F-U-N with Spelling

If you have children in grades 1st-6th grade (at least in NYS), then you know that once a week, usually on Fridays, there is a spelling test or quiz on words covered during that week. In Kindergarten, Claire (age 8) had to just learn sight words although she was advanced in reading and was spelling the sight words accurately most of the time. She did do some sound spelling (invented spelling) but the list of sight words given out that year were mastered by the time she was ready to enter 1st grade. Now that she is in 3rd grade, they have an actual spelling textbook with a list of between 12-18 words per week plus 4-6 challenge words (bonus words for bonus points on the test). Spelling homework is just one night a week with various activities or questions to answer using the words from the list. This is much better than in my school days back in the 1970's when we just copied each word 10 times or something totally mindless like that! BUT....we do have to review the words the evening before the test. In our house, that means I get to be the one to quiz Claire. Beginning in 1st grade, I bought her a write on/wipe off board and dry erase markers so that she could print each word as I said them. This year, I wanted to be creative with Claire on Thursday evenings when it is spelling review time. I decided to use some things I learned in graduate school and in my own classroom and adapt those ideas for her age. I realized that since I have only taught special needs children at the prek level, I needed to really think about how to make spelling exciting for a 3rd grader! I came up with the following tips and the ones that have a * are ones I received from the district psychology department newsletter.
Try these ideas on your own children and have f-u-n!

• Use a blue marker for nouns, a red marker for adjectives and a green marker for verbs.(since most 3rd grade language arts curriculums begin discussing nouns, verbs, and adjectives more than in 2nd grade, this is a good review)
• On nice days, take sidewalk chalk and quiz your child as she prints the words in your driveway or on the sidewalk!
• Have her begin to use cursive handwriting rather than printing for studying at home. If her teacher wants her to print on the actual test, remind her to do so until cursive is mastered at school. (in our district, cursive handwriting begins in 3rd garde but they are still expected to print the spelling words and other homework assignments until directed to change)
• *Play Spelling Scrabble. Place the letters face up on a table and take the scrabble board and have your child spell out the words on the board using the letters. Or: take turns spelling her words. You can even add up the points like in a "real" Scrabble game.
• *Have your child cut out letters from old magazines and newspapers and glue them onto a piece of colored paper to "write" her words.
• Have an older sibling quiz her!
• *Have her print the words using her other hand! (this might be a real challenge....don't force it, just make it a game if the child is willing...remember, you are trying to make studying words for a spelling test "fun" and not a chore!)
• Once your child has printed all her words from the list, let her self-correct by giving her a red pen. She gets to play "teacher" and circle the misspelled words (if any) and give her self a grade!
• After she writes each word and the list is completed, say the word in a different language. My husband and I both took French all through school and our oldest (9th grade) is in her 3rd year of French so we try to remember the French words for whatever English words Claire has on her spelling test. This is a great way for the child taking another language to get involved and to review their vocabulary! It is also fun to see if you as the parent many years later, still remember any foreign language words!

What are some ways you help your child study spelling?