This snapshot, taken on
10/08/2011
, shows web content acquired for preservation by The National Archives. External links, forms and search may not work in archived websites and contact details are likely to be out of date.
 
 
The UK Government Web Archive does not use cookies but some may be left in your browser from archived websites.

Learning words

Children can use activities to help them learn and memorise words. You can find out the best ways for children to learn and memorise words, read suggested activities, which can be applied at home or in the classroom, and find out what happens during each activity.

How children can learn words

The best way of giving children words to memorise is to provide a sentence for children to learn so that they get used to using the target words in context.

The sentences could be practised at home, or in time allocated during the school day, and then children can show what they have learned by writing the sentences at the beginning of spelling sessions.

Purpose of the activities

The purpose of activities 1 and 2, is for children to:

  • show what they have learned
  • practise writing words that follow the same pattern or convention
  • use the words in the context of a sentence
  • reflect on what they have learned and learn from their errors.

During the activities

During each activity, children:

  • are involved in assessing their own learning as they check their work;
  • are encouraged to explain their decisions about spelling so that they can understand their success and overcome misconceptions;
  • use their spelling logs to record words that they often have difficulty with.