THE BENEFITS OF TEACHING SPELLING WEEKLY

BLOG #14
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Spelling is an important skill for children to learn as it helps them communicate effectively in written and oral form. In this blog I will discuss the advantages of giving weekly spelling words and activities.

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​Boosts Vocabulary

Learning new spelling words each week can help students expand their vocabulary. Words they may not be familiar with will be introduced and used in the accompanying activities which will reveal the meaning and use of the new word. This is crucial for reading comprehension and effective communication.​

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Enhances Spelling Skills

​Weekly spelling words and activities can help students develop their spelling skills. By learning the rules of spelling, they can understand why certain words are spelled and spoken in a particular way. Rules such as silent e at the end of a word means that the vowel is a long vowel will enable a student to remember to add the e at the end of such words. Knowing that the “ch” sound in a word is spelled ch. Knowing the rules increases their ability to remember the correct spelling of words. Confident spellers result in more confident writers and readers.

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​Improves Memory and Focus

​Regular practice of spelling words can help students improve their memory. When they memorize words, they are developing their memory skills, which can be applied in other areas of their learning. This can lead to better academic performance and overall cognitive development. To remember the words, students must concentrate on the task of memorization which improves their ability to remain focussed on the task at hand.  Memorization skills such as chunking, applying music or a rhythm, mnemonic devices such as a phrase, sentence, or even a word made up of parts of the spelling word and visual cues can help your student.   

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​Engages Students

​By incorporating games, puzzles and similar activities into weekly lessons creates a fun and engaging environment for students to learn and they become comfortable with spelling lessons because they know what to expect in each week’s activities. 

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Provides Structure

​Weekly spelling words and repeated activities can provide structure to students’ learning. When the same activities for new words are repeated weekly, students’ anxiety of not completing an activity is reduced. They know what will be expected of them because the only thing that is new are the words. This allows them to concentrate on the words and not in learning a new activity. They can track their own progress of learning new words with weekly spelling tests.

​In conclusion, giving weekly spelling words that include activities on spelling rules can have many advantages for students even those that find memorizing a challenge. It can improve their spelling skills, boost their vocabulary, enhance their memory, engage them in learning and provide structure to their studies.

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​I have a grade 2 spelling unit available in my TpT store Laurie’s Classroom. The Spelling unit includes 35 lists and activities for each list as well as differentiated activities for students that need a little extra help.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Grade-2-SPELLING-Words-Activities-Differentiated-9391210

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