Looking for a multi-sensory strategy to improve spelling skills? 

Is it a struggle to get your learner to sit and study their weekly spelling words? Using a multi-sensory strategy will help.

I know for me, it hasn’t been the easiest working with my little Miss Aubrey on her weekly spelling list. She has never been the type of kid who wanted to sit and focus. She has ants in her paints and no time to sit and look at a boring piece of paper to study her weekly spelling words. That is what makes this multi-sensory strategy a good approach to studying.

Aubrey, like many kids, learns best when she is able to engage more than one sense at a time. She Loooooovvvesss movement and touch. (What kid doesn’t, right?)

Multisensory teaching is the term used to describe the teaching method of engaging as many of a child’s senses (taste, smell, touch, sight, hearing, and movement) as possible at one time. Now, you can’t always engage every one of the senses at the same time, but the more the better.

So, if our children learn better this way, they should study this way too, right!?

The following multi-sensory strategy has made spelling practice fun for Aubrey and less of a headache for me. If you use this with your learner, you might get better results too.

Silly Voice Spelling 

First: Come up with several action words and/or emotion words your child will enjoy acting out. You might find it helpful to write these on index cards.

Next: Have a list of your child’s spelling words handy.

Finally: Initially, when your child is learning to spell the word(s), write each spelling word on an index card. Hold up the spelling word and tell your child, “Your silly voice word is “surprised” and your spelling word is “house.” Your child will then proceed to spell the spelling word, while looking at it, with a surprised voice. Once they mastered the spelling you can remove the use of the index card and have them use their memory to spell the word.

Here is Miss Aubrey in action:

This multi-sensory spelling strategy for elementary students can be used for older learners as well. It all depends on how you introduce it.

If you find this helpful please let me know by following me on Facebook or YouTube. Happy learning!!