This resource is a compilation of three documents that support the teaching of spelling in today's schools: a discussion of "Why Spelling Instruction Matters", a checklist for evaluating a spelling program, and tables of Common Core State Standards that are linked to spelling instruction. "Why Spelling Instruction Matters"…

This facilitator's guide is designed to assist professional learning communities (PLCs) in applying evidence-based strategies to help K-8 English learners acquire the language and literacy skills needed to succeed academically. Through this collaborative learning experience, educators will expand their knowledge base as they read, discuss, share,…

These handouts, which are meant to accompany the facilitator's guide, are designed to assist professional learning communities (PLCs) in applying evidence-based strategies to help K-8 English learners acquire the language and literacy skills needed to succeed academically. The facilitator's guide uses a five-step process for collaborative…

Presents three activities for teaching the 120 words that primary students use and need most. The high frequency word list (120 words) is included. (SM)

A high school teacher describes techniques she used to help her students master a list of 500 commonly misspelled words. She found that this emphasis on spelling also improved students' reading comprehension, writing, and study skills. The word list is appended. (SJL)

The Directed Spelling Thinking Activity (DSTA) is a method of teaching spelling to students with learning disabilities by encouraging active thinking and analysis of word patterns. With DSTA, students compare and contrast words that fit different but related spelling patterns. Words illustrating 37 spelling patterns are listed. (Author/DB)

Five strategies to help students select and learn relevant spelling words include: proofreading and trying to spell misspelled words correctly; choosing words from their proofreading lists that might be useful for future writing; examining useful ways to learn how to spell words; learning related words that they can already spell; and getting…

Presents three activities that prepare students for matching up with spelling partners, carrying out partner quizzes, and scoring partner quizzes. A sidebar provides tips for making partner quizzes work. (SM)

Presents strategies for incorporation into elementary level spelling programs to help students become real-world spellers. The article explains how to make spelling part of the writing process by expanding the word bank, improving proofreading skills, building dictionary skills, and conducting a roundup spelling test to practice new skills. (SM)

There are many reasons for teachers' reluctance to address the issue of spelling content area vocabulary words; however, content vocabulary word spelling need not be ignored because of time constraints, boredom, or lack of knowledge on the teacher's part any longer. A method which can be utilized is an adaption of "Scratch, Scribble and…

This booklet discusses a procedure to assist students experiencing difficulty in learning the "Dolch Basic Sight Vocabulary of 220 Words" and rearranges a list of 220 words to make it easier for students to learn. The procedure discussed in the booklet is based on the "word family" approach, in which words like "all call,…

Focusing on the sequence of cognitive processes of spellers of varying ability, a study evaluated the effectiveness a teaching package that adapts Robert Dilt's spelling strategy to the college classroom. Subjects, 25 students from an introductory level psychology class, were divided into three groups, each of which participated in two one-hour…

Intended for elementary school teachers, researchers, and materials developers, this book presents a cluster approach to vocabulary instruction, in which words are taught in semantically related groups. Over 7,000 words from elementary school textbooks have been organized into 61 instructional clusters, each containing two levels of subclusters…

This article presents an eclectic approach to spelling instruction, combining ideas from two basic methods: phonetic and memorization. Teaching procedures, student activities, and materials are suggested. A chart of the most basic reading/spelling generalizations is included. (SJL)

This article describes a seventh-grade physical education class project that called for definitions of 21 terms such as human movement, dance, rhythm, time, space, etc. Individual projects included booklets, movies, photomontages, scrapbooks, and posters. (JMF)