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Tired of the same old spelling practice each night?  Here’s a special treat for you!

Check out SpellingCity.com!  Type in the words from this week’s word sort and get started studying! (You won’t even believe you’re studying!)

Psst!  Like it?  Want to try it again soon?  I’ve added a permanent link on the right column so you can check it out again and again!  Happy studying!

Some of you might be new to sorting words as a way to learn how to spell them.  I’d like to take a moment to give you a little background knowledge that will, with hope, help you support your students in their word study at home this year.

Homework Recommendations

The principles behind sorting words are very similar to the principles behind Math Investigations.  Students are engaged in hands-on learning activities involving a select group of words that follow certain spelling patterns, or rules.  By analyzing and grouping these words in different ways, students should begin to develop an understanding of the rules of spelling for the English language.  For this reason, you’ll notice on the suggested spelling homework rituals information sheet in your child’s homework folder, I do not recommend more traditional activities (writing words three times each, putting words in ABC order, etc.) for studying their weekly words.  Rather, I recommend the students sort their words, record their sort, and “mark up” their words as a process of analyzing the spelling patterns.  As a final study technique, the night before the assessment, I recommend students follow a series of steps to commit the words to memory.

Headings

Our first unit is the study of vowel patterns.  Sort one is an introductory sort, intended to help the students practice identifying patterns within the words.  This week we started on the ground floor.  I asked the students, “Do you know what a vowel is?”

I don’t know about you, but, as a child, I always learned that “a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y” were the vowels…but no one ever told me why “sometimes y”.  They NEVER explained that to me!  I can actually remember sitting in a Texas elementary school classroom and reciting with my class, “a….e….i….o….u….and….some….times….y.” in slow, exaggerated voice students use when asked to respond in unison, and thinking, disgustedly, “That doesn’t make sense!”  It wasn’t until much later in life (college?) that the puzzle reoccurred to me and I discovered why.  For those of you who may have never wondered why, sometimes the y makes the sound of a vowel (as in cry, Jenny, and cyst), while at times it makes a consonant sound (as in yes).  But I digress…

As a general “rule of thumb”, encourage your children to find the patterns within the word by, first, finding the vowels.  Look at the consonants around the vowels to identify patterns.  For instance, this week’s four patterns are VCC, VVC, VC, and VCe.  (V = Vowel, C = Consonant)

Let’s take the word plain.  First, find the vowel(s).  plain This word is easy.  I immediately can see that there is 2 vowels.  This week, that means it is in the VVC column.

However, let’s look at the word stake.  Again, find the vowels.  stake I notice there is one vowel by itself, followed by one consonant.  However, it is also followed by a “sneaky e”, which means it belongs in the VCe column.

(Hint:  Ask your child to tell you the story of the “sneaky e”.  If they were present in school on Tuesday, I’m sure you’ll hear all about it!  It is my own urban myth.)

Helpful Hints

I’ve found that, at times, I need to front load some sorts throughout the year with a few hints.  Here are some I’ve shared so far this year.

• Q and U are Siamese twins!  Do not be fooled by the U when you’re looking for vowel patterns….just ignore it if it is attached to a Q.
• “Sneaky e” story (Ask your child!)
• The four sounds of Y
• Short and long vowel symbols (short looks like a happy face, long is a long line, or “annoyed” face as it relates it to the “Sneaky e” story…..)

This hints list will grow throughout the year, as will your child’s understanding of sorting and spelling patterns.  Please stay in touch with me if your child is struggling.  I’ll be glad to help you and/or your child as needed.

Thanks for your support at home!  Happy sorting!