Spelling

FAQ

How is it determined if my child is on the weekly or challenge list?
* We take a pretest every week testing the upcoming concept (ex. short vowels). If your child scores, 80% or better, then he/she will be given the challenge words. I do not pass the pretest back because it confuses some children and parents since the words are different from the list words for the week. However, I do save these each unit to show students their growth or in case there is a question about which list your child is on.

What if my child is not doing well with the challenge list? May he or she stick with the weekly list?
*Yes, I want your child to be successful. If it is difficult for your child to learn the words each week or he/she is struggling or getting frustrated with practice, please let me know. We can stick with the weekly list.

What if my child really wants to try the challenge list and keeps pretesting in the weekly list?
*I am flexible with this too. If you want to work with your child together to learn the challenge list, then I will check their pretest scores and let you know if we can try it.

What are the New Pattern Words on the test?
*These are words that the students have not practiced. But, these words all follow the same concept as the Assigned Pattern Words for the week. I do not grade this portion of the test. It is used to see if students are able to carry over the spelling concept and apply it to new words.

How are spelling scores used in a final grade?
*Our report card grade assesses spelling within a student's writing. I use both writing samples and spelling tests to help me gather spelling scores. I look for if your child is spelling the High Frequency Words correctly and if they are transferring spelling concepts into their writing.

Does my child have the opportunity to practice spelling words during the week?
*Yes, your child has a spelling binder with a variety of choices to help him/her practice his/her words each week. Please see the back of the spelling list for ways to practice spelling words. For your child to be the most successful, it is best to practice at home as well.