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Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling
How does your 4th grade son study spelling



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mommy100




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 12:17 pm
My son has 20 words each week to study and only gets the words on Monday or Tuesday for Thursday. I asked the teacher and got a list of words for next few weeks but I still find it impossible to complete each week.
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vicki




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 12:24 pm
I've had several kids - boys and girls - in 4th grade and they all had spelling tests.
First I have the child visually review all the words until they think they are ready for a quiz.
Then they take out a piece of paper and I read off the words slowly one by one with a sentence. They write it down. I mix up the order.
I then mark it.
If they only got a few wrong I would go through this until they get them all right.

I would go through this again the next night.
I make it fun. I don't scold for errors.

For fun, I might spot check them through the evenings on the ones they seem to have trouble with.

Are they all hard or tricky words? My kids usually had a pretty good idea of how to spell the words before they appeared on the spelling list.
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sky




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 1:04 pm
My son really struggles with spelling. Unfortunately I think we need to start much more basic then the words he is getting in fourth grade, but don't want to bog him down with more work, I'm finding it hard to hit the balance.

I have my son practice the words on his own 3 times. Then I test him. It can sometimes take a long time. If I see he is really struggling with a word we will review the spelling rule, look at the root of the word, or just come up with a hint or trick.
I can't imagine starting more then a week in advance. I think 2 days in advance is enough. Otherwise it might just be too dragged out.
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mommy100




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 1:08 pm
I find that the words don't really follow a pattern like they did when I was in school. this week the words have short e but in every shape and form from gym, to middle, to deliver.

I start a week before so that I should only do three words a night but by the time we get to ten he is getting them all wrong again.

I feel like I am putting to much stress on him to get most of them right
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animeme




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 1:12 pm
Talk to the teacher. She can adapt things for him. For example, she might tell you he only needs to learn the first (often easier) ten words, or whichever ones she identifies. Then, during the test, he looks the same as everyone else but only writes down the words he studied. (He can try the others if he wants, but would only get extra credit- no points off for wrong).
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Stepmum




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 3:12 pm
Definitely talk to the teacher, if you feel it's too much. I'm a Year 4 teacher, and I send home 10 words but some children only have to learn the first 4 or 5.

One way you can test your son is by having him type the words on the computer. I find this makes it fun, and develops their typing skills. He can then see which words have a red squiggle underneath, and try correct them. Typing the correct spelling a few times also helps drum it in.

When my daughter comes home I take a photo of her spelling words, which means I can test her on a couple at random times. If you have a list, maybe stick it up in the kitchen, and whenever you pass it or sit down or a meal he tries to spell a couple.
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bigsis144




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 3:16 pm
Stepmum wrote:
Definitely talk to the teacher, if you feel it's too much. I'm a Year 4 teacher, and I send home 10 words but some children only have to learn the first 4 or 5.

One way you can test your son is by having him type the words on the computer. I find this makes it fun, and develops their typing skills. He can then see which words have a red squiggle underneath, and try correct them. Typing the correct spelling a few times also helps drum it in.

When my daughter comes home I take a photo of her spelling words, which means I can test her on a couple at random times. If you have a list, maybe stick it up in the kitchen, and whenever you pass it or sit down or a meal he tries to spell a couple.


Cute idea, but I remember having spelling tests on homophones or homonyms.

Even adults get things like there/their/they're or threw/through or peek/peak etc. wrong, and spellcheck won't flag it as wrong.
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Iymnok




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 3:30 pm
bigsis144 wrote:
Cute idea, but I remember having spelling tests on homophones or homonyms.

Even adults get things like there/their/they're or threw/through or peek/peak etc. wrong, and spellcheck won't flag it as wrong.

Yeah, just look at this forum! LOL
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precious




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 3:49 pm
A great way to study spelling words is to have him fold a paper a few times vertically. Then he should write the words down accurately on one side of a paper. Fold the words back so he can't see them. Let him peek to know which word he's up to, then write it from memory. Then he can compare the two words and see what was wrong. Then fold the paper back and try again. Repeat until words are spelled correctly.
This works well because HE is checking and correcting mistakes on his own, and he will notice the small mistakes.
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amother
Cobalt


 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 5:11 pm
An aside. If he is getting discouraged, feel free to tell him that you know someone (me) who's father was senior enough in a government legal department to write an entire manual of laws and supervise tens of employees and managers, and he still came home and asked us how to spell "three."
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Maya




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 5:42 pm
This is my 4th grade son's teacher's system for spelling:

On Monday they bring home a sheet of twenty words, and the kids rewrite each word twice.
Tuesday they study using an interactive program on the computer.
Wednesday they write sentences using at least ten of the words.
Thursday they again study using the interactive program
Friday is the test.

