Teaching Resources > BEC > BEC Higher > Writing > Spelling Activities

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Activities List

Spelling Activities

1. Spelling tests
   Give students a list of words to study and give them a test! Ten new words are enough. You can give students a template for recording new words, and testing themselves, e.g.
   
   

   Words	Translation / Definition	Cover and write the words	Use words in context

   
   
2. Checklists for commonly misspelt words
   You can keep a record of words which are misspelt by your students. You can add to these throughout the preparation course and from one course to the next.
   
   Make students aware of mistakes which are typical for their nationality or ask them to go through writing exercises and note down their typical mistakes. They will then have a checklist of words they should check in the exam.
   
   
3. Anagrams
   Change the letters around for words you want to check or revise and use them as a warmer at the beginning of a lesson.
   
   
4. Word-building exercises
   Work on forming words from other words will help students with both spelling and with their performance on the BEC Higher Writing paper.
   
   
5. Dictionary work
   Dictionaries aren't allowed in the exam, but can be very useful when preparing for it. Encourage your students to use a dictionary to check their written work before handing it in.
   
   
6. Classroom posters
   Make posters with the correct spelling of words which were misspelt in the last writing task you set and put them up in the classroom as a reminder to students.
   
   
7. Spelling box
   Ask students to look back at their written work and write problem words on bits of paper to go in a class box. Use the box for warmers or filler activities, e.g. each student picks four words from the box and gives a partner a spelling test.
   
   
8. Which is right?
   Once you have a list of words that your students misspell, you might find that there are some words they have problems with and spell wrongly in different ways. You can make multiple-choice questions from the different spellings. Students have to identify the correctly spelt word.
   
   The following examples are taken from actual spellings that candidates in recent years have used in the BEC Higher exam. These words are all commonly found in formal letters. Worksheet.