The document provides guidance for 4 spelling lessons per week focused on spelling banks from the National Literacy Strategy. Lesson 1 includes a word search and distributing spelling lists for homework. Lesson 2 teaches spelling rules and includes word bingo. Lesson 3 focuses on spelling words in context through whiteboard sentences. Lesson 4 is a spelling test. The guidance recommends individual targets and extensions for more able students.

1. NATIONAL LITERACY STRATEGY
YEAR 7 SPELLING BANKS AS STARTER ACTIVITIES
These resources have been designed to provide starter activities for classroom
teachers that are focused on NLS spelling banks. Based on 4 lessons a week, I
suggest that they are done in the following order:
Lesson 1 : Wordsearch (10 mins), followed by distribution of Spelling Lists to be
learnt over the week as homework
Lesson 2 : Teaching of spelling rules; Word Bingo at the end of the lesson as a
reward (10 mins), reiteration of homework
Lesson 3 : Whiteboard sentences focusing on Spelling List words in context,
concentrating on tense and punctuation
Lesson 4 : Spelling Test (peer marked as a S&L activity)
NB: I recommend individual targets are set – not all children have to get 100% to do
well; extension spellings could be given to more able spellers; additional h/w or a
breaktime re-test for those failing to learn their words; merits & lollies to those that
learn them
Of course, these shouldn’t be used in isolation but rather as an accompaniment to
other strategies
A. WORD BINGO
1. Pupils are given a bingo-grid
2. They choose six words from their spelling list and write them in the boxes
3. Their neighbour checks they haven’t left any blanks (in order to cheat!)
4. The words are then pulled out of a hat
5. As the words are read out the pupils tick off the words on their bingo-grid
6. The first pupil to tick all six words wins IF ALL WORDS ARE SPELT
CORRECTLY
This is brilliant as either a starter or played at the end; even usually unfocused
students give it 100% and take it very seriously, especially if there are additional
extrinsic rewards (merits, lollies, etc.)! It is also effective in reinforcing spelling as
children do not win if even one word is spelt incorrectly.
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2. © 2002 www.teachit.co.uk 2

3. DOUBLED LETTERS 1 DOUBLED LETTERS 2 UNDOUBLED LETTERS 1 UNDOUBLED LETTERS 2 CONTASTING SETS
1. beg 1. hum 1. beep 1. dream 1. dine
2. begged 2. humming 2. beeping 2. dreamer 2. dining
3. beggar 3. hummed 3. beeped 3. dreaming 3. dinner
4. big 4. mop 4. blast 4. feel 4. hide
5. bigger 5. mopping 5. blasting 5. feeling 5. hiding
6. biggest 6. mopped 6. blasted 6. feeler 6. hidden
7. dig 7. run 7. burn 7. help 7. ride
8. digging 8. runner 8. burner 8. helped 8. riding
9. digger 9. running 9. burning 9. helper 9. ridden
10. drag 10. stop 10. count 10. train 10. write
11. dragging 11. stopper 11. counter 11. trainer 11. writing
12. dragged 12. stopped 12. counted 12. trained 12. written
13. drop 13. sun 13. disgust 13. trick
14. dropping 14. sunny 14. disgusted 14. tricky
15. dropped 15. sunnier 15. disgusting 15. tricked
16. fit 16. wet
17. fitter 17. wetter
18. fittest 18. wettest
19. hug 19. win
20. hugging 20. winning
21. hugged 21. winner
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4. SOFT ‘C’ 1 - ci SOFT ‘C’ 2 - ce SOFT ‘C’ 3 - cy PLURALISATION – ES PLURAL VOWEL + Y