Does your son's school utilize any technology to help the kids? I find the computer games and apps used by my son's teachers help the kids tremendously. Perhaps it would be beneficial for you to look into which apps are helpful for studying spelling words. Most of them should be geared for parents also and are easy to use.

Good luck. My son's biggest struggle is spelling.
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cbg




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 7:22 pm
You can try splitting the word into syllables. For example if the word is
JUSTIFIED, jus-ti-fied. He will probably be able to spell jus and ti on his own, so now he knows he only needs to concentrate on the fied part.
Not as overwhelming.
OVERWHELMING o-ver-whel-ming. The hardest part is the h in whel.
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mommy100




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 8:22 pm
Thanks for all your suggestions. My son is on a chasiddish School so there is no technology allowed or used. Imam currently using the method of breaking down words to syllables nut he keeps mixing up e and I o and u so it is not really helping.
I don't want to approach the teacher cause I feel, like if I do it now my son will see he doesn't have to try and can get away with anything that doesn't come easily.
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imasinger




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 8:28 pm
I think 20 words are too many. 10 makes more sense.

Other fun ways that my DS has used (yay for his awesome teachers!) You can do all of these at home.

Word find puzzles
You make silly sentences, leaving a blank for him to fill in the appropriate spelling word.
Do an alphabet bar graph (on graph paper) and chart the words. (Color in one box of the column for A, 2 boxes for B, etc.)
Refrigerator game. Put the spelling list on the fridge, and any time someone opens it, he has to spell one word.
Put difficult words to music, or look for a mnemonic (memory trick).
Look online for ways to remember challenging words.
Make alphabet soup, and try to find spelling words. Talk about which letters are missing.
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Maya




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 8:31 pm
My son has difficulty with short a and e sounds, the result of speaking a Chassidish English for nine years. I have to emphasize the correct use of the vowel in the pronunciation of the word, and then he usually gets it.

Maybe make a trip to Barnes and Noble and see if they have workbooks to help in spelling. We did some of those and they were somewhat helpful.
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12rivkyk34




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2015, 8:35 pm
I understand that you don't want your son to have an easy way out but if you're studying 3 words a night and he's getting them wrong when you get to 10 words that means he's not a good speller.
If you want to improve his spelling the 1st thing to do cut down on the amount of words. Monday night write over all the words & test him on the first 5. Tuesday night write over all the words and test on the next 5. Wednesday night write over the words & test on all 10. Any word he got wrong, write correctly again 3x without looking.
When our children are in schools without great English departments we sometimes get carried away with teaching our child the curriculum- & that's great But you should still understand that your son is struggling & you don't want to frustrate him to give up. Rather let him taste success & he will start spelling 10 words a week correctly. This will have a positive impact on his spelling in general. If not, there's always spell check Smile
As an aside- let him read a lot- it improves spelling.
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oohlala




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 18 2015, 8:09 am
Ask the teacher to modify. But here is a multi-sensory strategy for spelling:

    Look at the word
    say the word out loud
    name the letter out loud
    cover the word and write the word without looking
    check to see if you got it right
    right the word again correctly (even if you got it right)


You can use this method using a three column paper or dry-erase board. writing is better than typing, because the action of writing the word itself helps memory.
Hope this helps!
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oohlala




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 18 2015, 8:09 am
I meant "name the letters out loud" not "letter." sorry
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GetReal




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 18 2015, 10:14 am
My oldest is in third and his teacher tried twenty words, but within a few weeks cut it back to ten, thankfully. They have this sheet with columns, and they write the words in pencil in the first column, marker in the second and I think pen in the third. They also write the words backwards. I'm not sure how that helps though. At home I hang them in the kitchen and review a few words with the kids each day at breakfast and supper.
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