the picture. Try to spell the word backwards. If you can read the letters from right to left, you are looking at a picture in your mind. If you cannot, you were relying on the sound. Look at the word again.

How much to practise

• Ten minutes a day beats one long session a week.
• Five to ten words at a time is plenty.
• Come back to the same words the next day and again a few days later. Words you get right three days in a row can leave the list.
• Take a short movement break if attention drops. A minute of stretching or jumping helps children reset.

Make the tricky part stand out

Most words have one hard spot. Find it and make it loud:

• Write the hard letters bigger or in a different colour: sepArate.
• Say the word the way it is spelled: "Wed-nes-day", "Feb-ru-ary".
• Find a word inside the word: there is a rat in separate, and an end in friend.

Common mistakes

• Copying the word ten times. Copying does not make you recall the word. Cover it first, then write.
• Only practising out loud. Spelling is used in writing, so practise by writing or typing.
• Too many words at once. A short list learned well is better than a long list half learned.

Common questions

What is the fastest way to learn spelling?
Look at the word, picture it in your mind, cover it, write it from memory, then check it. Do this for five to ten words, ten minutes a day, and return to the same words over several days.

Why can I read a word but not spell it?
Reading only needs you to recognise a word. Spelling needs you to recall every letter in order. Practise recalling the word with it covered, not just looking at it.