English lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 30 minutes
Advanced spelling (GCSE SPaG)
Spelling
CCSS L.9-10.2.CEngland: GCSE English Language (SPaG)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Advanced spelling (GCSE SPaG).
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Commonly misspelt words
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Word cards, Look-say-cover-write-check sheets, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Commonly misspelt words). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which word is spelled correctly? (to succeed in doing) (acheive / achive / achieve / atchieve) → achievePrompt: Break each word into syllables and look at each part.
- Which word is spelled correctly? (certain, fixed) (defenite / definit / definate / definite) → definitePrompt: Break each word into syllables and look at each part.
- Which word is spelled correctly? (to make someone feel awkward) (embbarass / embarrass / embarass / embaress) → embarrassPrompt: Break each word into syllables and look at each part.
Hook · 3 min
- Show a word spelled two ways and ask which looks right, then why.
- Share the objective: Advanced spelling (GCSE SPaG). Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Which word is spelled correctly? (apart, not joined)
- Step 1: "separate" is a high-frequency error in exam writing.
- Step 2: There is 'a rat' in separate.
- Step 3: So the answer is: separate
- Answer: separate
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Which word is spelled correctly? (a doorway, or a starting point) (threshold / threshould / threshhold / thresold) → thresholdPrompt: Break the word into its parts (prefix, root, suffix).
- Which word is spelled correctly? (an odd personal habit) (idiosyncracy / idiosincrasy / idiosyncrasy / idiosyncrisy) → idiosyncrasyPrompt: Break the word into its parts (prefix, root, suffix).
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Which word is spelled correctly? (a chart of days and months) (calendar / calander / calandar / calender) → calendarPrompt: Break the word into its parts (prefix, root, suffix).
- Which word is spelled correctly? (keeping something in good repair) (maintanance / maintenance / maintainance / maintenence) → maintenancePrompt: Break the word into its parts (prefix, root, suffix).
Watch out for
- Spelling every word exactly as it sounds.
- Learning a list for a test but not using the words in writing.
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Commonly misspelt words.
- Use concrete materials: word cards.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-9.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder