Words Their Way will begin in January 2020.
Every Friday, your child will bring home their planner with the following weeks spelling words written in the “Word List” section. Although they will not receive the word sorts to practice until Monday, this will give them extra time to study the given words for their Spelling Bee.
The following Monday, your child will be bringing home corresponding spelling words in the form of a word sort which have been introduced at school. One copy goes home for practice while we use a second copy in the class. Each night of the week, your child is encouraged to do a different activity to ensure that these words and the spelling principles that they represent are mastered. These activities have been modelled and practiced at school so that your child will be able to show you how to do them at home. Each student is working with a specific set of words each week that is reflective of their level of spelling ability.
Weekly Home Activities:
Cut and sort the words into categories like we do at school. Your child should read each word aloud during this activity. Ask your child to explain to you why the words are sorted a particular way – What does the sort reveal about the spelling pattern? Words can be stored in a plastic baggy.
Choose from the following to practice the word sorts each day:
- Speed Sort – sort the words as fast as you can
- Mix and Fix – one partner sorts the words with 4 or 5 mistakes. The other partner tries to find the mistakes and fix the sort.
- Back Draw – one partner sits in front of another partner. The back partner looks at the word and writes it on the front person’s back. The front partner will then guess the word
- No peeking sort – place the key words for each category on the table. Read each word aloud. Your child must indicate where the word goes without seeing it. It is important that your child repeats the word and tells you where to place it by reading the key word. (eg. If the word is bat and the key word is cat, your child should say, “bat – cat”). Let your child move it if she or gets it wrong. Repeat the activity if you child makes more than one error.
- Sentences – Create simple sentences using some of the spelling words (verbal).
- Writing Sort – write the key words on a piece of paper. As one partner reads aloud the words in random order, the other partner should write them under the appropriate key word.
Thursday at School:
Students will be assessed on their weekly spelling words in the form of a spelling test (which we call a “Spelling Bee”).
Thank you for your support.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Ms. Corwin