Are you unsure if your students are learning spelling properly? Are you looking for some effective spelling homework ideas that will boost your kid’s spelling skill in no time? Then this article is just for you.

In the past, teachers gave a list of words to write at home and bring them back to class the next day. No wonder students got bored after a few classes. But nowadays, keeping students hooked to learning spelling is one of the top priorities which is why teachers (and parents) need interactive spelling activities instead of the traditional ones. And to help them, we have gathered a number of spelling homework ideas that will successfully do their job to grow your kid’s interest to learn spelling.

 

Spelling Homework Ideas for 1^st Grade

Let’s start with the beginners. Students in this level are naturally interested to learn new words as they are discovering a whole new world. That’s why choosing a spelling activity for them should be done carefully.

For beginners, most of spelling practice should be done at class. You can give a few words to practice at home to improve their skill further but make sure:

• Not to give too many words for homework
• Not to give a word that wasn’t practiced in the class

For 1^st graders, homework should consist of words that were already learned in class and given only to practice further so that students can understand and memorize the words properly.

Check out the spelling homework ideas for 1^st graders:

1. Write a word 5 times. Use a different color each time.
2. Write the words in alphabetical order, then write them again in reverse order.
3. Make word chain. Write a word, then write another word whose first letter is the last letter of the previous one.
4. Ask the students to find out the number of syllables in each spelling word. They need to write the word using different color for each syllable.

 

Sight words

It is a clever strategy to start teaching sight words. These words are frequently used so students would see them everywhere and would learn then faster. You can print them out from SpellQuiz Printable Sight Words List.  The words here are divided in grades so that you won’t have to worry about using words that are harder for students in a certain level.

 

Hands on Spelling Activities to improve the skill of beginner level students

Not just homework, you should give some spelling activities also to make the learning process enjoyable. Here are some hands-on spelling activities for your little learner:

 

Create the words

These activities don’t involve writing the spelling words. We will use different types of letter shapes to build or assemble the given words. Check the activities below:

1. Build the words with letter stickers.
2. Make words with letter blocks.
3. Create words with magnetic letter shapes.
4. Use scrabble letter tiles to build the given words.
5. Make words with alphabet stones.
6. Create words with alphabet pasta.
7. Use letter stamps to stamp your words into papers.
8. Use Lego bricks to create the words.
9. Make letters from play dough and build words with them
10. Write letters on papers or cards and place them on the floor. Ask your kid to spell a word aloud while jumping from one letter to another.
11. Use letter beads and thread them together to build the words.

 

Write the words

In these activities, the child needs to write the words, but not in the conventional way:

1. Paint the words with brush and colors. You can use watercolor or acrylic paints.
2. Write the words with crayon.
3. Write each word with a certain colored pencil. Cut each letter apart and mix them. Ask your child to assemble the similar colored letters to build the words.
4. Use chalk and board to write the words.
5. Use markers and write the words on a whiteboard or on your window. Make sure to use washable markers.
6. Ask your child to make letters with their body to spell a word.
7. Use cotton buds and dot-paint each letter to build a word.
8. Ask your child to type a word. You can use computer or a typewriter if you have one.
9. Type each word 10 times. Use a different font each time.
10. Use your finger and write each word on sand. You can also use salt. Just spread them on a tray and ask your child to write on them.
11. Ask your child to write letters with whipped cream on cookies and build words with them. If spelled correctly, they can eat all the cookies used to spell the word.
12. Write the words on the wall using a laser pointer.

Check out our guide on spelling schemes for primary schools, which will help you in determining the perfect spelling homework for your students.

 

Other activities

1. Play Hangman game with your child.
2. Assign a number to each word of the list. Make a spinner with the numbers. The student needs to spin to get a number and spell the assigned word.
3. Ask your child to spell a word. Then ask them to spell another word that rhymes with it. You can use it when you are teaching them spelling patterns. Ask them to spell as many words as they can with similar pattern.
4. Make spelling rhymes or spelling songs with your child. You must remember the spelling song for ‘Difficulty’ from movie ‘Matilda’. Try to make one for other words too. Here is one for the word ‘Mississippi’:
   M Mrs. I
   Mrs. S-S-I
   Mrs. S and S-I
   Mrs. P-P-I
   But make sure you’re not creating a rhyme for every word. It will be confusing.
5. Make acrostic poem with each word. You can ask your child to make one too.
6. Tell the students to draw a picture to describe the word they learned.
7. Write the listed words on one side of the paper and write its definition on the other side. Play a game where you ask the definition in one round and the word in the next one.

 

Spelling Bingo

Play spelling bingo with your students. Give the students an empty chart and draw one on the board. Point to an empty block and say a word from your list. The students need to spell the word correctly to be able to write it in the box. This game can also be played at home.

Learn spelling in a fun way with spelling jokes for adults now!

 

Spelling Homework Ideas for older students

Not just kids, even adults feel bored after a while with spelling lessons. That’s why we need to add some interesting spelling activities with traditional homework to keep the students engrossed.

Check out the spelling homework ideas given below. They are suitable for students of all levels and not just for students only. If you are an ESL student or just an individual willing to improve your spelling skill, these activities will help you learn and understand words faster.

1. Write a sentence with each word you learned. Try to use multiple words of the list in one sentence.

2. Write a story with the words you learned. If you are not sure what to write about, try some common themes such as:
Holidays, Travel, Movie, Fantasy, City/Town, Seasons etc.

3. Divide the listed words in two sets and play ‘memory game’ with a friend or family member.

4. Find definitions of each word from the dictionary. Sort them out for similar meaning or origin.

5. Write a word, now try to make a new word by adding a letter. For example,
To-> Toe-> Towel->Towels
Go-> God-> Good-> Goods-> Goodness

6. Make a greeting card and try to add as many spelling words you learned as possible.

7. Write a paragraph that contains the word you learned, its synonyms and antonyms. Bonus points if you can do it for multiple words in one paragraph.

 

Word Search

‘Word Search’ is a great spelling activity for all level of students. Just be careful that the words you are using are appropriate for their level. There are many ways this game can be played:

• Give them a time limit. The one who found the highest number of words wins.
• Tell them how many words they need to find. The one that completes the fastest wins.
• For younger students, give a list of words along with the grid.

You can use play this game outside of the class too. Find a word grid on the internet and try to solve it on your own. Track how much time you need to solve each set and try to break your own record.

 

Spelling homework ideas can help you accomplish a lot. Check out these spelling practice hacks that you can use as a homework for your students now!

 

Now that you learned about spelling homework ideas to improve the spelling skill of your child, you need to monitor if these methods are actually working by evaluating your child’s skill. And in this case, SpellQuiz is your best friend! You can easily assess your kid’s progress with SpellQuiz Spelling Test where tests are divided by grades. You can find vocabulary tests suitable from grade-1 to grade-12 and older. Also don’t forget to check SpellQuiz Spelling Bee Online competition for more fun spelling activities, tips and tricks for improving spelling skills and much more.

Happy Spelling!