Words for life include common exception words and high frequency words. Some of these words appear multiple times across the year; this is to ensure they are embedded and become fluent for the children when writing independently. 

Read, Turn, Write, Check

Children read the word displayed on a board or flash card.    Turning the word away, they then write the word from memory on a whiteboard or in a spelling journal.    Finally, children look back at the original word to check their spelling and correct if necessary. 

Triangle Words

Children attempt to write a word repeatedly over several lines.  Each time, they add the next letter in the sequence until they have written out the full word. E.g. 

C

C h

C h r

C h r i

C h r i s

C h r i s t

C h r i s t m

C h r i s t m a

C h r i s t m a s

Sticky Word Spelling

Fold a large sticky note or small piece of paper into four quadrants.  Adult to write a focus word in the top left-hand quadrant.  The child traces over the adult's writing, before copying the word in the top right-hand quadrant.  Folding the top two quadrants underneath the bottom two, the child then writes from memory the word in the bottom left-hand quadrant.  Finally, the child then writes the focus word in the bottom right-hand quadrant, this time with their eyes closed! 

Colourful Words

Using two coloured pens/pencils, this strategy allows children to focus on the 'tricky' part of a word.  Children write out the word, changing their pen/pencil when they come to the section or letter string causing difficulty. E.g. 

b a d g e

f u d g e