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My Phonics/Spelling Plan

My Phonics/Spelling Plan! 

 Okay, well, this is my plan.  No, I haven't used it yet. 

 My daughter is entering 3rd grade, but she needs work on her encoding and spelling, so this is the plan for both that I'm going to implement this coming school year with her.  

 This plan is the result of my reading and research.  Many of these strategies are what I gleaned from reading about spelling difficulties in many online documents and learning about how children encode language.  I listed some of what I read in a previous post if you're curious. :)
Pre-Spelling Assessment:  Testing a Student’s Encoding Processes
1.    Test beginning blends.
2.    Complete tests on phonics and phonological awareness http://www.paec.org/itrk3/files/pdfs/readingpdfs/cooltoolsall.pdf
3.    Design a spelling and a reading program to remediate student’s weaknesses.
      I made a grid worksheet and tested her to see if she could hear the initial blends that are in this ebook: http://soundcityreading.com/consonantpatternsall.pdf  There is also a chart here that can be used to quiz: http://www.carlscorner.us.com/Blends/BlndChrt.pdf

To Remediate segmenting portion of the Encoding Process:
1.    Practice segmentation M/W/F  start with basic list here: http://blog.maketaketeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Phoneme-Segmentation-Words.gif
Start with 2 phoneme words, then once a child is competent with these, move to the 3 and then 4 phoneme words. 
2.       
      Begin every week’s spelling lesson with a segmentation game or activity from: http://www.pcboe.net/les/elderweb/phoneme%20segmentation/Phoneme%20Segmentation%20Games-1.pdf
3.    Once a week practice a new blend. 
a.       Day 1:  Make a flashcard of the blend and place it in front of the student.  Say the blend to the student and have them repeat it.  Say it again and have student trace the blend with their finger.  Ask student to think of a word that starts with this blend.  Ask student to write a sentence with that word in it.  Write the blend at the top of the page.
b.      Day 2:  Show flashcard.  Ask student to list as many words as they can that start with this blend on a piece of paper.  Read the list aloud carefully pronouncing the blend with the student after it is written.
c.       Day 3:  Place flashcard in front of student and give list of words beginning with the blend to student.  Have student say the word and circle the blend.
d.      Day 4:  Give worksheet(s) using the blend we’ve been studying to student.
e.      Day 5:  Ask student what blend we’ve been studying.  Write a List Poem, expository paragraph (2-4 sentences), or story using words from the word list from Wednesday.
4.    After practicing initial blends, test ending blends, then prefixes and suffixes.  Or you can use Explode the Code, but explicitly teach the segmentation portion from each lesson and use all books of the series (including half books).  My plan is to do this.  If my daughter struggles with any of the blends, suffixes, or prefixes, I will follow the plan above to reteach those sound combinations.  My mistake was that I didn't explicitly teach her as she was doing the beginning lessons.  Autumn was able to simply understand them and remember them by doing.  Many children are this way.  But, Sami's a different type of learner.  

Spelling Program Design
For this year, I’m going to start by using Eagle’s Wings 600 sight words. (this list is similar to the dolch lists or Fry's lists).   These are the most common sight words in the English language and make up the majority of what we read—and write.  So, it makes sense to start with these.  If these are mastered, then student can spend their time remembering and sounding out the more difficult words they wish to write.  After mastering these words, return to Spelling Power—making sure to teach the spelling rules associated with each list.
1.      
      Continue to Use Sniffen Weekly Spelling Plan—with modifications (revised activity list with more tactile/multi-sensory actitivities. 
a.        Monday: Pretest Word list
Sound out each word and segment the words into sounds.  Place each sound in a box on segmentation worksheet.
PLUS: Write words that are misspelled 3 times in sand, on magnadoodle, or on chalkboard.
b.      Tuesday: Spelling Power Spelling Sheet
c.       Wednesday:
1.       Make a worksheet with the misspelled words.  Have student circle the correctly spelled words. 
2.       Write down the spelling rule (paraphrased in mom’s word)
3.       Either:  sort words into categories and list or write words in alphabetical order.
d.      Thursday: Copy Spelling Rule on top of today’s activity sheet.  Choose a spelling activity from Spelling Activity Sheet.
e.      Friday: Post Test

If silent letters are an issue with any particular words, put a star above the silent letters when students practice the words on Tuesday.

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