You can use these activities to help children re-examine their understanding of unstressed vowels and explain how these words can be difficult to spell.
Suggested approaches
- Write several words containing unstressed vowels on the whiteboard. For example, Wednesday, vegetable, miniature, and primary.
- Ask the children to work out what the words have in common and why people might have difficulty in spelling them.
- Explain that sometimes letters or complete syllables are difficult to hear and this can cause difficulties in spelling.
Quick-write activity
- Use the Practice examples: words with unstressed vowels or consonants (DOC-30 KB) Attachments from Year 5 Practice examples: words with unstressed vowels (PDF-33 KB) Attachments to help children remember unstressed vowels, for example, chocolate, Saturday, and interest.
- Discuss any errors.
Explain that this unit continues to focus on letter patterns for unstressed parts of words and strategies for spelling them.
