Okay. I'm going to try to be as thorough as I can. I know this will be a big change, but this new way of doing spelling really impacts your child's understanding of spelling concepts as opposed to just memorizing and then forgetting the words after the test.
Each week your child will be given a list for home and a list for school. On Mondays, I will go over the sort with your child and teach them how to sort it. I will send an email to each group for the parents to know how to sort them. I will be sending an email to parents based off their child's list after I compose this one. On Friday, students will be tested on 10 words. They will get 2 scores. One for spelling the word correct and one for getting the pattern correct.
When students get their lists, there will usually be headers that reinforce the concept being taught. There will, periodically, be "oddball" words or "rule breakers." These are words that either follow the pattern but don't sound the same, or sound the same but have a different spelling pattern.
Students are asked to sort the words with you. They can do this by themself and you can check their sort or do it with you. If you choose to do it with your child. Have them get their headers ready and then place the words spread out so they can read them. Parents will read a word from their words and student has to find it and then determine what column it fits. Do this with all the words and then read all the words at the end to make sure they all follow the pattern. I have attached a video of me doing a sort with one group to help show how this looks.
Students can also just pull out their words and do a spelling activity like they have done in the past, as well. Whatever works for your family. I promise this will get easier as we go!!! :)
