Learning how to spell words that don’t follow the rules can be…well…a bit boring. And we can’t have that! So the All About Spelling program has a fun and motivating way to teach these Rule Breakers.
We throw them in jail, of course!
That’s right, we put these words behind bars. Words like said, who, and once—they don’t follow the spelling rules, so they deserve to be locked in the slammer.
A jail is included in All About Spelling Levels 2 and 3, but if you don’t have one yet, you can download one here.
To prepare the jail for teaching, cut out the spaces between the bars so the Rule Breaker can peek through.
Then the fun begins.
Let’s say your child is learning to spell the word said.
See the bad guy on the Word Card above? He’s a Rule Breaker. The letters “ai” almost always work together to say the long A sound, but in the word said, they say the short E sound. That’s breaking the law! So, here’s what you do:
Your child circles the “ai” (the letters that don’t say what we expect them to say). Next, he colors in the circle to highlight the problem, and then throws the Rule Breaker in jail. In the final step, he writes the word said on paper.
Here’s a silent film-style video straight out of the old West that shows our strategy in action.
Keep this strategy in mind even if you’re working with older learners, since older kids like this treatment of unruly words just as much as younger ones do. Try it and see how it sticks in their minds!
In the space of a minute or two, your child will have practiced the word nine times.
In this exercise, your child “writes” the Rule Breaker on a tactile surface, using his pointer finger instead of a pencil. Some surfaces to consider include:
We treat Rule Breakers differently from other words to help kids learn them soon after they are introduced. Two effective ways to burn something into memory are frequency (repeated review) and intensity (different and surprising treatment), so keep these ideas in mind as you handle the Rule Breakers. Doing whatever it takes to enable your student to spell these words correctly right from the start will prevent problems later.
Thankfully, the vast majority of spelling words do follow consistent patterns. And when kids first start out, we are careful to work only with words that follow the rules. This helps kids internalize the fact that there are reliable rules and that they can make sense of spelling. They discover that they don’t need to resort to guessing or memorizing strings of letters.
So, before introducing the first Rule Breakers, make sure your child can spell hundreds of “law-abiding” words. Then–and only then–begin teaching the unruly ones.
Which spelling words cause your child the most difficulty? Let me know in the comments, and then download my free e-book called “Six Ways We Make Spelling Easy” below!
Christine
says:This is a cute idea to help and I loved the wild west silent movie!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Christine!
Gena Brown
says:Thanks for the ideas!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Gena!
Dailo
says:Thank you so much.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Dailo.
Megha
says:Nice way to teach but what about those one who can’t memories it very well , forgets again and again, how to keep the rules in head permanently
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceMegha,
It is important not only what you teach, but how you teach it as well. Here are some articles with specific tips and information for helping students remember what they are taught. Check out:
How to Make Reading and Spelling “Stick”
How the “Funnel Concept” Affects Learning
How Making Connections Helps Your Child’s Memory
Improving Your Child’s Working Memory
We have an excellent free ebook on how to Help Your Child’s Memory that condenses all of these articles into one handy ebook.
Rita Weber
says:I am going to use your material with a married couple I am teaching English as a second language. It is organized and presented so well! Thank you very much!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Rita. I’m glad they will be helpful for your students!
Carrie
says:What a fun and engaging way to teach these kind of words! Thanks for the idea and materials to use with my students.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Carrie!
Rosa
says:Greatly appreciate it
The most difficulty are the words w/silent letters ( just as the word “ would, previous” words which sound the same spelled differently. Any other fun ways I’m open !
Thank you
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Rosa. Most words with silent letters become easier when students learn Phonograms that contain silent letters and the Jobs of Silent E.
Then others can be learned together to help make connections in the student’s mind, such as would, should, and could, and silent T words like castle, wrestle, rustle, and others.
Heather
says:Thank you so much for all the free downloads!
Helen Jean Amery
says:An memorable way to handle difficult words
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Helen.
Wilma Fourie
says:Fun and interesting way to learn these rule breakers! Thanks!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Wilma!
Shantreis
says:I really appreciate all of the interactive ways of learning. I have 3 boys! It works well for all of them and they enjoy the fun of it.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceI’m pleased that it’s working well for all of your boys, Shantreis! Thank you.
Melissa Moreno
says:This looks like a fun way to remember the rules!
Brandy Thompson
says:Such a fun way to learn rulebreakers!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThanks, Brandy!
Denise
says:I can’t wait to learn these rule breakers along side my kids. We are nearing the end of level 1 and loving AAS.
Ilsa Cunha
says:Thank you! I love it! I am planning my child’s next year curriculum, and this is going to be useful!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceWonderful! You’re welcome, Ilsa.
Gail S
says:Great ideas.
Faye
says:Love the hands on learning ideas in this article!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceI hope you enjoy them, Faye!
Gail Timmer
says:My granddaughter missed most of her inschool learning in grade 4 . On line missed all the spelling rules. This would be a wonderful way for me to help.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceI’m glad this will be helpful for your granddaughter, Gail.
Hailey
says:Awesome ideas!
Shala Billings
says:I love this. Thanks for sharing!!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Shala!
Alyssa Antongiovanni
says:My kids LOVE to throw Rule Breakers in jail!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThe jail is often a fun activity for kids, Alyssa!
Holly
says:Spelling has been out foe all along the homeschool trip! We have loved using aas and how it breaks spelling down into easy chunks. But adds in fun like the rule breakers and things to make it easier to remember.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceI’m so pleased to hear that All About Spelling is working so well for you, Holly! Thank you.
Mychal
says:My kids love the rule breaker jail. It adds something fun and DEFINITELY aids in memory.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceGreat to hear the jail is so helpful for your kids, Mychal!
Melanie
says:My daughter loves the rule breakers!!
Sarah
says:My daughter LOVES putting words in jail.
Melissa
says:Right now we’re having difficulty with ‘own’ vs ‘one’. I have some kinetic sand so I will try the suggestion with using it in the box lid! My kiddo loves writing stories for me to read. It has been such an amazing experience for them to feel confident in their spelling abilities. ♥️
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceMelissa,
I found it helpful for one of my kids to teach one, lone, and none altogether. Even though lone has a different vowel sound, and one adds that very strange /w/ sound, they all have the same spelling pattern and the meanings are related. That helped my child to remember them more easily.
Once your child has a good handle on one, then teach the phonogram OW and how it can say /ow/ and long /ō/. But don’t work on own at the same as one as working on them both can increase confusion.
Chris baad
says:We absolutely love all about reading…the books are beautifully written and illustrated with beautiful pictures. The program is easy to follow.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceOh, thank you, Chris! I’m so pleased to hear that All About Reading is working well for you.
Kelly V
says:Excited to start All About Spelling this January!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceWonderful, Kelly! Let me know if you have questions as you begin or any time.
nicola peace
says:Hey Robin. Is there a way to contact you by email. I am nearing the end of AAS level 1 and have a couple of questions…..
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceSure, Nicola. We are happy to peak with you through email. We can be reached at support@allaboutlearningpress.com. However, I have also emailed you directly.
Corey Olomon
says:I wish I had had this when my kids were little
Kristie
says:This will be great for my son. Thank you.
Merry
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Kristie!