Word Power

Word Power is a multi strategy approach that gives children a range of strategies to help them  remember spelling patterns, meanings and rules of directly taught spelling words.

The Word Power approach has been developed by Kelly Ashley and more information regarding this can be found at Word Power .

Intent

Through Word Power we intend to:

• ensure children have a range of word-learning strategies to help them spell
• amplify vocabulary instruction
• have words at the heart of who we are and how we learn
• develop the meta-cognition of all our children
• expand vocabulary development for every child
• establish spelling strategies in the children’s long term memory

Implementation

• The direct teaching of spelling incorporates phonology, graphology, orthography, etymology and morphology activities
• Children are directly taught sets of spelling rules from the National Curriculum
• Children access challenges through a ‘self-led’ approach
• Children discuss and debate the meaning of new/ known words
• Opportunities are provided for pupils to use new words encountered in a range of activities
• Words chosen for writing are analysed – we share why these words are the right choice for the intended audience, purpose and context.
• We extend word knowledge in different contexts, across the curriculum

The Word Power approach is centred around 3 key areas:

1. Unlock word and word knowledge - consider the vocabulary ‘diet’ on offer for your pupils

2. Power-Up expressive and receptive language - amplify words as part of direct instruction for Power Practice, using the eight Power-Up strategies

3. Charge and recharge to strengthen word memory over time - strategies for building word memory, retrieval and retention over time

A typical lesson structure looks like this:

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