Are your students always asking you how to spell words?Of course I teach students how to stretch and sound out words. That works great for most words, but students want to and need to spell words correctly, especially words that are important to them or that they use often. These sheets do not replace stretching and sounding out words, but they are reference tools to help students spell frequently used words correctly and to continues the flow of getting words on paper. (Which, at times, can be harder than getting blood from a turnip.) My classes would always ask how to spell words no matter how many “Sound It Out/Stretch It Out” mini-lessons. My students use both these sheets daily. We've placed them in their Writer’s Workshop Folders for easy access.
The Dolch word list has 312 words including all Dolch words from Pre-Primer to second grade level including additional frequently used nouns separated into columns and spread over two pages. I print the sheets back-to-back and place it in a 3-ring sheet protector. Then I stick it through the prongs in the student’s writing folder. After showing the students once how to use this dictionary sheet I rarely get asked to spell words. And when I do, another student is quick to chime in, “Why don’t you look it up in your dictionary? I can help you if you want.” (OK, they don't always offer to help, but the do *always* tell their classmates to look it up.) Each week the students use a yellow crayon to highlight our weekly phonics spelling words and vocabulary sight words. This really helps students spot familiar words.
The Personal Student Dictionary sheet has sections marked with each alphabet letter and space to write several words individual students use often during writing. Students add his or her own words to the “Words I Use” sheet in their personal writing folder. Students have added robot, roller coaster, Granddaddy, panda, funeral, Spiderman, sibling’s names and classmate’s names. I print the sheets back-to-back and place it in individual writing folder. I do not use sheet protectors with this page. I want it to be a living, growing document.
Placing these reference tools in my student’s Writer’s Workshop Folders has significantly decreased how many times I hear “Miss 27, how do you spell…?”
Both these printables are availabe for *FREE* on my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Digital paper copyright: PrettifulDesigns
