Spelling this year, will look a little different than in the past. Students have already been assessed and leveled for their appropriate mastery levels. Students were identified by level and are beginning this year at this place for their assigned spelling lists.
Each week on Friday, we will have a specific spelling pattern to assess and focus on, give a pretest depending on the level (color) the student is currently at, and then send home the appropriate list to study for the weekly Thursday spelling tests. If your student is at the purple level this week, on Friday they will take the pretest for the purple level for next week’s words. If a students scores 100% on the pretest- the student does not need to take that week’s test and can choose to not do the homework (if any is given) because they have shown mastery of this spelling pattern. Eventually, after proving this mastery 3 week in a row they will move up to the next level. If the student gets one wrong, they can either keep the 95% for the test Thursday and choose not to take it/or try to take it again Thursday, after studying for the week, and go for the 100%. They can also choose to do the homework or not. The choice is up to them and they can decide on Thursday.
If a student goes 3 weeks in a row getting a 100% on the pattern pretests, they will move up a level. It is only common knowledge of what colors the lists are, no one else knows how they rank in difficulty besides the teachers. This way students are unaware of where they fall, but are focused on as individuals with individual spelling abilities in mind. This will allow for us to challenge students who are good spellers, keep at grade level spellers on the track they are working great on, and give interventions to students who may find spelling more challenging.
Their spelling list will be in their STAR binders on Friday in the SPELLING tab. Parents with students who do not need to take the test Thursday will be individually contacted. Starting with this week, check your student’s STAR binder every Friday to see their pretest on the words for that upcoming week. It will either say the student does not need to test that week or will show missed words with the spelling list to study for Thursday’s test.
