SMART Spelling

helps primary school teachers

to feel great about teaching spelling well

 

We do this through a course and a printed manual

SMART Spelling helps primary school teachers to feel great about teaching spelling well

 

We do this through a course and a printed manual

Hi!  I'm Michelle Hutchison and I LOVE teaching spelling! 

I developed SMART Spelling because it wasn't always this way...I was a frustrated primary teacher who didn't understand spelling well.  In fact, I used to feel nervous about teaching spelling.  I wanted to do better for my students.  With many years of further study and research at Melbourne Uni, SMART Spelling was developed and released to everyone in 2015!  It's now used (and loved) by thousands of teachers, all across Australia, who are thrilled with the depth of knowledge they and their students develop using the SMART approach.  You'll love such a sensible way to teach spelling. 

 

Yes...really! 

The words 'love' and 'spelling' in the same sentence!  

 

Let me show you a simple routine to teach spelling. There's a Foundation – 6 scope and sequence and a comprehensive 263 page coil bound manual, that has words broken up for you!  We start by teaching the meaning of words to expand vocabulary and then break words into syllables, sounds and letter patterns (graphs, digraphs and trigraphs).

 

It just makes so much sense.

 

SMART Spelling incorporates both the systematic teaching of spelling each week and also personal words.  We teach in patterns as much as possible, so teachers choose a range of words (from simple to complex) from a suggested list in the manual.  Students are then guided to choose from that list, to meet different needs.  Teachers use their strong professional knowledge they gain in the course to give meaningful feedback to students about their spelling in writing, teaching at the point of need.  

 

It’s simple, easy and fun! 

 

Teachers feel confident in their content knowledge and know that SMART Spelling fits into a busy classroom.  

About the Course

 

The SMART Spelling course takes the equivalent of a whole school day to complete.  It's full of practical content that covers what to actually do in your classroom.  I'll show you how to deliver both explicit lessons and how to give meaningful feedback to students at the point of need, when they're writing.  You’ll be really well supported by 48 pages of notes.

 

The online course has pre-recorded video so you can do it at any time that suits you.  There are 14 lessons on video that take a whole school day (around 5 hours) to complete by the time you reflect or discuss after each video.  You will have a month of access from the time of purchase.  You can ask me questions by typing them under the videos in the course and I'll answer for you - as quickly as I can!  You can also read other people's questions and my answers too!

 

About the Manual

 

The manual is a printed 263 page, coil bound resource.  It contains a yearly scope and sequence from Foundation to Year 6 that I explain how to use in the course.  There's a huge resource of spelling lists, with the words broken up for you! 

 

You don't actually need a manual with you to do the course, just the 48 pages of notes that are a download in the login area, but you will need a manual to implement the SMART Spelling approach in a classroom.  Postage is $15 per order and manuals are posted out ASAP by the next business day at the latest.

$255 per person

Online Package

This includes 2 things:

  • The online SMART Spelling course with the 48 pages of notes as a PDF
  • A 263 page coil bound SMART Spelling manual
Click to Order

 

You have 2 payment options

You can use a credit card or you can get a tax invoice for your school to pay later by EFT.
A tax invoice will be emailed to you automatically after you order.
If you have a purchase order number from your school, enter it at checkout so it's included on the tax invoice.
All of our prices include GST.
 
 

Thinking About a Whole School Approach?

Whole School Information is Here
 

Click here for a 10 minute intro AND a ‘sneak peek’ of the course!

Frequently Asked Questions

 

How long do I have access to the online course?

One month from the time of purchase. We find that if you stretch it out any more than that, you'll forget bits!  The course content is the equivalent of one school day.  You can watch the course as many times as you like within your month of access.  Of course, if anything unexpected happens and you don't get to finish the course we will happily extend it for you.

 

How long does it take to do the course?

It takes a whole school day, around 5 hours. The online course has a total of 3 hours of pre-recorded video content but it takes a whole school day to complete though, as you pause to do the activities, make notes, type in questions and read other people's questions and the answers too!  Some schools choose to complete the online course over 2-3 after school sessions.  You'll get a certificate emailed to you for 5 hours of professional learning.  

 

I'd like a refresher.  Is there a follow up course?

There sure is!  Have a look the Follow Up Course. 

 

What about Foundation classes?

You might be interested in The SMART Foundation Supplement. It's optional (and helpful) for teachers of children in their first year of school.

 

What's covered in the SMART Spelling course?

Video 1: Background

  • The 4 areas of spelling knowledge and what they mean for the classroom

Video 2: Letters and Sounds 

  • Linking phonological knowledge to orthographic knowledge
  • How and when to explicitly teach

Video 3: The SMART Spelling Sequence 

  • How to teach spelling using the SMART Sequence!

Video 4: Giving Meaningful Feedback in Writing 

  • The 80/20 rule and where to place your teaching emphasis
  • The power of personalised 'BOB' spelling words - in the right dose!

Video 5: Classroom Implementation 

  • The weekly spelling routine that is doable in a classroom

Video 6: The F - 6 Scope and Sequence

  • The 3 step method for teaching sounds and letters
  • The Foundation sequence (for the first year of school)
  • The Year 1 – 6 Scope and Sequence

Video 7: How Words Work: Letters 

  • How words work: Letters
  • Making sense of split digraphs

Video 8: How Words Work: Sounds

  • A sustainable strategy to say unvoiced/voiced sounds correctly 
  • How to deal with accents
  • How to pronounce the 24 consonant sounds of English
  • How to pronounce the 20 vowel sounds of English

Video 9: How Words Work: Syllables 

  • Why syllables are helpful and when to use them
  • Teaching syllables using karate hands
  • How to use syllables dots

Video 10: How Words Work: x and u 

  • Letters representing more than one sound

Video 11: Either End of the Curve 

  • Revision of SMART using 'au' words
  • Student on modified programs
  • Two ways to enrich students who can already spell

Video 12: Spelling Study Activities

  • Colour coding
  • Spelling points
  • Spelling stickers
  • Spelling grid

Video 13: How Words Work: Spelling Rules 

  • Why students need to know consonant suffixes and vowel suffixes
  • The 4 SMART Spelling Rules
  • Words sums

Video 14: Plurals

  • When teaching more than one
  • Follow up and thank you

 

Any other questions?  

Please email Freddy He's always happy to help.