This is a spelling game where students discover that English is not a phonetic language.

You can ‘explain’ the game by making an example word with the letters and asking them the following questions:

1. How many letters does it have?
2. How many blue ones? (consonants)
3. How many yellow ones? (vowels)
4. What is it?

This way they find out how the game works. Whenever I want them to ask me the questions, I first model the question in a low voice and point from them to me. This way they know what to do and I don’t need to switch to Slovak.

When they don’t have the word spelled correctly, you provide extra information. Either the letter is not in the word (you take the wrong letter away) or the letter is not on the right spot (you put it above the word, but don’t take it away).

Remember, not everything is a competition, so it’s OK if kids look at each other’s sets and learn this way.

Please find a set of letter cards ready for download in the download section. You will need different colored-papers for the vowels and the consonants.

Don’t forget that you want to drink your coffee also at home, so let the kids cut up the cards for you 🙂