1. accident 1. ceiling 1. bicycle 1. box 1. boy
2. cinema 2. celebrate 2. cyanide 2. boxes 2. boys
3. cinnamon 3. celebrity 3. cyclic 3. bus 3. buoy
4. circle 4. celery 4. cyclist 4. buses 4. buoys
5. circuit 5. cell 5. cyclone 5. church 5. buy
6. circular 6. cellar 6. cylinder 6. churches 6. buys
7. circulation 7. cement 7. cynic 7. dish 7. day
8. circumstance 8. cemetery 8. cynical 8. dishes 8. days
9. circus 9. census 9. cypress 9. fox 9. donkey
10. citizen 10. cent 10. cyst 10. foxes 10. donkeys
11. city 11. centenary 11. fancy 11. kiss 11. key
12. civil 12. centre 12. lacy 12. kisses 12. keys
13. decide 13. century 13. mercy 13. lunch 13. monkey
14. decimal 14. cereal 14. recycle 14. lunches 14. monkeys
15. decision 15. certain 15. patch 15. quay
16. decisive 16. certificate 16. patches 16. quays
17. disciple 17. December 17. watch 17. tray
18. discipline 18. descend 18. watches 18. trays
19. incident 19. except
20. recite 20. receive
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5. PLURAL CONSONANT + Y PLURALS ‘F’ & ‘FE’ PLURALS OF WORDS PLURALS OF WORDS IRREGULAR PLURALS
ENDING IN VOWELS ENDING IN VOWELS
OTHER THAN ‘E’ 1 OTHER THAN ‘E’ 2
1. baby 1. calf 1. areas 1. buffaloes 1. child
2. babies 2. calves 2. bananas 2. cargoes 2. children
3. city 3. half 3. bhajis 3. dominoes 3. deer
4. cities 4. halves 4. bongos 4. echoes 4. foot
5. cry 5. life 5. cameras 5. heroes 5. feet
6. cries 6. lives 6. cuckoos 6. mangoes 6. formula
7. fly 7. loaf 7. discos 7. tomatoes 7. formulae
8. flies 8. loaves 8. fiestas 8. torpedoes 8. goose
9. jelly 9. scarf 9. haikus 9. volcanoes 9. geese
10. jellies 10. scarves 10. magnolias 10. bacteria 10. louse
11. lolly 11. self 11. pianos 11. criteria 11. lice
12. lollies 12. selves 12. pizzas 12. fungi 12. man
13. radios
13. lorry 13. thief 13. macaroni 13. men
14. saunas
14. lorries 14. thieves 14. phenomena 14. mouse
15. skis
15. party 15. wolf 15. spaghetti 15. mice
16. sofas
16. parties 16. wolves 16. sheep
17. tarantulas
17. puppy 17. knife 17. tooth
18. tattoos
18. puppies 18. knives 18. teeth
19. umbrellas
19. try 19. wife 19. woman
20. violas
20. tries 20. wives 21. yoyos 20. women
22. zoos
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6. VOWEL SUFFIXES 1 VOWEL SUFFIXES 2 VOWEL SUFFIXES 3 VOWEL SUFFIXES 4 CONSONANT SUFFIXES 1
-AL & -ARY -IC & -IST -IVE -ER & -EST - LY
22. additional 1. acidic 1. alliterative 1. baker 1. actually
23. exceptional 2. allergic 2. alternative 2. driver 2. especially
24. medical 3. comic 3. apprehensive 3. farmer 3. eventually
25. national 4. dramatic 4. comprehensive 4. islander 4. friendly
26. occasional 5. energetic 5. corrective 5. manager 5. kindly
27. personal 6. horrific 6. discursive 6. poorer 6. likely
28. seasonal 7. manic 7. exhaustive 7. reader 7. originally
29. sensational 8. photographic 8. explosive 8. richer 8. personally
30. anniversary 9. scientific 9. investigative 9. teenager 9. properly
31. dictionary 10. terrific 10. retrospective 10. villager 10. really
32. library 11. artist 11. cleverest 11. weekly
33. missionary 12. dramatist 12. driest
34. necessary 13. extremist 13. funniest
35. revolutionary 14. journalist 14. nastiest
36. stationary 15. novelist 15. poorest
16. specialist 16. richest
17. stockist 17. strongest
18. violinist 18. tallest
