Spelling+Chat

__The Spelling Book: Teaching Children How to Spell, Not What to Spell__ by Gladys Rosencrans presents a research-based approach to spelling instruction. The book is published by the International Reading Association, and can be purchased here. It has a nice balance of theory and practice. It challenges the traditional strategies to spelling instruction, which often follow the pre-test/activities/memorize/post-test sequence, yet yield little transfer into student writing and revising.

One idea from __The Spelling Book__: The Spelling Log. The idea is that, as you teach strategies and discuss patterns (as well as exceptions), that students would use the log to write down what they learned in their own words. Since a lesson could happen in any subject for whatever reason, the Spelling Log is very loosely arranged. Students are also encouraged to "try out" the spellings of words in the logs. Here is a sample of my log for this coming year (so far): [|Spelling Log]

An additional idea: The Spelling Word Bank. This is where students place correct spellings of words they have incorrectly spelled, or words that they have studied with the teacher in class. It is their own dictionary of words. From each student's individula word bank, 10 words are chosen by a peer each week for an individual formative assessment. The key is that the students are not studying specific words, but are becoming cognizant of rules/patterns/strategies in spelling so they can become good self-editors. Rosencrans calls this developing a "spelling conscience." Here is a sample of my word bank booklet for next year. It also includes a tie in to Sitton, who lists 100 words that are "no excuse" words for fourth graders to miss. [|Word Bank Booklet]

Rosencrans also sites evidence of the mix of strategies good spellers use. She points out that we must make students aware of these strategies within contexts that work in whatever content area we are teaching at the time. I plan to post these strategies in my room, to help me remember to discuss them at appropriate times, and to help my students remember ways to work on the spellings of words. [|Strategy Posters]