The Spelling Program

The Spelling program in the classroom is comprised of many elements:

1. Each week students complete a spelling unit, usually based on a visual pattern. There are  two levels focusing on the same pattern each week. We have covered "ate" words, "ei" words and this week are looking at the different sounds "ch" can make which is many e.g. chart, chassis, choir, chronicle, character. This unit is thoroughly explained to each group and an hour is given in class time. The remainder is to be completed for homework on Tuesday night and can be handed in for marking either Wednesday morning or Thursday morning. Some really focused students finish the unit on the day so I am not going to reward this efficiency with more homework. "Go and read a book you really enjoy,"  I say.

"ei" words at two levels of complexity

"ate" words at two levels of complexity

2. Each day the students run spelling bingo, a game based upon the weekly pattern. The students take turns at running this each morning. They like to experiment with the different tools available on the Smart Board.

Spelling Bingo Week 2 (Example of the two levels)

3. The students are tested on their level each Friday and add any errors to their Individual Spelling Lists. They each have a card and are expected to accumulate five ticks on each word. These can be student-tested, teacher-tested or parent-tested. I would appreciate if parents could assist with the monitoring and testing of the words on this chart. Students should learn five to ten of these each week. These lists also contain words mispelled in other pieces of work across maths, science, English etc.

Example of an ISL card

4. Danger words: these are the most commonly mispelt words in the class for this term and these are displayed on a chart in the room for student reference when proof-reading their work. Students who spell any of these words incorrectly must write them out fifty times each. The same rule goes for the teacher! Note, a lot is two separate words.

The Danger Words this term

5. Students book work across the subject areas is checked regularly and spelling corrections are made on sticky notes in their books. Students have to add these corrections to their ISL cards.

Corrections made in students' Science journals

5. Word Painting: Painting the words on the concrete with water outside of the classroom in the courtyard. (Can you paint your ten words before the first one evaporates?)

6. The Demons as identified by spelling guru Peter Clutterbuck. These words, in progression of difficulty are those most commonly mispelled by students from grade 2 to grade 8. Students work through these at their own rate. I usually suggest they learn 5-10 at a time. These are individually teacher-tested and there are some great rewards.