Constance Weaver, Rebecca Sipe and Kylene Beers all agree on one thing. It is best to teach students spelling in context. Over the years, I have heard many people suggest using student writing as exaamples for teaching spelling. However, I would never want to embarrass one of my students in front of the class by doing this.
So what are some other strategies for teaching students spelling in context? After taking the specialized literacy class at a week long Responsive Classroom workshop a couple years ago, I learned that using the Morning Message is a great way to engage students in dialogue by looking for spelling errors I may have made in the message. I also know that other experts say that teachers should always model proper spelling and grammar so students know what this looks like.
As I was pondering this question, I found some spelling links on the Responsive Classroom website. The one that would benefit students most is one called Interactive Spelling Bee. Students can choose their grade level, and if they discover that their grade level is too easy or difficult, they can go to another grade level to meet their needs. The computer reads the paragraph aloud to the student, and the student has to type in the missing words correctly. If they get all of the words spelled correctly, then they move on to level 2. The fact that this website allows differentiation by grade level and reads the paragraph aloud for students who aren't reading at grade level makes this a wonderful website to visit so students can practice their spelling skills.
Do you have other ideas? Please share if you do. I'm just beginning my exploration of this topic and would appreciate hearing how others have done this successfully in their classrooms.
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