What is a spelling mnemonic?
A mnemonic is a tool used for improving memory. It takes information from what the student already know and connects that information with the new content, in this case: the new word.
We often use spelling mnemonics for words that don’t follow the traditional spelling rules.
For example:
Silent letters, such as the silent g in reign or high, and the silent k in knowledge or knight.
Words with irregular spelling patterns, such as ea in leaf or bread, and ai as in gain or plain.
Mnemonics for 25 of the more frequently used words
We’ve created a list of mnemonics for 25 words we commonly use to help students learn the spelling of these words.
Create your own spelling mnemonics
Encourage your kids to create their own mnemonics for words they struggle to spell. We all remember information better when we have some practical experience, rather than simply memorizing facts. Therefore, creating their own spelling mnemonic is an effective way for kids to remember the spelling of tricky words.
To make a mnemonic, they can assign a word to each letter of the tricky word.
For example:
The word “does”: Dad Only Eats Sandwiches.
They can also assign a word to a chunk of letters.
For example:
The word “foreign”: FOR Eating Ice, Go North.
The important thing is to identify the parts of the word they struggle to remember and focus the mnemonic on that part.
For example:
The word “accommodate” has two cs and two ms. Students will want to create a mnemonic that focuses on the two cs and the two ms.