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7. CONSONANT SUFFIXES 2 CONSONANT SUFFIXES 3 CHANGING WORDS CHANGING WORDS WORD ENDINGS -IBLE
- FUL - LESS ENDING IN ‘Y’ 1 ENDING IN ‘Y’ 2
1. beautiful 1. careless 1. empty 1. carry 1. credible
2. forgetful 2. endless 2. empties 2. carrying 2. edible
3. hateful 3. fearless 3. emptier 3. carried 3. forcible
4. hopeful 4. headless 4. emptiest 4. carriage 4. horrible
5. merciful 5. homeless 5. emptily 5. marry 5. indestructible
6. painful 6. jobless 6. happy 6. marrying 6. invincible
7. pitiful 7. lifeless 7. happier 7. married 7. legible
8. resentful 8. merciless 8. happiest 8. marriage 8. possible
9. sorrowful 9. speechless 9. happily 9. reply 9. responsible
10. successful 10. thankless 10. happiest 10. replying 10. reversible
11. wishful 11. thoughtless 11. heavy 11. replied 11. susceptible
12. heavier 12. supply 12. tangible
13. heaviest 13. supplying 13. terrible
14. heavily 14. supplied
15. heaviness 15. supplier
16. pretty 16. try
17. prettier 17. trying
18. prettiest 18. tried
19. prettily 19. trial
20. prettiness
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8. WORD ENDINGS -ABLE WORD ENDINGS -FUL WORD ENDINGS -CIAN & WORD ENDINGS -TION & WORD ENDINGS -ITION &
-SION & -SSION -ATION & -ETION -OTION & -UTION
1. adorable 1. boast 1. dietician 1. attention 1. competition
2. agreeable 2. boastful 2. electrician 2. direction 2. intuition
3. breakable 3. colour 3. magician 3. fiction 3. opposition
4. disposable 4. colourful 4. musician 4. fraction 4. petition
5. enjoyable 5. doubt 5. optician 5. proportion 5. position
6. enviable 6. doubtful 6. physician 6. reduction 6. repetition
7. identifiable 7. hope 7. politician 7. demonstration 7. devotion
8. manageable 8. hopeful 8. collision 8. education 8. emotion
9. miserable 9. thank 9. confusion 9. foundation 9. lotion
10. probable 10. thankful 10. corrosion 10. nation 10. motion
11. reliable 11. beauty 11. exclusion 11. station 11. notion
12. respectable 12. beautiful 12. explosion 12. translation 12. promotion
13. valuable 13. fancy 13. extension 13. completion 13. constitution
14. fanciful 14. infusion 14. deletion 14. contribution
15. mercy 15. transfusion 15. depletion 15. distribution
16. merciful 16. discussion 16. pollution
17. pity 17. mission 17. institution
18. pitiful 18. oppression 18. revolution
19. plenty 19. passion
20. plentiful 20. possession
21. profession
22. session
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9. PREFIXES IN- IM- IR- IL- PREFIXES MIS- UN- ANTI- PREFIXES AD- AL- AB- PREFIXES A-
1. inaccurate 1. misbehave 1. addition 1. aboard
2. inactive 2. miscount 2. adjective 2. afield
3. inattentive 3. misfire 3. adjust 3. aground
4. incapable 4. misfortune 4. admire 4. alert
5. inconvenient 5. mishear 5. advance 5. aloft
6. incredible 6. misinform 6. advent 6. amoral
7. indecent 7. misread 7. adverb 7. apart
8. immature 8. mistake 8. advise 8. astride
9. immobile 9. unfortunate 9. almighty 9. awake
10. impatient 10. unfounded 10. almost 10. away
11. impolite 11. unhelpful 11. alone 11. abide
12. impossible 12. unlikely 12. already 12. ablaze
13. impractical 13. unrealistic 13. alright 13. abloom
14. irrational 14. unreasonable 14. although 14. afloat
15. irregular 15. antibiotic 15. altogether 15. aglitter
16. irresistible 16. anticlimax 16. always 16. alive
