Thursday, February 16, 2012

Official but not Traditional

My kids know better than to ask me how to spell a word.  

Me:  If you can say it...
Them:  ...you can write it.

When they can finish my sentence, you know they've heard me say this a time or two... or a hundred.  This is not to say that spelling isn't important.  Official spelling starts in November.  It might be official, but it's not traditional by any means.

Everyone gets their own individual list.
There are no spelling tests.  

Yep, each child gets their own words.  Why not?  While one child needs "actually" another needs "have."  The words come right out of their daily writing.  What better place to find the words they don't know.  In fact, their writing is their test.  It's the ultimate test of how well they've learned the words.  If they truly know the words, they should be able to spell them correctly in their own writing on a daily basis and not simply for one moment in time (ie. Friday test).  Here's the lowdown...

Each child's spelling words live in a small memo book like this, which is updated every two weeks and always stays at school.
I write the words on the left.  The child copies the words onto the right side of the page after creating a crease down the middle.
Then I cut on the crease.  The child reads each word to me, and I highlight the part that I think will be tricky or that I want to reinforce for that particular child.  I ask, "What do you notice?" and we have a quick discussion about what they notice concerning the highlighted chunk.

Finally I staple the list to a short note for parents, so they're reminded of what to do with this list at home.



I shall leave you with a little something from Sandra Wilde who says it better than I ever could. "The first component of a good spelling and punctuation curriculum is extensive, daily reading and writing."

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33 comments:

  1. That is awesome. You make that look easy and manageable.

    Tricia
    Queen with Class

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    1. Thanks Tricia. It hasn't always been easy and manageable, but over the years it's morphed into something that's really not too difficult to pull off.

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  2. that's great. I have often wondered about the spelling list that Kim comes home with some weeks. Some weeks are super easy every day words and other weeks they are tougher words. Your plan totally makes sense.

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    1. Leahann, I think most parents don't question spelling lists and tests because it's the way it's always been done, even when we were kids. It's nice to know there is another way.

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    1. Thanks Jennifer for dropping by and leaving a note. I'm glad that you like what you see.

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  4. This is awesome! Our first grade teacher has word notebooks, too. Not sure if they are differentiated, but your idea is wonderful.

    Thanks for reminding me that Friday is nearly here! On top of everything else, we celebrated Grandparents Day yesterday! The quarter ends in three weeks---there is so much to do!

    ReadWriteSing

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    1. Thank you Chrissy for coming by. Enjoy your Friday!

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  5. Yay for using the spelling words and not just memorizing for a test and then forgetting them! Our classroom teachers are trying this idea this year. This will be a great model for them!
    Lori
    Conversations in Literacy

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    1. Lori, I believe they'll be glad they're trying it out, and hopefully they'll be willing to keep working on the parts that seem frustrating at times. (Thanks for your vote of confidence!)

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  6. Wow! I wish I could do this! I don't like that we are restricted to using our curriculum's words/phonics skill. Some of them know these words already! I love your way. Maybe I'll be sneaky and do it next year. =) Thanks for the idea.

    Emily @ Second Grade Silliness 

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    1. It would be so hard to be restricted. I'm such a rule follower, but I'd probably have to be sneaky too. :)

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  7. We do "Word Study" in our school, so it's individualized to the student's needs, but not necessarily an individualized list. However, I really like this idea and can definitely see the benefits...you have my gears turning :)

    We have "Word Journals" we use in my classroom (Really Good Stuff has a cheap version, Lakeshore has a really nice version with great binding!). If a student has to ask myself or another teacher a word to spell, they'd better have their book and pencil in hand so we can put it in their book. It helps build their vocabulary, confidence, as well as spelling skills. One year, I had a die-hard Star Wars fan, and I had to enter in every character we could think of! LOL :)

    Keep sharing all these great ideas!!!

    Chrissy

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  8. Can I have my own spelling notebook too?

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    1. Why, of course but you've got me so I don't think you need on.

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  9. I love this idea!! We start spelling test in the next few weeks and I am already dreading the fact half of my students could probably pass most of the tests. I so want to try this way. It makes so much sense. I am curious to you still give a test or just check how students are writing the words in their writing.
    Jessica

    Apples and Papers

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    1. Jessica, I do a few cloze procedures and dictation assessments throughout the quarter. I also assess the first grade priority words at the end of the quarter. Other than that, I just check their daily writing and don't test them each on their words. If they misspell words from their lists in their writing, the words are put back on their list. I hope that helps. Let me know if you've got any other questions. Good luck!

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  10. Tammy,
    Thanks for sharing this idea. Just a question, how do you choose which words to put on each student's list? I know you look at their writing, but if they have a lot of words misspelled (or if you have a super speller with no words misspelled), how do you choose?
    Teachin' First

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    1. Kristy, for kids who have a lot of words misspelled, I will usually choose the word wall words/grade level sight words that they misspelled in their writing, but I really consider what that individual needs the most or can handle. One of my little gals had a hard time with lots of the word wall words in her writing, but I stuck to putting the simplest of them on her list. Oh, and sometimes words from their list would show up misspelled in their writing again, so it would go back on their spelling list. For the super spellers, I can usually find some words for them. My very best speller this year used such great vocabulary in his writing that I was able to find him words for his list. I wasn't always able to fill up his list though, so when that happened, I asked him to think of some words that he wanted to spell. He loved that. I hope this helps.

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  11. Yes! I like this. I think I'll do something similar. How do you keep track (when you're looking at their daily writing) of the words they're misspelling? Do you always look at their writing with their notebooks beside you?

    ❀Barbara❀
    Grade ONEderful
    Ruby Slippers Blog Designs

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    1. Barbara, it's not a very technical or fancy system. :) I usually jot words down on a post-it or on my clipboard where I keep my daily plans and add them to notebooks later. I add words not only from writing workshop time, but at other times when they're writing throughout the day. So when I'm on the go, a post-it or my clipboard works.

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  12. This makes my head spin a little. I'm trying to figure out how to revamp my spelling instruction and assessment. I have to give a grade for it but I know that my kids are different levels. Oh me oh me. I've got too many things going on in my head now.
    Ms. Kerri and her Krazy Kindergarten

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    1. Ms. Kerri, I guess some head spinning is good, but I hope it's not too overwhelming. :)

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  13. Tammy, I love this idea! I don't know how I missed it when you posted it. This seems like it would really build some confidence in them when they are writing. Thanks!

    Kelly @ I'm Not Your Grandpa, I'm Your Teacher

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    1. Thanks Kelly. Choosing individual words really makes a lot of sense for our individual learners! :)

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  14. LOVE!! I can't wait until fall....Wait a second I'm looking for spring!
    Jenny

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    1. Jenny, Yes one season at a time. :) Glad you love this!

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  15. Tammy,
    This is amazing!
    I am going to work really hard to brainstorm how I can make this work next year.
    How can I realistically do this with a large class? Would you share how your scheduling looks like each day for this lesson? Is this conferring apart of your guided reading or writing time?
    I would love to know the nuts and bolts to make it successful for me.
    Thank you!
    Julie

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    1. Julie, those are all great questions! I'll email you. :)

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  16. I'm moving from 6th to 1st next year and have been thinking about somehow incorporating some individualized spelling into my classroom. This is a GREAT and FANTASTIC idea that doesn't seem too complicated!!!!!!!!! Thanks!

    Shannon
    http://www.irunreadteach.wordpress.com

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    1. Shannon, I sure hope this helps as you make that transition. I think individualization is the way to go.

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  17. I love that last quote! Says it all!

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