Studying Spelling Words: 6 Key Principles to Make It Easier (and More Fun!)

Studying spelling words is often a challenge for many children. As a parent, you want to help them succeed—without turning study time into a stressful ordeal.

Here are six key principles you can integrate into your child’s study routine to make this moment more productive and enjoyable.

1. Observe and Break Down the Words

• Identify special features, such as:

  • Silent letters (e.g., the “s” in toujours or the “t” in haut, which helps form words from the same family)

  • Affixes and root words (e.g., pré-dire, pomm-ier)

  • Spelling patterns (e.g., “Look! These two words have the an sound spelled am because there’s a “b” after it.”)

  • Visual features (e.g., the double “l” in ballon)

• Use a highlighter and color-coding to mark these elements.

• Make sure your child understands the meaning of the words being studied.

Breaking down the words makes them less intimidating and easier to learn. I often remind my students they don’t need to memorize everything by heart! They can link letters to sounds for regular words, apply word formation rules they already know, and only memorize the tricky parts.

2. Use a Multisensory Approach

• Say the word out loud while writing it to reinforce the link between spelling and sound.

  
  

• Trace the word with a finger on surfaces like sand, flour, or use modeling clay.

  
  

• Draw or match pictures to the words for a fun visual learning boost.

Multisensory learning strengthens memory and is especially helpful for children with learning difficulties.

3. Favor Short, Frequent Study Sessions

• Spread study time over several days instead of tackling all the words in one long session.

  • Example: Learn 3 to 5 words on day one, review them two days later, then add new words.

    
    

• Focus on quality over quantity. If the list is too long and the session becomes overwhelming, speak with your child’s teacher to get their input and find solutions. Collaboration is key!

  
  

4. Make Learning Fun with Games

• Adapt well-known games that children enjoy:

  • Hangman: Guess the missing letters of a word to practice spelling.

  • Scrabble or Boggle

  • Flashcards: Write the word on one side and the definition or a sentence on the back to reinforce memory.

  • Snakes and Ladders: To avoid sliding down a snake, the child must spell a word correctly.

    
    

• Get them moving!

  • Word Hunt: Hide words around the house. Have your child find and read them, then briefly memorize and write them on a “memory sheet.”

For more ideas, check out our YouTube Channel Map Éducation,  where we’ve created a playlist dedicated to fun word-learning activities.

Integrating games into learning boosts motivation and reduces stress. Kids learn better when they’re actively engaged.

5. Hide the Words to Encourage Memory Recall

Don’t just copy the words over and over. Hiding the words gradually forces your child to rely on memory, which strengthens long-term retention. This active retrieval process is more effective than simply rereading because it engages the brain more deeply by reconstructing knowledge.

(See the Word Hunt above for a fun way to do this!)

6. Learn Words in Context

Here are a few ideas for contextualizing word learning:

• Write simple sentences or short stories.

• Do fill-in-the-blank dictations: create sentences with missing words that the child must complete.

• Write silly sentences:

Draw a few words from the list and ask your child to write a sentence using all of them.

Example: (green, eat, car): The car is eating a green pepper.

These techniques make learning more interactive and fun, while helping children understand and remember new words.

Two Bonus Tips!

• Encourage metacognition and involvement. Ask questions like, “Which method do you like best? Why?” This helps your child become more aware of their learning style and equips them with strategies they can use in the future.

  
  

• Celebrate progress—even small wins deserve recognition!

The goal of this article isn’t to debate whether or not spelling lists should be sent home, but rather to offer practical tools to make studying easier.

If your child is experiencing persistent challenges in reading or writing, feel free to reach out for more personalized support.

Références:

1. Birsh, J. R., & Carreker, S. (Eds.) (2018). Multisensory teaching of basic language skills (4th ed.). Brookes Publishing.

2. Bowers, P. N., & Kirby, J. R. (2018). The effects of morphological instruction on literacy skills: A systematic review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 88(1), 144-179.

3. Kang, S. H. K. (2016). Spaced repetition promotes efficient and effective learning: Policy implications for instruction. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3(1), 12-19.

4. Karpicke JD, Blunt JR, Smith MA et al. (2014) Retrieval-based learning: The need for guided retrieval in elementary school children. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition 3: 198–206. 

5. Lévesque, J.-Y., Gaté, J.-P., Mansour, M., & Saint-Pierre, A. (2013). Étude de l’orthographe lexicale à domicile et soutien parental. Nouveaux cahiers de la recherche en éducation, 16(1), 77‑103. https://doi.org/10.7202/1025764ar