The final part of our language arts block is taken up by spelling and language. During this time, we work on spelling skills (such as patterns, sounds, etc), and language skills (such as parts of speech, grammar, and punctuation). These are reeinforced during our Reading and Writing workshop times.
For spelling, we do things a little differently. Each test will have 25 words:
The students are expected to study the 5 sight words and the 10 pattern words before the test. The mystery words (along with many other words following the pattern) will be used in class as we are learning the skill. While it might not seem fair to test the children on words they didn't study, there is a very logical reason for doing this. The purpose of spelling is to learn the patterns of sound used in words. This helps readers to sound out unfamiliar words in text. Testing children on unstudied words tells me whether or not the child actually learned the pattern, rather than telling me how good they are at memorizing random spellings.
Each week, our spelling words will be posted on http://www.spellingcity.com. To find out lists, click on "Find a List", type in "Edith Erickson", click on my name, and select the appropriate list. On this site, your child can listen to the words read aloud, play games, and take practice tests. If you have a computer at home, I highly recommend using this site!
If you open the attachment below, you will see how the test is formatted. I start by calling the words that the students studied (alternating between the regular list and the challenge list). Then I call all the mystery words. Finally, for the sight words (since each child has different words) the children switch lists and call them out to each other. These words must be written in a sentence and used properly (only the spelling word is graded).
For spelling, we do things a little differently. Each test will have 25 words:
- 5 sight words (words that a reader should know without having to sound it out)
- 10 pattern words to be studied
- 10 mystery words (they follow the same pattern as the pattern)
The students are expected to study the 5 sight words and the 10 pattern words before the test. The mystery words (along with many other words following the pattern) will be used in class as we are learning the skill. While it might not seem fair to test the children on words they didn't study, there is a very logical reason for doing this. The purpose of spelling is to learn the patterns of sound used in words. This helps readers to sound out unfamiliar words in text. Testing children on unstudied words tells me whether or not the child actually learned the pattern, rather than telling me how good they are at memorizing random spellings.
Each week, our spelling words will be posted on http://www.spellingcity.com. To find out lists, click on "Find a List", type in "Edith Erickson", click on my name, and select the appropriate list. On this site, your child can listen to the words read aloud, play games, and take practice tests. If you have a computer at home, I highly recommend using this site!
If you open the attachment below, you will see how the test is formatted. I start by calling the words that the students studied (alternating between the regular list and the challenge list). Then I call all the mystery words. Finally, for the sight words (since each child has different words) the children switch lists and call them out to each other. These words must be written in a sentence and used properly (only the spelling word is graded).
spellingtestform.pdf | |
File Size: | 172 kb |
File Type: |