Make Spelling Tests Fun!

The trick to success on the weekly spelling test? Don't wait until Thursday night! Here are some tried and true tricks of the trade that I use in my classroom--and you can use at home.

One sheet of coarse sandpaper

Paper and writing tool of your child’s choice (pencil, pen, marker, etc.)

What You Do:

Monday: When your child brings his spelling list home (after some “down” time), say each word and ask him to spell it. Make no verbal comment about correct spellings or errors. Simply put a tiny check mark beside the misspelled words. At the end, tell your child how many he spelled correctly, and then look at the troublesome ones. Talk about the misspelled word and together look for clues that will help your child remember the correct spelling (for example, rhyme it with a known word, spell by syllables, etc.). Next, ask your child to “write” the word, using only his finger, on sandpaper. This process, known as the kinesthetic approach, helps kids more easily visualize a word. Finally, have your child write the word just once on paper. Move on to the next word.

Tuesday: Have your child do a fun art project with his spelling words: create a blank comic strip and use each spelling word on the list in one of the boxes. Could each spelling word be its own character? Or maybe the characters your child creates use the words in speech boxes? Encourage your child to have fun and be creative, just make sure to spell those words right!