I remember when I was in elementary school, I dreaded spelling because it was just rogue memorization...and shallow learning at its best. I would get a list of 20 words to memorize how to spell for the week, regurgitate it on the test, and forget it when the next week rolled around and I received a new list of spelling words. There was no rhyme or reason for me. They were just a list of given spelling words I had to learn how to spell, and that was that.
When I taught in public schools back in the States, I never felt like there was enough time to teach everything or do all of the fun activities I wanted to do, but I've noticed that one of the differences between teaching here, in South Korea, and teaching back in the states (both in public schools and the private sector), I had more opportunity to engage my students in hands-on learning than I do now and more importantly, it was encouraged.
Currently, at the school I teach at, there is a solid phonics program we use that I've incorporated with my kindergarten's word study words (aka - spelling words), and although my students are developing their phonological awareness by understanding different phonemes and word patterns, I had to ask myself...how much of what they are learning is truly being applied if almost everything we do is SO text book/workbook driven?
So, I had to kick in my teaching gear and make spelling/phonics more fun for my students! Each day of the week we do a new spelling/phonics activity & I believe the students not only thoroughly enjoy it, but most importantly...they learn from it and will be apply what they learn.
When I taught in public schools back in the States, I never felt like there was enough time to teach everything or do all of the fun activities I wanted to do, but I've noticed that one of the differences between teaching here, in South Korea, and teaching back in the states (both in public schools and the private sector), I had more opportunity to engage my students in hands-on learning than I do now and more importantly, it was encouraged.
Currently, at the school I teach at, there is a solid phonics program we use that I've incorporated with my kindergarten's word study words (aka - spelling words), and although my students are developing their phonological awareness by understanding different phonemes and word patterns, I had to ask myself...how much of what they are learning is truly being applied if almost everything we do is SO text book/workbook driven?
So, I had to kick in my teaching gear and make spelling/phonics more fun for my students! Each day of the week we do a new spelling/phonics activity & I believe the students not only thoroughly enjoy it, but most importantly...they learn from it and will be apply what they learn.
Day 1 - We usually begin our week with new word study words and begin by sorting our words based on different phoneme patterns. This week it was beginning blends.
On Tuesdays, I have a longer reading & phonics block, so we were able to get in 2 fun spelling activities! =)
Day 2 part 1 - What student doesn't get excited when you give them the opportunity to write on their desk?! I told my students that the dry erase markers I gave them had magical spelling powers, and that's why we're able to erase it from the desk and the only reason why they're able to write on their desk with it (that way they aren't tempted to write on their desk with other things).
Day 2 part 1 - What student doesn't get excited when you give them the opportunity to write on their desk?! I told my students that the dry erase markers I gave them had magical spelling powers, and that's why we're able to erase it from the desk and the only reason why they're able to write on their desk with it (that way they aren't tempted to write on their desk with other things).
Day 2 part 2 - I also have a bunch of laminated boggle letters, so I had each student race against one another to spell their words. Afterwards, I split my students into two groups and we did a separate activity (not really related to our spelling words for the week). Students had to create as many words as they could using the letters I gave them - basically the same concept at scrabble.
Day 3 - SHAVING CREAM FUN! This was probably by far, my students' favorite spelling activity. I just sprayed shaving cream on the table tops and my students practiced spelling their words with shaving cream.
Day 4 - We were a little crunch on time, so I had the students sort their word study words, glue them, and then we had a little healthy competition by having a spelling race on our mini white boards.
And of course...there was a little time for a class selfie. =D
And of course...there was a little time for a class selfie. =D
Like the saying goes - "Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime."
I'm a true believer that students learn better when they are given several hands-on opportunities to learn. Show them and teach them how to do something, and they'll know how for a lifetime.
I'm a true believer that students learn better when they are given several hands-on opportunities to learn. Show them and teach them how to do something, and they'll know how for a lifetime.