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Spelling, explained for parents
How children learn to spell, how the tests work, and how to run practice at home. Written by the Word Wonder team, with sources.
What the ICAS Spelling Bee tests for Years 2 to 7, how the awards are ranked, and a home practice plan built on daily dictation and spelling rules.
6 min readThe KS2 Spelling Test Explained for ParentsHow the Year 6 SATs spelling paper works: 20 words read in sentences, scaled scores from 80 to 120, and how to practise at home from September to May.
5 min readSpelling Words by Grade and Year: What to ExpectWhich spelling patterns children meet from preschool to Grade 9, with example words at each stage, and how spelling bee lists differ from school lists.
6 min readHow Children Learn to Spell: From Phonics to RulesThe stages children pass through in learning to spell, from letter sounds to word parts, what each stage looks like on paper, and how to help at each one.
6 min readSpelling Dictation at Home: A 10-Minute RoutineHow to run spelling dictation at home in ten minutes: choose eight words, read them the way tests do, mark by letter, and schedule the ones that come back.
6 min readBest Spelling Apps for Kids in 2026, ComparedSix spelling apps for kids compared on price, age range and what they drill. Checked on the US App Store in August 2026 by the makers of Word Wonder.
6 min read