Spelling
Grade 3:
Strategy 1: The Changing Y-to-I Rule
The purpose of this strategy is to help students recognize the y-to-i pattern. This strategy can be used in grades 3-4.
Strategy 2: Anagrams
Choose a five- to eight-letter word (or longer words for older students) and prepare sets of letter cards for a making words activity.Then students use the cards to practice spelling words and to review spelling patterns and rules. They arrange and rearrange the cards to spell one-letter words, two-letter words, three-letter words, and so forth, until they use all the letters to spell the original word. For example, students can create these words using the letters in weather: a, at, we, he, the, are, art, ear, eat, hat, her, hear, here, hate, heart, wheat, there, and where. After reading Word Wizard (1988( by Cathryn Falwell, write the students's first and last names and have them write as many words out of hi/sher name as possible. This stragety can be used in grades 2-4.
Strategy 1: The Changing Y-to-I Rule
- Write the Y-to-I Rule at the top of a chart.
- First conduct a whole-class hunt for singular words with y endings and classify them into the two categories.
- Then have each student write the plural form of a word on a card, and organize the cards into two columns.
- Using the set of cards, students can practice word sorts with spelling buddies.
The purpose of this strategy is to help students recognize the y-to-i pattern. This strategy can be used in grades 3-4.
Strategy 2: Anagrams
Choose a five- to eight-letter word (or longer words for older students) and prepare sets of letter cards for a making words activity.Then students use the cards to practice spelling words and to review spelling patterns and rules. They arrange and rearrange the cards to spell one-letter words, two-letter words, three-letter words, and so forth, until they use all the letters to spell the original word. For example, students can create these words using the letters in weather: a, at, we, he, the, are, art, ear, eat, hat, her, hear, here, hate, heart, wheat, there, and where. After reading Word Wizard (1988( by Cathryn Falwell, write the students's first and last names and have them write as many words out of hi/sher name as possible. This stragety can be used in grades 2-4.
Grade 4:
Strategy 1: Wheel-of-Fortune
Following the model of the TV game show "wheel-of-Fortune," think of a phrase with which the student is familiar and that includes words that might give him/her trouble. Or, using Fred Gwynne's book The King Who Rained (1988), A Chocolate Moose for Dinner (1988), or A little Pigeon Toad (1999), you can work with homonyms, stressing the correct spelling of the words in the "Wheel-of-Fortune" blanks. You write out the blanks, and the student must guess the letters. The purpose of this strategy is to aide students in practicing their spelling skills. This strategy can be used in grades 3-5.
Strategy 2: Word Sorts
Students use word sorts to explore, compare, and contrast word features as they sort a pack of word cards. Teachers prepare word cards for students to sort into two or more categories according to their spelling patterns or other criteria. Sometimes teachers can tell students what categories to use, which makes the sort a closed sort; when students determine the categories themselves, the sort is an open sort. Students can sort word cards and then return them to an envelope for future use, or they can glue the cards onto a sheet of paper.
Strategy 1: Wheel-of-Fortune
Following the model of the TV game show "wheel-of-Fortune," think of a phrase with which the student is familiar and that includes words that might give him/her trouble. Or, using Fred Gwynne's book The King Who Rained (1988), A Chocolate Moose for Dinner (1988), or A little Pigeon Toad (1999), you can work with homonyms, stressing the correct spelling of the words in the "Wheel-of-Fortune" blanks. You write out the blanks, and the student must guess the letters. The purpose of this strategy is to aide students in practicing their spelling skills. This strategy can be used in grades 3-5.
Strategy 2: Word Sorts
Students use word sorts to explore, compare, and contrast word features as they sort a pack of word cards. Teachers prepare word cards for students to sort into two or more categories according to their spelling patterns or other criteria. Sometimes teachers can tell students what categories to use, which makes the sort a closed sort; when students determine the categories themselves, the sort is an open sort. Students can sort word cards and then return them to an envelope for future use, or they can glue the cards onto a sheet of paper.
Grade 5:
Strategy 1: Spelling in Parts (SIP)
The goal of this strategy is to help students listen for and identify syllables within words to help them spell. For example, if the student is struggling with September, write the word down on a piece of paper and follow these steps. Have the student:
Strategy 2: The IE or EI Rule
Write the IE/EI rule at the top of a chart.
