Blog

Tips and resources for spelling practice at home

13 September 2026

Can ChatGPT Help My Child Learn Spelling?

An AI chatbot is a decent word-list generator and a poor spelling tutor. Here's what it does well, where it fails, and how to use it safely with a child.

13 September 2026

Free Ways to Practise Spelling at Home (No App Needed)

You need paper, a pen and ten minutes. Here's a complete spelling routine that costs nothing, plus the free tools worth knowing about.

13 September 2026

Improving Your Own English Spelling as an Adult

Adult spelling improves faster than most people expect, because the errors are few and repetitive. Here's how to find yours and fix them in a few weeks.

13 September 2026

Spelling Apps vs Flashcards vs Writing It Out: What Works

Three common methods, compared on what actually builds spelling memory. The differences between them matter less than one thing they can all get wrong.

13 September 2026

Spelling Games That Don't Need a Screen

Twelve spelling games that need nothing but paper, a pen or nothing at all — and the one feature that separates a useful game from a fun waste of time.

13 September 2026

Typing or Handwriting — Which Is Better for Learning Spelling?

Handwriting has a real advantage for new words, but it's smaller than often claimed — and it's not the factor that decides whether practice works.

12 September 2026

French Speakers and English Spelling: The False Friends

French and English share thousands of words, which helps — until the spellings differ by one letter. Here are the traps and how to teach around them.

12 September 2026

Spanish Speakers and English Spelling: The Predictable Errors

Spanish spelling is almost perfectly regular, which makes English feel arbitrary. Here are the six errors Spanish speakers make most, and the fix for each.

12 September 2026

Why Chinese-Speaking Children Find English Spelling Hard

Chinese has no alphabet, no consonant clusters and no plural endings. Each of those produces a predictable English spelling error — and a specific fix.

12 September 2026

Why Japanese Learners Misspell English Words

Katakana turns English words into Japanese syllables, and those extra vowels show up in spelling. Here's how to separate the two systems.

12 September 2026

Why Korean Learners Misspell English Words

Hangul is beautifully regular, which is exactly why English spelling feels so unfair. Here's what transfers, what interferes, and how to fix each.

11 September 2026

British vs American Spelling: Which Should My Child Use?

Colour or color, practise or practice? If your child is in a British-curriculum school, here's what to teach and how to handle the American spellings everywhere else.

11 September 2026

Cambridge YLE Flyers Word List: A Spelling Guide for Parents

Flyers is the level where spelling errors start costing marks in extended writing. Here's how to prepare, and what changes from Movers.

11 September 2026

Cambridge YLE Movers Word List: A Spelling Guide for Parents

Movers asks children to produce written words, not just recognise them. Here's how to work through the word list at home and what the spelling demands are.

11 September 2026

How Many Spelling Words Should a Child Learn Each Week?

Schools typically set 10 to 20 words a week. The number your child should actually practise is much smaller — here's how to work out which ones.

11 September 2026

What Spelling Should a 5–6 Year Old Be Able to Do?

At five and six, correct spelling matters far less than hearing sounds and attempting words. Here's what's typical, what's early, and what's worth watching.

11 September 2026

What Spelling Should a 7–8 Year Old Be Able to Do?

Seven and eight is when spelling patterns start to stick. Here's what's typical at this stage, what's normal to still get wrong, and where to focus practice.

11 September 2026

What Spelling Should a 9–11 Year Old Be Able to Do?

By nine to eleven, spelling should be mostly automatic in everyday writing. Here's what's expected, what commonly lags, and how to help without drilling.

10 September 2026

Adding -ed and -ing: The Rules Children Get Wrong

Three small changes decide almost every -ed and -ing spelling: drop the e, change the y, double the consonant. Here's how to teach them together.

10 September 2026

When Do You Double the Final Consonant?

Hopping or hoping, running or runing — the doubling rule decides thousands of words. Here's the one-sentence version and the exceptions that matter.

10 September 2026

The English Spelling Rules That Are Actually Worth Teaching

Most spelling rules have so many exceptions they cost more than they save. These six cover thousands of words and are worth your child's time.

10 September 2026

Does "i Before e Except After c" Actually Work?

The most famous English spelling rule fails on common words like their, weird and height. Here's the narrower version that works — and when to skip it.

10 September 2026

Plural Spelling Rules: -s, -es, -ies and the Irregulars

Most English plurals follow three simple rules. Here they are, plus the -f words, the -o words, and the small group that changes entirely.

10 September 2026

Silent Letters: Why They Exist and How to Remember Them

Silent letters aren't random — they're fossils of sounds English used to pronounce. Learning them in groups turns a long list of oddities into seven small ones.

