Ideas for Spelling Games
Writing each spelling word three times, using them in a sentence and reciting them out loud are time-honored ways of learning how to spell. Why not liven your spelling lessons by including some spelling games? Spelling games are a fun, interactive way for your students to learn their spelling words, and they are usually more interesting and effective than repeatedly writing the spelling words.
-
Spelling Relays
-
Divide your class into two or three groups, or have them play this game at their desks if they are already seated in rows. Have the first person in each row come up to the board. Then, say the spelling word. The first person to spell the word correctly on the board wins a point for the team. Continue until everyone in each group has had a turn or two, depending on your preferences. The group with the most points wins.
Spelling Puzzles
-
Instead of the usual spelling worksheet, create a spelling puzzle. Make a word search or crossword puzzle out of the spelling words. You can do this using graph paper or use on online tool to create it for you such as Puzzlemaker. Give a prize to every student who finds all of the words in the allotted time, or let the students work in pairs to solve the puzzles and have a race to see which team is first to finish.
Spelling Bees
-
Have a friendly competition in the classroom by hosting a spelling bee. Have each child spell the word in the traditional manner or make it more of a game by having each child spell only one letter of the word in order. For example, if the word is "treasure," the first child would say "t," the second child would say "r," and so forth. When a child says the wrong letter, he or she is "out" and must sit down.
Creating Words
-
Instead of writing the spelling words, have the students make them using different materials. Such materials can include playdough, popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, beans, cotton balls or anything else you can think of. Divide the students into small groups and see which team can create legible spelling words the fastest.
Missing Words
-
Ask the students to put on their "thinking caps" and become spelling detectives. Write the list of spelling words on the board and have the children study them. Then, ask the students to close their eyes (heads down and no peeking). While they are not looking, quickly erase one or more of the words. When the students look up, ask if anyone can identify and properly spell the missing word or words.
-
