Spelling Overview
Spelling curriculum will focus on learning how to find the correct spelling of words in all writing. Each student will have a spelling folder that contains the 1,500 most frequently used words in writing. As a lifelong skill many of us do not have the need to recite the spellings of many of the words in traditional spelling lists. Students will learn how to locate the correct spelling of words using different resources available to them. Spelling will consist of learning No Excuse Words, writing a weekly blog, reviewing skills, and weekly tests.
Weekly Blog
Each week the students will be responsible for completing a blog or paragraph on a topic given to them. Students will type or write the paragraphs. They can use you, the parent, as a resource to write complete sentences, spell words correctly, and be creative as well as using his/her spelling folder. I will correct EVERY misspelled word, but I will only deduct 10 points for each incorrectly spelled No Excuse Word. Students can use any resource they wish as to correctly spell words in their blog. I encourage them to ask parents, teachers, as well as each other for help in spelling words correctly in their journals. No resource is off limits!
Spelling Skills
I will be teaching students various spelling skills. Many of the skills will be discussed in class and a worksheet may be used to reinforce and practice each skill learned. Often these spelling skills overlap with the language and writing skills we are working on.
Spelling Tests
Each Friday the students will be required to take a "real life" spelling test. I will give them a story with 18-22 missing words that they will have to fill in while listening to me read. I will read the story three times through while the students fill in the blanks with the words that I use to complete the story. They will then have unlimited time to use their spelling books or a dictionary to look up the correct spellings. They may not ask anyone for help. This exercise will create independency in finding the correct way to spell words, just as many of us have to do in real life situations. Students will also be given dictation sentences to write and correct on a weekly basis. This will encourage listening skills.
Weekly Blog
Each week the students will be responsible for completing a blog or paragraph on a topic given to them. Students will type or write the paragraphs. They can use you, the parent, as a resource to write complete sentences, spell words correctly, and be creative as well as using his/her spelling folder. I will correct EVERY misspelled word, but I will only deduct 10 points for each incorrectly spelled No Excuse Word. Students can use any resource they wish as to correctly spell words in their blog. I encourage them to ask parents, teachers, as well as each other for help in spelling words correctly in their journals. No resource is off limits!
Spelling Skills
I will be teaching students various spelling skills. Many of the skills will be discussed in class and a worksheet may be used to reinforce and practice each skill learned. Often these spelling skills overlap with the language and writing skills we are working on.
Spelling Tests
Each Friday the students will be required to take a "real life" spelling test. I will give them a story with 18-22 missing words that they will have to fill in while listening to me read. I will read the story three times through while the students fill in the blanks with the words that I use to complete the story. They will then have unlimited time to use their spelling books or a dictionary to look up the correct spellings. They may not ask anyone for help. This exercise will create independency in finding the correct way to spell words, just as many of us have to do in real life situations. Students will also be given dictation sentences to write and correct on a weekly basis. This will encourage listening skills.