1. Read each word with your child then spell them out loud.

2. Look for common phonetic patterns in each word.  (long vowel sounds, silent "e", short vowel sounds, rhyming words, etc).

3. Ask your child to show you how to "decode" each word.  This year at Rosemary School we are following the Saxon phonics philosophy.

4. Take a practice test at home.  Give the test orally to your child and encourage them to follow our phonics rules whenever they have trouble spelling any of the words.  Challenge words often can not be sounded out so children will learn them best through practice.

5. For added fun, take out your Scrabble tiles and have your child practice spelling each word with the tiles.  If you don't have a Scrabble board, simply put each letter of the alphabet on an index card and have them spell out each word using the cards.

6. Don't forget to to ask your child how they did on their weekly tests, look for these papers to come home in your child's weekly folder. Remember to give praise for any word spelled correctly.

Happy Spelling!
Mrs. Clifford