You ask what they are?! Well, I would love to fill you in. :-)
Each Friday, I give my kiddos a spelling pre-test. These 10 words come from our reading curriculum and are words that follow the phonics pattern that we are working on the coming week. They write their words on the left side of their spelling sheet. I am fortunate enough to have some help during this lovely endeavor so my sidekick and I walk around and check each one of their tests. From here, they move the words that they got wrong to the right side of their paper. For example, if they got 6 words wrong, they rewrite those six words again with the correct spelling. The words that they spelled correctly the first time, they don't have to worry about! This is where it becomes research based. If they already know how to spell them, why do they need to study them for a week and be tested on them again? Note: some kids don't miss any and others miss all 10. This is also where it becomes so differntiated (another research based strategy). Each student takes home a completely different list for the week.
Once the incorrect words are rewritten correctly, they all receive their journal card. On their journal card, I have written words that I found spelled incorrectly in their journal that they write in each morning. These are words that they are interested in using and ones that they will find easier to learn. This where they get the words to fill the individual list of 10 words. These 10 words get checked to make sure all are spelled correctly and then they must rewrite them again on their weekly newsletter.
I know this sounds like a lot of work, which it is. At the beginning of the year it took us quite a while to get it done and there were weeks where I was ready to throw in the towel. They are pros now and know the routine. I can't explain how worth while it is though. Each student takes home a list that is at their level and meets their needs. Some of the students are spelling words that even I have to look up. Others are using the initial 10 words and the words are at their level. Each student is challenged to the right degree and hopefully doesn't become too frustrated. On Thursdays, I call each one of them individually to my desk to take their test and one of my aids pulls them to the hall to check their fluency. They read or write while they aren't testing.
I ran into some issues though! Some students were not spending enough time with the words and were not doing very well when it came time to take their post test. I tried to make it the point, which is true, that by learning these words reading and writing would become much easier. I was giving time to study during our Daily 5 rounds but even that wasn't enough. After several chats about being responsible 7 year olds, I knew I had to change something. Just this past week, I made it homework. Each night, they took home a spelling practice sheet. I had found several off of teacherspayteachers.com so they weren't doing the same one each night. Attached to this sheet was a slip that a parent had to sign saying they had practiced. Although I was a little worried about requiring this, I wish I could have taken pictures of their faces when they came to my desk to take their post test and they KNEW they were going to get all 10 correct instead of knowing they hadn't looked at them since they wrote them on their newsletter. Each kid was to bring back that parent slip each morning. If they didn't, they had to stay in and do it before they went out for recess (we have a 25 minutes recess before we start our day).
Now, their goal from the beginning of the year was to get 9/10 or 10/10 to make the door. If you make the door, you get a Laffy Taffy taped to it as well! Our class goal from day one, as well, was to get everyone on the door!
Well folks!!!! WE DID IT!!!!!! This Thursday all 14 of my students that do spelling in my room made the door! We actually got 137/140 words correct! I couldn't have been more excited and proud of my munchkins and I let them know it. They knew if they got this as well, they got a popcorn party! We will be celebrating tomorrow (since we had a late start on Friday) and I couldn't be more proud and excited to do this with them!
Take a look at that beauty! 14 spelling sheets! ***I do let them pick the color of their Laffy Taffy and hang it on the door so they seem to get cluttered. It takes about everything I have to not spread them out a little! :-)***
Hopefully this continues!!
I hope you all had a great weekend and are excited for your week to come! I have two nights of conferences and Friday off! Whoop whoop!!
~Toodles!
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