Information for dyslexia tutors

Spellzone follows the principles of multi-sensory teaching: using sound, sight and movement to teach spellings and to fix them in the mind.

Spellzone is written by an experienced dyslexia teacher for:

  • Milder dyslexics whose problems may not have been identified earlier and who have a patchy level of achievement.
  • Those with more serious problems who have followed a structured, multi-sensory program but still have residual problems e.g. remembering the correct spelling choices for a particular sound.

Teachers of dyslexics will be interested to know that Spellzone covers an area ignored by many spelling courses: the unstressed vowel or 'schwa' sound, which is the cause of many spelling errors e.g. calender or calendar? importent or important? definate or definite? Spellzone provides the student with strategies for learning words where the sound is not clear.

Spellzone is not a complete literacy program and does not claim to be a complete 'cure-all' for dyslexics, some of whom will need extra help at some stages of the course. However, it will fill many of the gaps in basic spelling knowledge and teachers of dyslexics will find Spellzone useful, either as the basis of a course (the Spellzone Spelling Ability Test provides a baseline 'Spellzone Score' and creates a personal 'Course Pathway' for each student) or as a back-up to their own material.

 

"Thanks for sending me the preview for the Letters and Sounds guide. It looks really good and will save us hours of preparation"

Assistant SENCo, Learning Support, UK

Spelling lists

There are extensive word lists for each spelling rule. If your students have subject-specific or work-related spelling lists, they can be uploaded for immediate use. There are also 1000s of pre-loaded word lists available:

All word lists:

Free spelling resources

Spellzone teaching resources are free to download and use in your classroom. You can even use them on your website and share them with your colleagues.

Further information

About the author

Shireen Shuster holds the British Dyslexia Association Post Graduate Diploma in teaching dyslexics. She has had many years experience of teaching dyslexics from age seven to adult and has also worked as for a Special Needs Advisory Service, training teachers to manage dyslexia in the classroom. Shireen is the author of the widely used "Stile Dyslexia" and several other publications on phonics and spelling.

For further information on how this spelling course can help dyslexics please see: Spellzone and dyslexia.

For more detailed information on the Spellzone teaching content please see: Questions and answers for teachers and tutors

British and American spelling

If English is not your students' first language, Spellzone can help them in many ways. The course covers both British and American spellings so it is also suitable for international students. For more information, click here.

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Teachers and tutors

Three steps to spelling success...

1. The Spelling Ability Test
Take the test to get a baseline score
and a personal course pathway.
2. Spelling Course
Work through your personal course
pathway based on phonics progression.
3. Word Lists
1000s of targeted lists or your own to
use with fun activities and worksheets.

Find out more >>


Try Spellzone for free


"Thank goodness for Spellzone during this remote learning phase. The site is easy for students to navigate independently and they're really enjoying the activities and spelling games. You get an awful lot for your money with Spellzone. Really reassuring is the very prompt response with helpdesk queries. I've very rarely needed the helpdesk, but when I have, the issue has been addressed and sorted within a very short time."

Sarah Taggart, Oasis Academy Lord's Hill