We are implementing a new spelling/writing program this year entitled Making Reading Heavenly. This is a kindergarten through 5th grade initiative to help give our students a solid foundation in phonics and to remain consistent throughout their elementary years. Making Reading Heavenly teaches students the sounds of letters and groups of letters. It also teaches them movements to go with each sound, to help cement the sound in their brain. In addition, it teaches students the six syllable types (Closed, consonant Le, Open, Vowel team, silent E, and R-controlled vowels = CLOVER). Finally, it teaches students the basic rules of phonics (Scaredy cat "v" always brings an "e"; When 'c' is followed by an 'e', 'i', or 'y' it says ss, ss, ss, ss, ss; K goes with 'i', 'y', and 'e', C goes with the other three - 'e', 'o', and 'u'; etc.).
We will not have traditional spelling tests this year. I will begin by teaching the students the letter sounds and movements. I will then teach them the syllable types. The week after teaching a syllable type, I will give a pre- and post-test using words that follow the syllable type taught. Students who receive a perfect score on the pretest will be exempt from the post-test. Students who do not receive a perfect score should practice the spelling PATTERN that week. The words on the post-test will follow the same spelling pattern as the pretest, BUT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT WORDS THAN THE PRETEST, SO PLEASE DO NOT SIMPLY MEMORIZE THE SPELLINGS. For example, if I taught closed syllables the previous week, we will take a pretest on words with closed syllables (words ending with a consonant that makes the vowel say its short sound). Example pretest words might be cat, pan, and bit. If a student misses any of these words, they will continue to practice closed syllable words and take the post-test. The post-test may have DIFFERENT closed-syllable words such as map, bet, and fun.
As we progress through the syllable types, the words I give the students will become more difficult. For example, if the students have been taught closed syllables and are now being taught r-controlled vowels, their spelling words may have both syllables in them; letter, summer, doctor, actor.
We will not have traditional spelling tests this year. I will begin by teaching the students the letter sounds and movements. I will then teach them the syllable types. The week after teaching a syllable type, I will give a pre- and post-test using words that follow the syllable type taught. Students who receive a perfect score on the pretest will be exempt from the post-test. Students who do not receive a perfect score should practice the spelling PATTERN that week. The words on the post-test will follow the same spelling pattern as the pretest, BUT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT WORDS THAN THE PRETEST, SO PLEASE DO NOT SIMPLY MEMORIZE THE SPELLINGS. For example, if I taught closed syllables the previous week, we will take a pretest on words with closed syllables (words ending with a consonant that makes the vowel say its short sound). Example pretest words might be cat, pan, and bit. If a student misses any of these words, they will continue to practice closed syllable words and take the post-test. The post-test may have DIFFERENT closed-syllable words such as map, bet, and fun.
As we progress through the syllable types, the words I give the students will become more difficult. For example, if the students have been taught closed syllables and are now being taught r-controlled vowels, their spelling words may have both syllables in them; letter, summer, doctor, actor.