The purpose of this strategy is to to help students recognize the IE or EI pattern to help them spell. This stragety can be used in grades 4-6.
Strategy 1: Spelling in Parts (SIP)
The goal of this strategy is to help students listen for and identify syllables within words to help them spell. For example, if the student is struggling with September, write the word down on a piece of paper and follow these steps. Have the student:
- Clap out the syllables so he/she knows how many parts there are in a word. Remember: every syllable has at least one vowel.
- Say the first syllable and circle it (e.g., circle Sep)
- Pronounce the next syllable and draw a line under it (e.g., tem).
- Pronounce the last syllable and draw a verticle line after it (e.g., ber/).
- Pronounce the first syllable and write it down: S-e-p
- Say the second syllable and write it down: t-e-m
- Say the last syllable and write it down: b-e-r
- Next, ask the student which syllable might cause a spelling problem and why. For example, the second syllable of September may sound like tim, instead of tem.
- Discuss how the last syllable is found in three more months: October, November, and December.
Strategy 2: The IE or EI Rule
Write the IE/EI rule at the top of a chart.
- Have students chant the ie/ei rule until they memorize it.
- Do a whole-class hunt to find ie and ei words.
- Prepare a wall chart with headings: ie, cei, ei that sounds like a, and exceptions.
- Have students organize their words under the correct headings. Leave the chart up all year and invite students to add to it.
- Throw an ie/ei party when everyone has learned the rule and discovered a significant number of exceptions (so far, I have found 18: caffeine, fahrenheit, seizure, and protein, among others).
The purpose of this strategy is to to help students recognize the IE or EI pattern to help them spell. This stragety can be used in grades 4-6.
Grade 6:
Strategy 1: Crossword Puzzles
Have the students create a crossword puzzle of all of thair spelling words for the week using clues to solve it. It can be created on paper, or on a website such as www.crosswordpuzzlegames.com/create.html. When they are finished, have a friend try to solve it. The purpose of this strategy is to use the clues to help practice their spelling skills
Strategy 2: 30 Second Words
Have the students write a TV commercial using all the words from their list. Or have the students write a short story using all of their words. Have the students underline their spelling words in the commercial or short story. The purpose of this strategy is to help practice their spelling skills while using their words in context.
Strategy 1: Crossword Puzzles
Have the students create a crossword puzzle of all of thair spelling words for the week using clues to solve it. It can be created on paper, or on a website such as www.crosswordpuzzlegames.com/create.html. When they are finished, have a friend try to solve it. The purpose of this strategy is to use the clues to help practice their spelling skills
Strategy 2: 30 Second Words
Have the students write a TV commercial using all the words from their list. Or have the students write a short story using all of their words. Have the students underline their spelling words in the commercial or short story. The purpose of this strategy is to help practice their spelling skills while using their words in context.
Assessment
Spelling Inventories
The spelling inventories contains lists that progress from easy words (with CVC and CVCe patterns) to more difficult (multisyllabic words) and that are intended as individual tests. Observe students as they spell the words if possible; often this will help you understand what students can and cannot do. The purpose of the inventory is to have students spell dictated words so you can analyze what they already know about spelling; it will also identify those who need individual help. Administer the inventory throughout the year to track the student's progess. To give the inventory, say a word from the list once or twice and assuring him/her that he/she is not expected to know these words, but to write them how he/she thinks they are spelled. When a student misses three out of five, stop the test. Click the links below for the primary and elementary spelling inventories!
Spelling Inventories
The spelling inventories contains lists that progress from easy words (with CVC and CVCe patterns) to more difficult (multisyllabic words) and that are intended as individual tests. Observe students as they spell the words if possible; often this will help you understand what students can and cannot do. The purpose of the inventory is to have students spell dictated words so you can analyze what they already know about spelling; it will also identify those who need individual help. Administer the inventory throughout the year to track the student's progess. To give the inventory, say a word from the list once or twice and assuring him/her that he/she is not expected to know these words, but to write them how he/she thinks they are spelled. When a student misses three out of five, stop the test. Click the links below for the primary and elementary spelling inventories!