How can I help a pupil learn irregular spellings without overwhelming them?

Look for the barrier

Ask the pupil to say the word, identify the sounds and show which parts fit familiar sound–spelling patterns. Mark the part that is unusual or less predictable and check whether they can explain it. Consider how often the word appears in their actual writing. A pupil may know it in a spelling test but use a different, simpler word when composing. Ask whether repeated failure on long lists has changed their willingness to write.

Choose words with a reason to use them, such as common words in the pupil's own stories or a topic they are studying. Teach a word with its meaning so the child does not merely reproduce a sequence of letters. Allow a reference for words that matter to a rich piece of writing while a small set is learned for independent spelling. A difficult word can be partly regular; show that part before drawing attention to the surprising letters. This makes the task more understandable than a demand to memorise the entire shape.

What to try in school

Choose a few words the pupil needs often. Say each word, notice its predictable sounds and explicitly mark the part that must be remembered. Return to it after a gap.

Teach one or two words accurately with their pronunciation and meaning. Highlight the regular parts and the part that needs special attention, then use the words in dictated phrases and short meaningful sentences. Revisit after a gap and include them among already learned words rather than repeating the identical list order. Ask the pupil to retrieve and check the spelling, giving feedback immediately. Provide an appropriate reference during extended composition so spelling difficulty does not prevent the pupil from expressing ideas.

Irregular does not mean that every letter must be learned as an arbitrary picture. Many words contain regular parts alongside a less predictable pattern. Show these relationships so the pupil can use what they already know. Consider whether the word is pronounced differently in the pupil's dialect and explain the school spelling sensitively. Where the child writes a more interesting idea using an unmastered word, correct selectively after the message is captured. The goal is greater control over spelling without narrowing what they dare to say.

At review, mix the practised words with new writing and ask how the pupil checked an uncertain spelling. If only the exact words on a card are secure, decide whether the goal was limited word learning or a more general spelling pattern. Avoid adding new words every week without revisiting the old set; a slower, meaningful accumulation may be more useful. Tell the child which words they can now use confidently in their own sentences so the progress connects to expression.

A worked example

A Year 3 pupil repeatedly writes 'sed' for 'said'. The teacher acknowledges that the first and last sounds are represented and teaches the unusual middle spelling explicitly. They practise 'said' in a short phrase, return to it two days later and use it in dialogue during a story lesson. The pupil initially checks a word card, then writes it from memory in a new sentence. Staff record correct use in independent work without requiring a twenty-word weekly list that crowds out other learning.

Review what changes

Check correct use in independent work as well as a spelling test. Replace mastered words gradually instead of adding another large list.

Check retention after several days and use in writing where the word is needed. If the pupil can recall only in a familiar test order, vary the cue and context. If they still struggle with many common words, revisit underlying decoding and spelling patterns rather than expanding an irregular-word list indefinitely. Make the progress visible to the pupil in a way that encourages use of rich vocabulary. One mis-spelling during a demanding writing task is information for teaching, not a reason to stop writing.

What does the evidence tell us?

The DfE reading framework and EEF literacy guidance address explicit word reading and spelling teaching. They support attending to sound–spelling relationships and appropriate practice. The number of words and review schedule should reflect this pupil's learning, not a universal weekly list length.