Spelling Started!

In a previous post, I mentioned how we were going to be including proper spelling (of common words) as a requirement in our upcoming writing pieces...this past week we finally put that into motion, cooperatively building a class spelling words wall (the first 31 words! The rest will be added gradually).

Students also have the full list (200 of the most commonly misspelled words) in their writing folders as a resource.

I am also putting our word lists on spellingcity.com for at home and in-class spelling practice. This site provides audio-visual & contextual supports for spelling practice (ie: the word is said in a sentence). It also provides the opportunity to take on line spelling tests, as well as play spelling games.

The link to this excellent site is on the side bar. I will be adding to this site over time.

To prepare for spelling, I also had students read over my blog about the necessity of spelling and answers reading comprehension questions about it. They had to quote from my text 2 reasons for proper spelling (ie: it's a matter of personal pride & so you don't irritate your reader), explain whether they agreed with me and why and then also explain why I used WORDS IN CAPITAL LETTERS in my formatting (ie: to give those words extra emphasis, to show high emotion).

Please let me know if you have any questions about spelling.

Coming Soon....Spelling

Spelling is one of those things students (and adults like me) find boring and tedious...but it MUST BE DONE! 

First: as a MATTER OF PRIDE. Your ideas are important and deserve the respect of being properly presented.

Secondly: because you don't want to IRRITATE YOUR READER. If you spell words wrong (especially common words) your reader will notice the errors and it will irritate them--especially if it is so poorly spelled, they get confused as to your meaning.

As we have been talking about, writers want to entice readers to keep reading their writing. They don't want to annoy or frustrate them so they toss the writing aside and yell in aggravation: "I'M NOT READING THIS! THE SPELLING IS SO TERRIBLE I CAN’T UNDERSTAND IT! I GIVE UP!"

In this class we will be looking at the 200 most commonly mis-spelled words in the English Language (starting with the top 31). I myself am guilty of mis-spelling these words on occasion (though I am a novelist in my spare time, and I love writing, spelling is not my strong suit. I must work hard at this like most other people do).

These are the words that we use again and again and that readers will notice when we get them wrong.

So let's get them right! Together, we are going to ace these words!