17. irresponsible 17. anticlockwise 17. abandon 17. another
18. illegal 18. antifreeze 18. abdicate 18. around
19. illegible 19. antihero 19. abduct 19. asleep
20. illiterate 20. antiseptic 20. abjure 20. atonal
21. abscond
22. absolve
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10. CLASSICAL PREFIXES CLASSICAL PREFIXES CLASSICAL PREFIXES COMMON LETTERS
AUTO- CIRCUM- BI- TELE- TRANS- AQUA- AERO- OUR & EAR
MICRO- SUPER- AUDI- RE- PRIM-
1. autobiography 1. telegraph 1. aquarium 1. armour
2. autograph 2. telepathy 2. aquaplane 2. flour
3. automatic 3. telephone 3. Aquarius 3. hour
4. automobile 4. telescope 4. aquatic 4. journey
5. autopsy 5. television 5. aerodrome 5. mourn
6. circle 6. transatlantic 6. aerodynamic 6. ourselves
7. circular 7. transfer 7. aeronaut 7. pour
8. circumference 8. translate 8. aeroplane 8. sour
9. circumstance 9. transparent 9. audible 9. tour
10. circumvent 10. transplant 10. audience 10. your
11. circus 11. transport 11. audition 11. bear
12. biceps 12. microfilm 12. auditorium 12. dear
13. bicycle 13. micrometer 13. reconsider 13. dreary
14. bifocals 14. microphone 14. repeat 14. earn
15. bilingual 15. microscopic 15. replay 15. fear
16. biped 16. superman 16. reply 16. gear
17. biplane 17. supernatural 17. primary 17. hear
18. bisect 18. supernova 18. primate 18. hearth
19. superpower 19. prime 19. learn
20. supersede 20. primrose 20. wear
21. weary
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11. WORD FAMILIES 1 WORD FAMILIES 2 WORD FAMILIES 3
1. act 1. take 1. govern
2. actor 2. mistake 2. governor
3. action 3. mistaken 3. government
4. activity 4. overtaken 4. hero
5. react 5. overtaking 5. heroic
6. reaction
6. partaking 6. heroism
7. child
7. assist 7. medic
8. children
8. assistant 8. medical
9. childhood
10. childlike 9. assistance 9. medication
11. childish 10. balance 10. obey
12. childless 11. imbalance 11. operate
13. electric 12. unbalanced 12. cooperate
14. electrical 13. bore 13. cooperation
15. electricity 14. boring 14. prove
16. electrician
15. boredom 15. approval
17. electronic
16. claim 16. disapprove
18. electrocute
17. reclaim 17. relate
19. sign
20. signatory 18. reclamation 18. relation
21. signature 19. cover 19. relative
22. signal 20. discover 20. press
23. resign 21. discovery 21. impress
24. resignation 22. examine 22. depression
23. examination
24. examiner
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12. HOMOPHONES 1 HOMOPHONES 2 HOMOPHONES 3 HOMOPHONES 4
1. aloud 1. hair 1. new 1. by
2. allowed 2. hare 2. knew 2. buy
3. are 3. herd 3. pane 3. bye
4. our 4. heard 4. pain 4. cent
5. beach 5. here 5. peace 5. scent
6. beech 6. hear 6. piece 6. sent
7. bean 7. hole 7. plane 7. rein
8. been 8. whole 8. plain 8. rain
9. blue 9. hour 9. read 9. reign
10. blew 10. our 10. reed 10. rode
11. board 11. knight 11. right 11. road
12. bored 12. night 12. write 12. rowed
13. break 13. knot 13. scene 13. sew
14. brake 14. not 14. seen 14. so
15. cell 15. know 15. steel 15. sow
16. sell 16. no 16. steal 16. their
17. cereal 17. leak 17. sum 17. they’re
18. serial 18. leek 18. some 18. there
19. dear 19. made 19. tail 19. too
20. deer 20. maid 20. tale 20. to
21. flour 21. meet 21. threw 21. two
22. flower 22. meat 22. through 22. you
23. great 23. morning 23. week 23. yew
24. grate 24. mourning 24. weak 24. ewe
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