10 September 2026

Their, There, They're — and the Homophones That Cost Marks

Homophone errors survive long after spelling is otherwise solid, because they're grammar mistakes in disguise. Here's what actually fixes them.

9 September 2026

How Spelling Actually Gets Stored in Memory

Children don't memorise words as pictures. Spelling is stored by mapping sounds to letters — which explains why some practice works and some doesn't.

9 September 2026

Phonics or Memorisation — Which Builds Better Spelling?

Phonics gets a child most of the way; memorisation covers the rest. Here's how to tell which a word needs, and why using the wrong one wastes practice.

9 September 2026

Is It Normal for a 7-Year-Old to Spell Phonetically?

Writing 'nite' for night and 'becos' for because is a normal, healthy stage at seven. Here's what it shows, when it should narrow, and how to move it along.

9 September 2026

When Should I Get My Child Assessed for Spelling Difficulties?

A practical guide to deciding whether to seek an assessment: what to try first, how long to give it, who to ask, and what an assessment actually involves.

8 September 2026

Why Can My Child Read Well But Not Spell?

Reading and spelling use different memory systems, which is why a strong reader can still fail spelling tests. Here's what's happening and what fixes it.

8 September 2026

Is My Child Dyslexic, or Just a Weak Speller?

Most children who spell badly are not dyslexic. Here's what distinguishes ordinary spelling difficulty from a possible learning difference, and when to ask.

8 September 2026

Why Is English Spelling So Irregular?

English spelling looks chaotic because it records history, not just sound. Understanding where the mess came from makes it far easier to teach and learn.

8 September 2026

Should My Child Write Each Spelling Word 10 Times?

Writing a word out ten times is the most common spelling homework there is — and one of the least effective. Here's what to do with those ten minutes instead.

5 June 2026

What to Do When Your Child Keeps Misspelling the Same Words

Some words resist every attempt at correction. Here's why certain words are persistently difficult and what actually works to fix stubborn spelling errors for good.

3 June 2026

How to Make Spelling Practice Fun (Without Bribery)

Sticker charts and screen-time rewards work short-term but erode intrinsic motivation. Here's how to make spelling practice genuinely engaging — so your child wants to do it.

1 June 2026

How to Prepare Your Child for a Cambridge YLE Spelling Test

Cambridge YLE Starters, Movers, and Flyers all test spelling. Here's how to prepare your child systematically — word lists, practice methods, and what examiners actually look for.

25 May 2026

Cambridge YLE Starters Word List: Complete Spelling Practice Guide

The Cambridge YLE Starters exam tests children on a specific vocabulary list. This guide explains what's on it, how spelling is assessed, and how to prepare at home.

25 May 2026

How to Build a Daily Spelling Habit That Sticks

Most families start spelling practice but can't maintain it. Here's why habits fail, and a practical system that keeps daily spelling practice consistent week after week.

25 May 2026

PSLE English Vocabulary: How to Build a Strong Spelling Foundation at Home

Strong English spelling is a core advantage in the PSLE. Here's how Singapore parents can build that foundation at home, year by year, from Primary 1 onwards.

25 May 2026

Spelling Apps for Kids: What to Look For and What to Avoid

Not all spelling apps are built the same. Here's what actually matters when choosing one for your child — and the features that look good but don't help learning.

22 May 2026

How to Study a Spelling Word List Effectively

Most children study their spelling lists the wrong way. Here's the method that actually works — look, cover, write, check — plus techniques for the hardest words.

22 May 2026

Primary School Interview English Words: How to Help Your Child Spell Them

Hong Kong primary school interviews test children on specific English vocabulary. Here's how to help your child learn to recognise and spell the key words before interview day.

22 May 2026

5 Signs Your Child's Spelling Is Improving

Test scores aren't the only way to tell if spelling practice is working. Here are 5 concrete signs of real progress — and what they tell you about what to do next.

22 May 2026

Spelling vs Dictation: What's the Difference and Why It Matters

Spelling and dictation tests look similar but test different skills. Understanding the difference helps you prepare your child for exactly what the test requires.

21 May 2026

How to Help Your Child With English Spelling When You Don't Speak English

You don't need to speak English to help your child practise spelling. Here's exactly how non-English-speaking parents can run effective spelling sessions at home.

21 May 2026

How Many Minutes a Day Should a Child Practise Spelling?

10–15 minutes daily beats one long session every time. Here's exactly how to structure spelling practice by age and what the research actually says about session length.

21 May 2026

Why Children Fail Spelling Tests Even When They Study

Your child studied the word list all week — then blanked on test day. Here's why this happens and what to do differently.

15 May 2026

How to Help Your Child Practise Spelling at Home

Practical tips for parents to make weekly spelling practice more effective and less stressful — even if you're not confident with the language.