WAYS TO STUDY SPELLING:

As children get older they should move from “kid spelling” to standard spelling. The reading series that we use, Scott Foresman’s Reading Street, focuses on a different spelling pattern each week. The nightly Language Homework will help the students to recognize the pattern for the week. Each child should practice the words in some way daily other than the homework for about 5 - 15 minutes. Try to focus only on the words that are assigned (highlighted), they are welcome to try the others as bonus but stay focused on the assigned words. You don’t have to practice every word each night. Try 5 the first night and add on each night. Also, monitor that your child is spelling the words correctly!

Attached are some ideas that may assist your child in studying for the spelling test each week. Due to the variety of spelling patterns, rules and exceptions in the English language very few people are “natural” spellers. Explore these strategies to find the ones that your child enjoys and works for them and use those. By no means is this a complete list but it should have something for every learning style. It’s best for every type of learner to say the word out loud as they write or create it. If you find something that works for your child please pass that on to me so that I can add it to the list!

If your child seems to be overly frustrated or the spelling homework seems to take an unusually long time, please let me know.

If you have any questions please contact me!

Thanks

Mrs. Harpold

Ways to Study Spelling Words

  • Copy the words 3 times each
  • Trace the words in shaving cream, salt, sugar, etc.
  • Use Alphabet cereal to spell out the words
  • Use magnetic letters to spell out the words
  • Make flash cards
  • Spell the words while jumping rope or jumping on a trampoline
  • Fill a zip lock bag with dishwashing soap (about ½ cup for a quart size), zip the bag and trace in the soap from the outside of the bag.
  • Write the word with a wet sponge on a chalk board
  • Write the word on a dry erase board and erase it as you say each letter
  • Make up silly ways to say the word so that it spells phonetically

Ex: “wed-nes-day” for Wednesday.

  • Break the words into the syllables and spell each syllable.
  • Spell the words with sidewalk chalk
  • Trace the word with your finger on the carpet or other bumpy surface
  • Write the words in different colors
  • Write the words on paper with the paper sitting on a rough surface like a piece of screen
  • Spell the words with scrabble tiles
  • Race to copy the list one time, try to get faster each time
  • Type the words on the computer
  • Use a long piece of string to “write” the words in cursive
  • Write the words about 2 inches tall on a piece of construction paper and let the child use a push pin to punch the words
  • Write the words in Crayola markers one night, the next night trace them with liquid glue. The glue will dry raised and soak up the color. Trace the dried glue the third night.
  • Say-Spell-Say the word to someone (good for the car)
  • Look for words that follow the pattern in their reading story; make a list of the words