Spelling Words

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Home : 2002 : April : 6

Spelling Words
By Dalorani

I'd like to do individual lists, too, but the management issue looms, so I've compromised for my 3rd grade class
On Friday, I give a pre-test of 16 words. Students are graded on 15, so there is always an opportunity
for a bonus point. I grade the tests while they are at gym, although by now most of my students are quite willing to read for the amount of time it takes me to check their pre-tests. Any student who scores 93% or higher on the pretest is given that grade and then becomes part of the 100% Club.
Students scoring below that copy the words they missed, for homework. Using gel-pens on dark

paper is one of the ways students copy their words. Spelling homework is often a mixture of those ideas from the 4-block idea. Students choose their homework from a similar list. In class, we use Flip Charts for the see,say, write method; magnetic letters and several Jr. Scrabble boards.
Meanwhile the 100% club members meet in groups of 3 (there are usually 9-10 on a weekly basis, out of 22 students). Each group selects 5 challenging words from content study, books they are reading, or their own writing journals, etc. I approve the master copy; it is their responsibilty to write their list & make their homework choice.
When I give the spelling test on Thursday, the 100% clubbers meet as partners (paired differently every week), and give each other their test. If any one earns a higher grade, I'll change it. Lower grades are not penalized. However, we do keep a graph of class averages in both "regular clubbers" and 100% Club. Students look forward to watching their graph reach or exceed their benchmark of 80% or higher.
Parents seem to like this method because students who can spell well are still challenged. Club "membership" changes weekly, depending on the words. It seems to be the goal of most students to make it into the 100% club.
I apologize for the length of this. It's a method that has worked well for me during the last three years.