Welcome to Spelling Academy! I’m Sharona Edwards, the creator of the Spelling Strategies Course and a passionate advocate for literacy education. My mission? To tackle a widespread issue: far too many children enter high school with poor spelling skills. And no, it’s not always due to dyslexia. Often, children miss out on key learning during their primary school years, leaving them without the foundational skills they need to spell confidently. Here’s the reality: spelling is a major focus during the first six years of school. If a child misses this learning—for any reason—it can be tough to catch up. Worse still, many resources aimed at older children are either overly simplistic or mind-numbingly repetitive. Let’s face it, teenagers aren’t going to stick with something that bores them to tears or takes up hours of their time.

One big misconception about spelling is that it’s all about memorising word lists. That couldn’t be further from the truth! Memorisation simply doesn’t work for poor spellers. They need to know how to apply spelling strategies and understand reliable rules. With the right approach, older children can quickly learn to spell thousands of words without the need for endless drills.

That’s why I created the Spelling Strategies Course. It’s designed to teach essential spelling strategies and rules in a way that’s practical, engaging, and realistic. My favourite evidence-based theory, the “triple-word” theory, underpins the course. This approach encourages children to use a broad range of strategies, ensuring they can spell words confidently and accurately—without relying on rote memorisation.

The course is user-friendly and flexible, making it perfect for parents who want to help their children at home. Each unit follows a simple six-step structure: the first four steps are ideal for parents and children to complete together (or independently for capable teens), while the final two steps—optional but valuable—are designed for teachers or tutors who want to provide additional support. This structure allows schools and parents to work together seamlessly, ensuring that older children can stay in their regular classes while still receiving the help they need.

At Spelling Academy, we believe that catching up on spelling doesn’t have to be a long or complicated process. With the right tools, strategies, and support, any child can become a confident speller—no matter where they’re starting from.

With over two decades of teaching experience and my role as literacy intervention coordinator, I've helped teachers, tutors, parents, and even speech pathologists turn challenges into success stories. Endorsed by SPELD SA and used across Australia, the Spelling Strategies Course teaches practical, reliable strategies that make spelling finally "click". Hearing people say, "Wow, that actually makes sense!" is the most rewarding part of my work. 

Thank you for joining me on this journey to transform spelling education and create lasting change for every child.