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Looking to improve your Year 2 child’s spelling? Read this article for 3 effective tips to prepare your Year 2 child for Year 3 English.
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Your child is in Year 2, and you want to help them improve their spelling before Year 3 begins. You might be preparing for the OC or Selective School Test, aiming to boost confidence in English, or just want your child to avoid repeating the same mistakes. But how should you start? In this guide, we’ll give you 3 strategies to boost your child’s spelling skills and set them up for success in Year 3.
Table of contents:
Year 2 is a foundational year to set your child up for primary school. Your child is expected to:
Read more independently
Spell a broader range of common and unfamiliar words
Understand word families, prefixes, and suffixes
But children often need more practice than what they get at school. That’s why we’ve curated a structured, enjoyable approach at home.
Reading is one of the most effective ways to improve spelling, but only if it’s engaging and followed up with practice. Give them practice outside of the set reading in school.
There are many alternatives to books and topics. Start by choosing reading material that matches your child’s interests. When children read about topics they enjoy, they’re more motivated to learn and more likely to remember new words.
If your child loves:
Sports – give them simple sports articles to explore.
Travel – try travel blogs or kid-friendly reviews of countries they want to visit.
Games like Pokémon or Yugioh – even card descriptions offer great vocabulary.
Constantly seeing words through reading will naturally improve your child’s spelling.
After reading, give them a spelling quiz based on challenging words from that particular text. This will expand your child’s vocabulary and spelling abilities.
Pick a story, article, or comic your child likes.
Find 5–10 new or tricky words from the text.
Create a quick quiz or spelling challenge using those words.
This transforms reading from a passive task into active learning.
For example, if your child reads about space, use words like “planet,” “orbit,” or “gravity.” If they’re into fairy tales, try “adventure,” “castle,” or “magic.”
Encourage your child to read out loud. Speaking forces your child to sound out the words, which the brain is more likely to remember.
By regularly reading and quizzing in this way, your child will gradually build a larger vocabulary and better spelling skills, preparing them for Year 3 and more advanced reading and writing tasks.
In the Matrix Year 3 English course, our expert teachers will help your child develop their spelling with regular tests. Online reporting lets you watch them improve.
If your child keeps spelling “because” as “becos,” it’s a clear sign they need targeted revision.
Review words each week to ensure mistakes aren’t repeated. This can be as simple as checking your child’s weekly spelling test and then going through the mistakes.
Mistakes happen. That is unavoidable. However, it is important to learn from the mistakes and make sure they aren’t repeated.
After a spelling test or writing task, circle any misspelled words.
Write those words down in a dedicated notebook or on a chart.
Spend 3–5 minutes each day practising that list of words over the next couple of days.
The extended time will allow the brain to process the mistake and ensure it doesn’t happen again.
To make the practice more effective, you can use different techniques:
Say–Spell–Say: Say the word, spell it aloud, then say it again (10 times!)
Rainbow writing: Use a different coloured pen for each letter.
Sentence building: Work with your child to use the word in a sentence.
Here’s an example: If your child got “friend” wrong in a test, they should write it and say it out loud.
Done consistently over some time, their spelling will gradually improve, errors will decrease, and your child will be prepared for Year 3 English.
Children learn best when they’re having fun. And yes—spelling can be fun too!
Instead of treating spelling like a test, turn it into a game or bonding activity. Making it playful keeps your child engaged and more likely to practise without being asked.
Here are some fun and easy spelling games:
Spelling bee games
Take turns spelling words aloud. You say a word, your child spells it, then you swap. Make it a challenge with points or small rewards.
Word bingo
Create a bingo board using the week’s spelling words. Read out definitions or clues and let your child mark off the matching word.
Letter relay
Pick a word and take turns saying one letter at a time. For example, you say “S,” they say “U,” and you continue spelling the word together.
TV with subtitles
Let your child watch their favourite show, but turn the subtitles on. As they watch, they’ll hear and read words at the same time. This helps build their vocabulary and spelling awareness naturally.
Word games
Games like Scrabble, Wordscapes, or Boggle are excellent tools that sneak learning into playtime.
Making spelling into a game makes the child want to win, increasing the enjoyment of learning the spelling words.
The more your child sees, hears, says, and plays with new and challenging words, the more confident they’ll become in spelling.
Methods such as spelling games and watching shows with subtitles make spelling enjoyable. This is an essential strategy to improve your child’s spelling in Year 2.
A 10-week vocabulary challenge to boost your child's spelling skills! 
FREE Year 2 Vocabulary Worksheets Download
Use this resource to start implementing the strategies from today’s article.
| Strategy | What To Do | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Use reading for quizzes | Create spelling tests from your child’s favourite books | Context improves memory and motivation |
| Correct mistakes consistently | Build a weekly fix-it list and revise daily | Turns errors into opportunities |
| Make spelling a game | Use fun and interactive methods like bingo and TV subtitles | Keeps your child engaged and builds positive habits |
Creating a routine with these strategies and your free Year 2 spelling words worksheet with your child will boost their marks before Year 3! Teaching them the importance of reading, reviewing mistakes to ensure they’re not repeated, and increasing enjoyment of the subject through games will prepare your child for spelling in Year 2 and beyond.
Written by Matrix Education
Matrix is Sydney's No.1 High School Tuition provider. Come read our blog regularly for study hacks, subject breakdowns, and all the other academic insights you need.
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