Teach Spelling

Without Memorization

If you’re the coach, can you throw a ball your batter can hit?
Arens, Loman, Cunningham, and Hall,
2005

•Introduce five new words each week! • Discovery • Dis

Employee • Em and -ee
•Make words accessible. •
• En and -ment
• Encouragement
•Practice the words by cheering and • Hopeless • Less
writing them. • International • Inter and -al
• Nonliving • Non and -ing (drop e)
•Do a variety of review activities. • Performance • Per and -ance
•Make sure that Word Wall words are • Replacement • Re and -ment

Do
spelled correctly in any writing •
•
Transportation
Unfinished
•
•
Trans and -tion
Un and -ed
students do. Cunningham et al (2000)
Cunningham et al (2000)
If you can spell transformation, you can spell:
transform, transformers, transfer, information, misinform, formation, formal,
inform, informer, informant, conform, conformity, performer, performance …

Prefix Suffix
a/ad (to, toward) er/est (more/most)
anti (against) en (to make)
com/con (with, together) ize (to make)
contra (against) ate (to make)
de (opposite, down) less (without)
dis (not, do the opposite) ful (full of/having)
en (make) er/or (person or thing that …)
im/in/ir (not) ist (person)
inter (between, among) ess (female person)
mis (wrong, badly) tion/sion (nouns from verbs)
pre (before, earlier) ance/ence (nouns from verbs)
re (back, again) ment (nouns from verbs)
sub (under, less) ness (nouns)
un (not, opposite) ant/ent (adjectives)
under (under, beneath) al (adjectives)
Cunningham, P. (2003). Big Words for Big Kids: Systematic Sequential
Phonics and Spelling. Greensboro, NC: Carson-Dellosa Publishing, Inc.
Do a Word Wall … Don’t Just Have One!
*Rotation Sparkle

T E E

A
S M
 Be a Mind Reader Example
• It is on the word wall.
• It has five letters in it.
• It is a homophone.
• The contraction ‘they’re’ sounds just
like it.
• It completes this sentence:
_____ animals are always trying to escape!

Be a Mind Reader Be a Mind Reader

1._______________ 1._______________
2._______________ 2._______________
3._______________ 3._______________
4._______________ 4._______________
5._______________ 5._______________

Root New
Prefix
Word Word
 Relationships

act cart dear

art care clear

dart dare smear

Act Word Sort/Transfer

art care dear
dart dare clear
cart [beware] smear
[depart] [square] [appear]
[outsmart] [nightmare] [reappeared]
 It’s Your Turn!

rock

Rock Word Sort/Transfer

Making Words
Make
Sort
Transfer

Arens, Loman, Cunningham, and Hall,

2005
 feed bead

deed dead
greed gread
speed spead
reed read
agreed agread
succeed succead

*stole

Cunningham et al (1998)
Sample Spelling List – 4th Grade Example
The first three words are word wall words.
o Introduce each word.
 Visual (look at posted word)
 Auditory (cheer word)
 Kinesthetic (add a motion while cheering; students write word)
o Make students accountable for these words in every subject.

The next two words are Nifty Thrifty Fifty words.

o Introduce each word.
 Start with the root word.
Cheer, write and check the root word like you do word wall
words.
 Teach prefixes/suffixes.
 Transfer the spelling patterns to lots of other words. If you can spell
_______, you can spell _________.

The last five are words following a similar pattern.

o After teaching the spelling patterns, transfer the pattern to lots of other
words. If you can spell _______, you can spell ________.

The first ten words may be sent home for students to practice at home, but the transfer
words should not be sent home to memorize. The transfer words are merely suggestions.
If other appropriate transfer words apply, feel free to substitute.

In addition to word study of weekly words, include spelling activities like What Looks
Right, Making Words, Word Sorts, etc.

~The Working with Words Block is multilevel because it provides instruction through the
use of simple and complex words, a focus on patterns and morphemes, and a focus on
transferring these words and patterns to reading and writing. Multilevel instruction
focuses on the multiple learning levels and needs of all students in the class in a single
lesson. A multilevel activity is so rich that students at different levels have something to
learn through the same activity (Cunningham, 2004).

~Arens, A., Loman, K., Cunningham, P. (2007). Month-by-Month Phonics and Vocabulary Grade 4.
Greensboro, NC: Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company , Inc.
Week One Week Two Week Three

because said laugh

people have until
friends they off
composer discovery encouragement
impossible musician richest
fruit honey trouble
bruise monkey couple
suit donkey young
cruise valley tough
juice hockey cousin

Transfer Words Transfer Words Transfer Words

Suffix -er Prefix dis- Prefix en-
writer disappear endear
teacher dishonest enclose
reporter disagree endanger
singer distrust entrap
authorizer disbelieve
Suffix -ment
Prefix im- Suffix -ian development
impatient magician amusement
immature beautician government
improper librarian entertainment
impersonal comedian
immobile electrician Suffix -est
shortest
ui words ey words craziest
quilt obey smartest
biscuit disobey biggest
fluid jockey
liquid journey ou words
squishy parsley double
rough
couple
country
courage
 Research-Based Citations
• Allen, R. (2010). High-Impact Teaching Strategies for the ‘XYZ’ Era of Education.
Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
• Allen, R. (2008). Green Light Classrooms: Teaching Techniques that Accelerate
Learning. Corwin Press.
• Allington, R. (2006). What Really Matters for Struggling Readers: Designing
Research-Based Programs. Second Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
• Arens, A., Loman, K., Cunningham, P., Hall, D. (2005). The Teacher’s Guide to Big
Blocks. Greensboro, NC: Carson-Dellosa Publishing.
• Cunningham, P. (2003). Big Words for Big Kids: Systematic Sequential Phonics and
Spelling. Greensboro, NC: Carson-Dellosa Publishing, Inc.Cunningham, P., Hall, D.,
Cunningham, J. (2000). Guided Reading the Four-Blocks® Way. Greensboro, NC:
Carson-Dellosa Publishing
• Cunningham, P., Hall, D. (1998). Month-by-Month Phonics for the Upper Grades: A
Second Chance for Struggling Readers and Students Learning English. Greensboro,
NC: Carson-Dellosa Publishing
• Fisher, D., Frey, N. (2007). Checking for Understanding: Formative Assessment
Techniques for Your Classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.
• Kagan, S., Kagan, M. (2009). Kagan Cooperative Learning. San Clemente, CA: Kagan
Publishing.
• Hollas, B. (2005). Differentiating Instruction in a Whole-Group Setting.
Peterborough, NH: Crystal Springs Books.
• Jensen, E. (2006). Enriching the Brain: How to Maximize Every Learner’s Potential.
San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons.
• Jensen, E. (2003). Tools for Engagement: Managing Emotional States for Learner
Success. San Diego, CA: The Brain Store.
• Jensen, E. (1997). Brain Compatible Strategies. San Diego, CA: The Brain Store.
• Marzano, R.J. (2007). The Art and Science of Teaching: A Comprehensive
Framework for Effective Instruction. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development.
• Marzano, R. (2006). Classroom and Assessment and Grading that Work. ASCD.
Alexandria, VA
• Marzano, R.J. (2001). Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based
Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. ASCD.
• Tomlinson, C. (1999). The Differentiated Classroom, Responding to the Needs of
All Learners. Danvers, MA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.
• Clip Art: www.toonaday.com and/or www.pppst.com