Homepage / Start / Back / Next

The Spellcaster Teaching Program

The teaching points in Spellcaster have been designed to be simple, yet powerful once learned, and enable the student to correctly spell thousands of words.

Spellcaster introduces a teaching point, provides examples, and tests the student's understanding of it. When mastered, relevant spelling word lists are 'unlocked'. Correct spelling of these word lists quickly reinforces and consolidates the learning. If students cannot spell a word correctly by following Spellcaster strategies, their attempt will be a very close approximation.

Incorrectly spelt words are compiled into each student's file for further practice and require mastery before new teaching points are 'unlocked'. Spellcaster word lists are comprised of over 2000 words.

The alphabet

Spellcaster starts with the alphabet. The 26 letters from a..z are taught in letter groupings. These are

a..d,           e..h,           i..j,           m..p,         q..t,          u..z.

Knowledge of letter groupings improves dictionary skills.

How to sound out a word

Spellcaster teaches the student how to sound out a word, and stresses the importance of sounding out a word when trying to spell. Spellcaster also teaches the student about silent letters.

Information about vowels

Spellcaster teaches the student the difference between vowels and consonants, then moves on to teach the detail about short vowels and long vowels.

The first word lists

Once students have learned the alphabet, how to sound out a word, and information about vowels, they can start spelling.

The first spelling word lists cover simple words with short vowels. There are five separate lists here, with words covering the short 'a' vowel, short 'e' vowel, short 'i' vowel, short 'o' vowel and short 'u' vowel.

Basic words

Once all of these short vowel word lists have been successfully completed, students begin on basic word lists. They need to apply their understanding of short vowel sounds now to successfully spell these words.

Basic words are spelt as they sound. If students can sound the word out correctly and know the letter sounds, they should be able to spell that word correctly. There are five word lists here and they gradually get harder.

After basic words, Spellcaster teaches new rules as 'tips and tricks' which open up more related word lists for the student to spell.

The magic E

When you add 'e' to the end of a word, it changes the short vowel of that word to a long vowel. The 'e' that is added is silent. Relevant word lists follow.

The nasty A

The short 'a' vowel sound can sometimes sound like a short 'u' vowel sound (eg arrive). Examples follow before a related word list will need to be spelt.

Syllables

Spellcaster teaches the student about syllables and provides techniques for dividing words into syllables.

Bossy letters

Spellcaster will teach bossy letters 'r', 'l' and 'w'. When put after or sometimes before a vowel, a bossy letter will change the short vowel sound. Eg 'cat' and 'car'. Word lists with relevant examples of the 'bossy letter' rule follow.

The letter Y

The letter y can make both an 'i' sound and an 'e' sound. Eg 'sky' and 'happy'. Spellcaster provides word lists relating to the letter 'y'.

Special consonant blends

Some consonant blends are worth extra attention and are taught. These consonant blends are 'wh', 'ph' and 'qu'. Word lists with these special consonant blends will also need to be spelt.

Double vowel words

Words that have two vowels together are harder to spell than words that don't. Spellcaster teaches a strategy for learning families of these words. Word lists of different 'word families' are provided.

Suffixes

Spellcaster teaches how to add endings to words, eg 'ing', 'ed' etc. Practice Word lists are also provided.

Plural Endings

Spellcaster teaches simple tips for adding the plural 's' to words ending in 'o', 'f' and 'y'. Word list examples follow.