Spelling, how to teach, links and ideas by ageAccurate spelling is an important part of the process of learning to write at primary school. The National Curriculum places great emphasis on correct spelling, and in Year 6 every child sits a spelling, grammar, and punctuation test. Good spelling is also a big part of the writing curriculum at school. Learning to spell well is really useful if we want our children to become confident writers. If they are constantly stopping to think about how words are spelled while they write, it can interrupt their thinking about important parts of writing like word choice and sentence construction. If they’re confident spellers, they’re also much more likely to make adventurous vocabulary choices. Obviously there’s a lot more to being a strong writer than spelling, but confidence in spelling can make a big difference.
Grammar and PunctuationSpelling, punctuation, and grammar – often called SPaG in schools – are crucial building blocks for children learning to speak, write, and listen. Having a good knowledge of grammar allows your child to communicate their ideas and feelings, and helps them choose the right language for any situation. By the end of primary school, your child will be expected to understand and be able to use all the grammar and punctuation set out in the National Curriculum. Some grammar words, like fronted adverbial and blending, can seem a bit daunting, but children will learn to use these types of words automatically from their reading and speaking – the tricky part is being able to recognise them. Your child will be informally tested on spelling, grammar, and punctuation by their teacher throughout their time at school. There is also an optional national test in Year 2, and a compulsory national test in May of Year 6. There are a variety of simple things you can do at home to support your child’s developing grammar and punctuation skills.
Vocabulary How to grow your child's vocabularyA good grasp of vocabulary – understanding a wide range of words and how to use them in context – will help your child not only articulate and explain what they think, but enable them to ask the right questions to learn more. The words they learn during conversations at home will help them construct and build their own conversations at school and socially. Your child will be better able to understand what a task or test requires of them, to join in with class discussions, and to join in with play. As their command of the English language grows, so will their confidence.
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