Word Work

"Expanded vocabulary and correct spelling allow for more fluent reading and writing thus speeding up the ability to comprehend what is read and get thinking down on the paper."


Word study and spelling enhance students' reading fluency, writing fluency, correctness in pronunciation, and vocabulary.  Since spelling is important, it makes sense that some focus on spelling and word study be part of students' everyday activity.
Spelling instruction should be ongoing, daily, and purposeful.  Instruction should be interrelated and interconnected with all strands of language.  The primary focus of instruction should be on teaching a variety of effective spelling strategies, rather than on just memorizing lists of words.  Students must be given opportunities to work with words, to proofread their own writing, and to study regular spelling patterns.  The key to spelling development is the understanding and application of spelling strategies that enable students to become independent and competent spellers.


The following sites support word work:
http://www.spellingcity.com/
http://www.kidsspell.com 
http://www.candlelightstories.com/games/stellar-speller/
http://www.primarygames.com/see-n-spell/see-n-spell.htm
http://www.funbrain.com/plurals/index.html
http://www.manythings.org/cts/
http://eslus.com/LESSONS/SPELL/SPELL.HTM
http://www.funbrain.com/spellroo/index.html
http://www.funbrain.com/spell/index.html
http://www.netrover.com/~kingskid/Safari/safari.htm
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmsv/smg/
http://www.spinandspell.com/game.swf
http://www.funbrain.com/whichword/index.html

Is spelling important?

Yes, spelling is important for literacy.  The two kinds of knowledge that predict reading success are knowledge of the alphabet and phonemic awareness.  This means focusing instructionally on spelling is important.  Spelling and word study cut across the curriculum to make important contributions to reading, writing, and spoken language development, as well as vocabulary and concept development in the content areas.

Realities of Spelling Instruction:

• Children need opportunities to experiment with words during word work and writing.
• Copying words and focusing on mechanics don’t ensure the development of correct spelling.
• Expert spellers develop a memory capacity for visual images of words.
• Purposeful writing is the key to learning to spell.
• Spelling proficiency develops within progressive steps.
• Learning to spell is a conceptual process that involves thinking about and making connections with words, not rote memorization.
• Children initially learn to spell by inventing spelling.

"Inventing a spelling for an unfamiliar word --also frequently referred to as temporary spelling, sound spelling, constructed spelling, phonic spelling, or developmental spelling --is natural. We all do it. And kids do it all the time. However, contrary to what a lot of people think, invented spelling doesn't hurt kids; our failure to teach word-specific knowledge and correct spelling does..." ~Richard Gentry

Good spellers:

• Look for patterns
• Look for word parts
• Try several ways to write a word
• Write sounds in words
• Write a vowel in each word and in each syllable
• Think about words that sound the same
• Think about words that look the same
• Check to see if words look right
• Think about what words mean
• Practice words
• Use a dictionary to check
• Use a computer spell check
• Look for words in the classroom

Learn more about spelling at:  http://www.teacher2teacherhelp.com/spelling/

Coming soon:  Word Work and Working on Writing

Tapping into Digital Media

A colleague was sharing that her students didn’t know how to use a dictionary to determine how to spell a word or find a definition.  I wasn’t surprised!  Our students prefer finding what they need to know with the click of a mouse.  

Have you thought about tapping into the power of digital media and technology for teaching and learning?  The variety of information resources available online is simply staggering. Explore how digital media can promote students' active engagement, critical thinking, literacy skills and abilities to creatively show understanding.

Here are few sites for you and your students to check out!

http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/index.htm

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/me5l/html/math5.html#

http://video.kidzui.com/

http://photopeach.com/

http://www.qwiki.com

http://tagul.com/gallery

http://www.merriam-webster.com/

http://www.onelook.com/

http://classtools.net/

http://www.watchknow.org/