I have used these differentiated worksheets in many different ways in the classroom. They are particularly useful if you work in a multi-grade setting or have a wide range of abilities in your class, as there are 5 of each worksheet included.
I really like using these to reinforce vocabulary for the theme of 'Mé Féin' and I have doubled it up to use them for their spellings also. I usually make a 'Litriú Workbook' and the children add these pages to it each week.
Rather than just learn to spell individual words, I feel it is important that the children can use the word in context so the sheets allow the children to use the vocabulary in sentences. It also connects all three strands of reading, writing and oral language.
I have used these in station teaching groups and again the children can use a sheet that suits their ability. I have also used them as a form of assessment of learning.
Included in the bundle are:
-4 subthemes of 'Mé Féin' (aois, Mo Chorp, Mothúcháin and Mé Féin (gruaig/súile)
-5 differentiated worksheets in each (20 sheets in total)
Simply click on the image below if you would like to be redirected to the resource!
Earlier this school year, I had a post on some ways I approach spellings with my students. Here is an overview of how I have worked on improving spellings with the children.
I started by asking the children to do a free writing sample (can be based on any topic) to ascertain their spelling strengths and weaknesses. I also assessed their knowledge of how to spell the 72 tricky words from the Jolly Phonics programme.
Following this, I made a list of their spelling strengths so that we wouldn't waste valuable time on spellings they already knew. Instead we focused on any tricky words they didn't know. Following this, we began Brendan Culligan's Corewords List, using dictation sentences.
Each week thechildren also choose 1 or 2 words they want to learn to spell themselves, giving them ownership of their learning. Over a 5 week period, one child learned how to spell supercalifragilisticexpialidocious by segmenting it into manageable chunks!
Strategies we use throughout the week include:
A sample worksheet using some strategies
magnetic letters
finding letter strings
finding words within the word
using mnemonics to remember the word
dictation (using the spellings in context)
making their own sentences
writing in sand
tracing on their palm or on another child's back
One of their favourites!
These posters are used as prompts for the children and they are also encouraged to come up with their own strategies to remember words. This is an example of what one student did to remember her cousin's name, without any prompt from me! (Isla: I see lego apples!)
Other resources that I find very useful are:
Commoncoresheets.com
This offers many types of individualised worksheets for your students to practice their spellings.
This year some of the classes are following an individual spelling programme. It will be based on unknown basic sight words, Brendan Culligan's corewords and the children's own personal choices. These are the blank copies that we use to record their spellings each week.
To
help with their spellings, I created these spelling boxes for them to
practice. They are made from old biscuit tins. The base contains play
sand and the lid holds the magnetic letters. They can be stacked and
stored easily when we are finished by popping the lid back on.
The children love them and are keen to use them each day!
Other strategies we use are:
spelling out loud as they trace the letters on their hand
writing on the whiteboards as they spell them
writing a word on another child's back and they have to guess which word it is!
Feel free to comment below with other spelling suggestions.
