Spelling is part of the English curriculum area and sits within the Language strand of the Australian curriculum.

One of key features of Words Their Way is that spelling stages are developmental – a teacher can have a class with students working at each of the spelling stages.  It caters for students working at different stages in the classroom and gives all students practical strategies to improve their spelling.

Words Their Way pedagogy is multi-sensory and developmental.  It focuses on building skills and knowledge of strategies to assist with the spelling of words as well as focusing on a broader study of words – word meaning, grammar features and contextual understandings.  It aims to teach children how to hear, say, write and read sounds, letter patterns and words through strategy knowledge rather than from memory.

Teachers at East Marden are at the initial stage of implementing Words Their Way and are beginning with Word Study as part of the English program connecting reading, writing and grammar.