Spellzone is a dynamic resource that allows students to work on tailored Course Pathways at their own pace. Each time a student makes an error on a spelling test, Spellzone will add the word to the My Difficult Words section on their profile. The My Difficult Words section is tailored to each student and is updated every time the student takes a spelling test. To find the My Difficult Words section, students should: Click on My Spellzone (this is also the page that appears when a student logs in) Choose My Word Lists from the red tool bar Choose My Difficult Words from the list. They can then practise the words in various spelling activ...
What is a Course Pathway? Spellzone is a dynamic resource that allows students to work on tailored Course Pathways at their own pace. When a student logs into Spellzone for the first time, they will be prompted to sit the Spelling Ability Test. The test will take approximately five minutes (depending on the student) and will identify any gaps in the student’s knowledge. Upon completing the test, each student will receive a Spellzone Score and a learning pathway that will indicate where they should begin the course and which units they should study. A typical Course Pathway is eight units long. Each subsequent time the student logs i...
Here at Spellzone we want every school in England to be able to afford the learning resources needed to support its pupils. That’s why we are supporting the #ResourceOurSchools campaign: "Students who attend schools that have good textbooks, science equipment and IT labs score two grades higher at A level than other children- the difference between getting AAA and ABB. 1 in 4 schools in England can’t afford to provide sufficient stationery and books for their pupils, and 6 in 10 children attend schools that can’t afford to spend the national average of £300 per pupil on classroom materials. Every child deserves to receive the learning materials they need...
One of the biggest sporting events in the world, The Tour de France, is due to pass the Yorkshire home of Spellzone at the weekend so the word 'cycle' comes to mind. 'Cycle' orginates from the Late Latin 'cyclus', and the Greek 'kuklos' meaning 'circle, ring, wheel, any circular body, circular motion, cycle of events'. 'Bicycle' as in "to ride a bicycle" dates from around 1883, and is formed from two words. The English 'bi' meaning 'two' and 'kyklos' mentioned above. Fortunately for today's racers, the bicycle superseded a bizarre contraption know as the velocipede, a French invention nicknamed 'T...
Some of you may be aware that a certain sporting event begins tomorrow in Brazil. The word 'cup' originates from countries that could be mistaken for a group in the tournament itself: England, Italy, Germany and Holland. In old and modern English 'cup' means 'a small bowl-shaped container for drinking from' and this derived from the popular Latin 'cuppa' (modern Italian 'coppa') and Latin 'cupa' meaning 'tub’, Middle Low German 'kopp' and Dutch 'kopje'. The ironic thing is that the modern World Cup is not actually a 'cup' as also described in most dictionaries: 'a large cup-shaped metal vessel havi...
Here is another delightful word for you this week and with the predictably dismal autumnal weather in England, one that I have found myself using much more than I would prefer. Although the word itself is relatively new, the invention itself has existed for well over three thousand years. The invention can be traced to Ancient China, but there is also evidence of usage in Egypt and India from around the same time. Once designed as a sunshade, the Umbrella now almost exclusively serves to protect us from the rain. However, the name remains the same: Umbrella is a 16th century word derived from the Latin ‘umbra’ or ‘shade’. Historically there have been associat...
Following our post about words from Harry Potter, we will spend the next few weeks taking a look at words that originate in Literature. These words are often taken from the names of characters and are used to describe people with similar traits. First up: Quixotic. The word quixotic is an adjective used to describe someone (or something) so idealistic that their aspirations are unrealistic and impractical. It originates from the Spanish novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Fully titled The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha, the book was published in two volumes – the first in 1605, and the second in 1615. It is regarded as the most influential work from the Spanish G...
This week we’ll be looking at another word that has evolved multiple meanings: cookie. The Internet age has transformed the meanings and connotations of hundreds of words and even introduced new ones into our dictionary; ‘Google’ and ‘retweet’ to name a couple. The word 'cookie' comes from the Dutch 'koekje' or ‘little cake’ and made its way into American culture as a small sweet cake. What would be deemed a biscuit in England would be called a 'cookie' in the States, where a biscuit is a kind of hard-crusted bread cake – much like British scones. Despite the differences in the definition of biscuit, both cul...
American vs. British English
Common Mistakes
Commonly Confused Words
English Idioms Explained
English Literature
Exams & Tests
Grammar & Punctuation
Mindful Spelling
Spelling at School
Spelling Games
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Spelling Tips
Spellzone Tips & Tools
Supporting Adult Learners
Supporting Dyslexic Learners
Supporting EAL Learners
Word Origins & Stories
Writing & Vocabulary
"I have just subscribed and look forward to continuing to use Spellzone. I have been really impressed with the program during the trial period and the students gave very positive feedback. Many thanks."
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