Reflections on Spelling

I’ve decided to revisit my original spelling idea because:

• Often, my students are not using the correct rule (long a instead of short, etc.)
• I don’t feel that if I introduce the rule on Monday and they turn in a project on Tuesday, they have spent enough time manipulating the sound enough to know it, and I feel that after they turn in their project they feel “done” and quit looking.
• Some of the words they use are so high-level that I have never seen them before.  I know these words are not coming from their reading.
• My original purpose was to combine spelling with vocabulary, and I don’t feel we are building vocabulary in a meaningful way.

Reflections:

• As I read the first 20 pages of The Little Prince over the weekend I collected words for this week’s rule.  I realized that some of the project choices I had already set for the students this week would be painfully difficult to do.  One of the choices would actually be impossible if I only take words from The Little Prince reading.  I want them to use critical thinking skills, but I also need to scaffold that process so they can be successful.
• I realize now that I began this process backwards.  I told them the plan, explained the process and the projects, and let them go.  In any other thing I do with them, I always model first.  There was no modeling with this process.  I only modeled listening for words during our read alouds, but I feel now that was not enough.  I just threw out a big box of toys, and let them go to town.  Granted, they were incredibly excited, but the end result was not what I envisioned.

Back to the drawing board:

• This week my class is starting The Little Prince with our Global Read Aloud project.
• I’ve read the first 20 pages, which we will read in class this week.  I found 66 words in varying challenge levels that follow this week’s rule.  Considering that they only need 10-20 words, I feel confident that they can find enough from our read aloud time to make their list.  I will tell the students at the beginning of each week how many words I found while reading, and challenge them to find more.
• As I’m reading, the students will have their new* Word Collectorswith them.  I will first model listening for the correct pattern, putting emphasis on the long e sound.  I will add the word to ourWeekly Word Wall, making a big show about checking spelling from the book as I write it on the Wall.  I am considering adding a Power Teaching style technique by having the students shout “E! E! E-E-E!” when they spot a word this week, but I don’t want it to be too distracting.  More than likely, after I model finding a word and stopping to add it to the wall, I will instruct them to quietly get up when they hear a word and go to the wall to add it.
• Students will use the group list we create (which should have many more words than what they need) to begin their own project list by Wednesday when we go to computer lab.
• They must choose 10-20 words from the list.
• 5 words must be challenging vocabulary.
• There must be a word to represent each way of using the rule in their list.  For this week, this means words like peal, because, receive, free, etc.
• Their project must demonstrate correct use of their 5 vocabulary words, and correct spelling of all 10-20 words they use.
• For now, I will continue with the 4 multiple-intelligence based choices, but they will all relate somehow to our reading from the week.  This focus on relating projects to reading will also increase comprehension, making our weekly project combine spelling, vocabulary, writing, comprehension, multiple-intelligences,and creativity.  I may also offer one free choice which is not related to our reading, but they will still be expected to adhere to all other requirements.  They may choose to complete a free choice project once a month.
• Until all students are showing mastery level understanding of this process, projects will be done in class, with time given in computer lab and on Friday to complete their work.  Once all students have mastered the process, they may begin using words from their own personal reading for their projects.  We will then begin having abrief time in class each day to share words and check for understanding of spelling and meaning.
• If students find words throughout the week in their own reading that they believe relates to the rule, they may share it with me and add it to the board if it is correctly spelled and fits the rule.  Alternatively, if it is a vocabulary challenger, they can write the word and definition or word used correctly in a sentence on a sentence strip and post it in the room.  I expect this to begin happening at some point quickly, and the more the students see it happening, the faster it will spread to other students.  This is a part of scaffolding their learning of this process.

Concerns I still have:

• Listening for words will distract from listening for meaning. Possible Solution: I stop often to reflect on meaning, connections, purpose, word choice, etc. whenever doing a read aloud.  This may actually help teach them to be able to hunt for words while analyzing text as they read on their own.  Also, having projects based on our reading will aid with comprehension of what has been read.
• Moving to the wall will cause a break from the story in which they are not focused. I could have students collect words in their Word Collector and at the end of reading students can choose words to add to wall.  The problem with this is I really want to see all words they add right away to check for spelling/correct use, and waiting for 21 kids to add words after reading is time consuming.  Possible Solution: let students add words in Word Collector and at end of reading I will go to the Weekly Word Wall and have students call out their findings.  They will change their spelling to match mine, add words to their page they did not have, and we will tally words daily to see how many we found.

*Word Collector: we will make a small paper booklet in class that they will bring to the rug for read alouds.  Each page will have the rule for the week written on top.  They will collect words as they hear them on that page.