Assessment: CAFE, Word Writing Assessment
This assessment (Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency Evaluation0 is a way for an educator to evaluate students word writing abilities in a given amount of time. This assessment measures students' ability to write as many words correctly in a given amount of time, rather than composing new words.
Below are some strategies that educators can use to support revisiting spelling words, and ways for students to interact with spelling.
Spelling: Banana-Grams
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: Banana-Grams is a fun and interactive way for students to work in small groups or individually on creating spelling words or new words at their grade appropriate levels.
Procedure: Direct the students to turn each “Banana-Gram” tile over (so they cannot see the letters). Then, each student should receive 10 letter tiles (these can be flipped over). Next, each student takes turns flipping over 1 or 2 letter tiles and tries to make spelling words with their tiles. The student(s) are able to create words from other words as well. The student(s) must also write each word on a sheet of paper to be handed in.
Source: Adapted from Field Period (5th Grade)
Spelling: Word Search
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: Using Word Search’s as a strategy allows for educators to assess many different abilities of different students. Asking students to complete a word search provides a way to assess a student’s ability to find words quickly (or lack of finding words), and can allow students to begin to recognize new vocabulary words and further their desire to find out what a word means.
Procedure: Create a word search based on a text or specific topic that the student may struggle with. There are many online sources that can help with creating word searches, and graph paper is also a great source to have for students to create their own word searches for each other.
Source: Adapted from Field Period (5th Grade) and DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
Spelling: Wheel of Fortune
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: The purpose of the “Wheel of Fortune” strategy is for educators to stress the need for students to spell correctly.
Procedure: Just like the show “Wheel of Fortune”, have pre-determined sentences (appropriate for grade level). On a white board/SMART board/chalk board, place the correct number of blanks for each letter in the sentence. Then, the student(s) can take turns trying to guess letters for each blank. The sentences should be appropriate for content area literacy and students will also be familiar with the content.
Source: Adapted from Field Period (5th Grade) and DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
Spelling: Spelling in Parts (SIP)
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: The purpose of “SIP” is to aid students with spelling problems with alternative phonetic patterns, spelling patterns that are less common, double letters, the schwa sound, and commonly mispronounced words. This strategy helps students to listen for and identify each syllable in different words.
Procedure: When a student comes across a word they do not know (or struggle with decoding automatically), ask the student to write down the word, then clap/tap out the syllables. Then, say the first syllable and circle it. With the next syllable put a line under it. Then, have the student put a slash/ at the end of the last syllable. Next, ask the student to write down each chunk of syllable in three (four or five) different colors. Then, ask the student which syllable might be causing the problem for them. Then discuss other words that may be similar to the word they are having trouble with. This allows the students to become word detectives and begin to decode words automatically when they “come across” a word pattern that they do not recognize automatically.
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
This assessment (Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency Evaluation0 is a way for an educator to evaluate students word writing abilities in a given amount of time. This assessment measures students' ability to write as many words correctly in a given amount of time, rather than composing new words.
Below are some strategies that educators can use to support revisiting spelling words, and ways for students to interact with spelling.
Spelling: Banana-Grams
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: Banana-Grams is a fun and interactive way for students to work in small groups or individually on creating spelling words or new words at their grade appropriate levels.
Procedure: Direct the students to turn each “Banana-Gram” tile over (so they cannot see the letters). Then, each student should receive 10 letter tiles (these can be flipped over). Next, each student takes turns flipping over 1 or 2 letter tiles and tries to make spelling words with their tiles. The student(s) are able to create words from other words as well. The student(s) must also write each word on a sheet of paper to be handed in.
Source: Adapted from Field Period (5th Grade)
Spelling: Word Search
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: Using Word Search’s as a strategy allows for educators to assess many different abilities of different students. Asking students to complete a word search provides a way to assess a student’s ability to find words quickly (or lack of finding words), and can allow students to begin to recognize new vocabulary words and further their desire to find out what a word means.
Procedure: Create a word search based on a text or specific topic that the student may struggle with. There are many online sources that can help with creating word searches, and graph paper is also a great source to have for students to create their own word searches for each other.
Source: Adapted from Field Period (5th Grade) and DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
Spelling: Wheel of Fortune
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: The purpose of the “Wheel of Fortune” strategy is for educators to stress the need for students to spell correctly.
Procedure: Just like the show “Wheel of Fortune”, have pre-determined sentences (appropriate for grade level). On a white board/SMART board/chalk board, place the correct number of blanks for each letter in the sentence. Then, the student(s) can take turns trying to guess letters for each blank. The sentences should be appropriate for content area literacy and students will also be familiar with the content.
Source: Adapted from Field Period (5th Grade) and DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.
Spelling: Spelling in Parts (SIP)
Grade Level(s): Third, Fourth, Fifth, & Sixth Grades
Purpose: The purpose of “SIP” is to aid students with spelling problems with alternative phonetic patterns, spelling patterns that are less common, double letters, the schwa sound, and commonly mispronounced words. This strategy helps students to listen for and identify each syllable in different words.
Procedure: When a student comes across a word they do not know (or struggle with decoding automatically), ask the student to write down the word, then clap/tap out the syllables. Then, say the first syllable and circle it. With the next syllable put a line under it. Then, have the student put a slash/ at the end of the last syllable. Next, ask the student to write down each chunk of syllable in three (four or five) different colors. Then, ask the student which syllable might be causing the problem for them. Then discuss other words that may be similar to the word they are having trouble with. This allows the students to become word detectives and begin to decode words automatically when they “come across” a word pattern that they do not recognize automatically.
Source: DeVries, B.A. (2011). Literacy assessment and intervention for K-6 classrooms (3rd ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.