With less than two weeks to prepare for the Regional Round it is important to not only study the words but have some fun doing it! Students learn best when they are having fun, right? For this week's blog we will share two activities that focus on visual and student-centered learning. The first activity is called Spelling Scribble:
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Hello teachers! We are halfway through another week and just a little closer to the regional round. Don't forget that regional round spelling lists are finally up! Now, onto this week's topic. Let's talk about those two English letters that seem to confuse many English language learners: 'V' & 'W'. Of course the letter 'V' is in the Georgian language, but as we know 'W' is not. Since 'W' is not existent in the Georgian language the letter 'V' is pronounced or written in it's place. Because of this many students may get confused when they hear a word that uses 'W' and they may try spelling it with a 'V' out of habit. The video posted below talks about the difference between these two letters and how to form your lips properly to differentiate the two sounds. In the video it also compares words that start with either 'V' or 'W' that sound the same, but may be spelled differently, and will most certainly have different meanings. Practicing proper pronunciation and having your students listen to the correct sound will help them learn which word they are told to spell when they hear it pronounced at the regional round. Remember that the pronunciation and listening are just as important as the spelling. We have made it through the local round, phew! 200 hundred words was quite a list but with regional rounds are already approaching, that list is about to get a little bigger.
We know how much our students love being on their phone. Wherever they go their phone goes too. So why not have them practice their spelling no matter where they are? There is a great app: A+ spelling test Good for both apple and android and doesn't require internet! This app is free to download and very easy to use. Just create a word list and start testing. There's even an audio feature where you can record how to say the correct pronunciation of each word! When they test themselves on this app's practice test they will be tested both visually and audibly. This is definitely a benefit for both types of visual and audio learning styles! You even have an additional option to unscramble where students can put the letters in the correct order. This is definitely a great way to further test their spelling skills! Spelling doesn't have to be boring and it shouldn't be restricted to just a classroom setting. This can also be useful if your students have a tutor. This app would be great for tutors if they use ipads/tablets and want to help their students get ready for regional rounds. Don't forget teachers that the final day to apply as a regional coordinator is February 10! This is a great opportunity to earn credits towards your TPDS. Click on this link: nesc-ge.weebly.com/teacher-professional-development.html to learn more. Spelling GamesTo help students prepare for competition, we have some fun ideas for games to use with students. These games will help students become more familiar with words on their study lists. These games can be used for the local, regional even national round of competition. So what are you waiting for? Help your students have fun while learning how to spell new words!
Activity 1: Spelling Word Scramble Activity 2: Spelling Word Round Challenge Activity 3: Spelling Word Memory Match The Local Rounds begin January 27! Remember, you can hold a Local Round on ANY DAY from January 27 to February 3. Forms to submit your winners and your student names to get certificates are due by February 5. The sooner you turn in the reporting forms, the sooner we can promote your school on our website! Information on how to hold a Local Round can be found HERE. Lesson PlansHello English teachers of Georgia! We are happy to see that you are passionate about teaching your students tips, tricks and rules for spelling to help them succeed!
For our first blog post, we are going to share with you 3 starter lesson plans for preparing students for the local and/or regional rounds. These lesson plans can be used for the Junior (6th-8th grade) or Senior (9th-12th grade) NESC competitions and word lists. We are going to start with basic lessons--we want students to start to see the words and become familiar with them. These lesson plans have exercises that will have students sort and categorize the words they need to learn. By seeing words over and over and writing them over and over, the brain creates stronger links or memories for the spelling words! Lesson Plan 1: Getting Familiar with the word List: Part of Speech Lesson Plan 2: Getting Familiar with the word list: Origin Lesson Plan 3: Getting Familiar with the word list: Patterns and Inferences Remember, teachers that prepare students for competitions can receive 0.5 credit points under the Teacher Professional Development Scheme with the Ministry of Science and Education. Teachers can receive 1.00 credit points for hosting a club that is related to spelling and spelling skills during the semester. Click HERE for more information about credit points and how NESC-GE can help teachers reach their personal professional development goals! |
AboutThis blog includes helpful tips for teaching spelling as well as lesson plans for spelling clubs & competition preparation. ArchivesCategories |