How Spelling Tutor Works
Spelling Tutor is an easy way for children to practise and learn spellings at school or at home.
Spelling Tutor teaches all words in sentences with memorable pictures, as you cannot learn to spell by using phonics or spelling rules alone. For example leap and sheep rhyme, but one is spelt with ea and the other with ee.
The truth is, to spell accurately children have to memorise almost every word, so this is why words are repeated until the child has fully learnt them.
Who is Spelling Tutor for?
Spelling Tutor is for children in Year 1 to Year 7.
Spelling Tutor can be used at home or at school. Both schools and parents can subscribe to Spelling Tutor.
Spelling Tutor is perfect to teach the whole class to spell. Spellings lists can be created and assigned to spelling groups. Alternatively, Spelling Tutor's adaptive algorithm can be used for children with dyslexia or who are working below the expected level.
Which Words are Learnt?
Spelling Tutor covers the 1,000 most frequently used words and all the words in the National Curriculum for spelling.
Spelling Tutor automatically assigns words based on each child's ability. You never need to tell Spelling Tutor the child needs more words to learn, instead Spelling Tutor uses a spaced repetition algorithm; repeating each word until it is learnt. Every day it adds a few new words for the child to learn.
Alternatively teachers can assign spelling lists to children, to match what they're learning in class. These words are still repeated until the child has learnt them, even after the next list has also been assigned.
The Lessons
Spelling Tutor uses sentences with memorable pictures to teach all children to spell, including those with dyslexia.
Spelling Tutor works best when children play every day. Lessons can be set to last 10, 15 or 20 minutes. Each lesson is divided into three parts:
1. Recap words from yesterday and previous lessons.
2. Introduce new words and sentences.
3. Recap words that were marked wrong in this lesson.
Why Spaced Repetition is Important
Spelling Tutor uses spaced repetition to help children memorise each word. If a child spells a word wrong it is repeated until they spell it correctly 6 times in a row; on days 2, 3, 5, 8 and 13.
Research shows spaced repetition works because people more easily remember things when they are studied a few times spaced over a longer time span rather than repeatedly studied in a short space of time.
Spelling Tutor works because it uses spaced repetition to transfer spellings from short-term to long-term memory.
Why do Children Write in Spelling Tutor?
By writing, instead of typing, children improve muscle memory. Their hand learns how to spell the word as well as their brain. It then becomes automatic and they don't need to think about how to spell the word.
Why do Children Write the Words in Sentences?
Writing whole sentences is a more reliable way to check that children can spell words, rather than just testing words in isolation. It is common for children to be able to spell words in spelling tests, but this often doesn't transfer to their written work. Practising writing words in the same way they're used, in sentences, more closely resembles real life and so results in more accurate writing.