Activity to help struggling spellers

[Mrs.Z]

Does anyone have an activity to help a few of my struggling spellers? We play a game called "Sparkle", but there are a few that just don't hear sounds correctly, therefore they have a lot of trouble when it comes to spelling words. If you can help, that would be great! Thanks!

 

[muffy]

an idea

Here is something that worked for some of my struggling spellers. I used a salt box. You put salt or cornmeal in a small box like checks come in. The student writes with their pointer finger the letters in the salt. You might try it and see if it helps your struggling spellers.

 

[donna]

playdough words

I like to set up a center with playdough and worktrays.
I put the word wall word list for the week there and the kids practice spelling them 3 times each.
Sometimes just that tactile creating of the letters sticks with them.

 

[apple annie]

spelling game

We play a spelling relay game that my kids love.

I split my class into two teams, and I split my list in two, also. I write Team One's half of the list on one side of the board and Team Two's half on the other. All the words are MISSPELLED on the board. The team's mission is to correct all the misspelled words on its list. They go one at a time, handing off the Expo marker to the next in line. Each player chooses a word he thinks he can correct. They keep going until all the words are correct. I let them know when there's a winner. Sometimes it takes two or three go rounds before they get them all right, and many times it takes collaboration, so there is much forewarning about getting too loud. I have also considered doing this in groups of three or four with paper and pencil. Then I might be able to let each group have the whole list.

 

[SLA]

spelling

I have students who regularly ace a spelling test, but NEVER spell those words correctly in their authentic writing. I do word sorts to help them see the patterns in words, lots of "making word" activities (found in 4-blocks sites). One activity my students loved was creating their own word search. I provided a simple word search template with a place to list the words below the grid. First, they write about 10 of the words that they might need help with on the lines below grid, then they place the words on the grid in all the typical word-search directions. Then they fill in all the blank squares with random letters. They trade word searches with friends to find the words. I did this on a whim, but they enjoyed it so much that it has become part of their spelling homework.