Wednesday, October 20, 2010
No Excuse Word List
During a stroll through a teacher's classroom last week, I noticed this chart hanging on one of her cabinets. I'm sure, as a teacher, we've all had those moments when we collect students' writing to find high frequency words misspelled. I thought this was a creative way for Ms. Launey to hold her students accountable. The chart says... These are words 4th grade students are expected to spell correctly 100% of the time. (If Ms. Launey spots one spelled incorrectly on your paper...Pay Up!)
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5 comments:
So glad we are teaching the students how to spell those words in first grade so that they won't have to "pay up" in fourth!! :) Great idea to keep the kids mindful of their spelling!MM
Love it! Maybe I should create a chart with notes and note values on it....
I find it interesting to have the word list. In my school district we have lists for every grade level. Students should have expectations for the words that they should learn. Students should be given many opportunities to learn the words given at their level.
Sylvia,
Thank you for the comment. Like you, we have high frequency word lists for each grade level that students are expected to master. We have a dedicated Skills Block where students are taught the words and we have word walls that include the spelling pattern words and high frequency words. We continually review and provide small group instruction based on student's mastery of the words.
Like you, too, I found the list interesting for a 4th grade classroom. But, what it told me was that for some students, whether they were new to our school or had been here all along, the words must not have transferred into some student's writing.
This teacher is saying under no circumstances should these words be misspelled, and I agree.
Again, thanks for reading and I look forward to future dialogue with you.
The list has worked really well this year in my classroom. And yes,they are easy for 4th graders. But they are words that some students consistently spell wrong STILL. Spelling activities and tests haven't seemed to worked...so I tried this. I have seen success with this list though. A few of my chronic mispellers has mastered these words, and is able to apply them in her writing:)
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