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/ Spelling Word Chain

Spelling Word Chain

Purpose

Phonemic awareness & spelling

Summary

The Spelling Word Chain drill helps learners to practice their spelling, reinforces target letter-sound patterns and also supports phonemic awareness. Spelling is a powerful lever for both reading and writing

Materials Needed

Spelling word chain drill with a list of words to spell.

Magnetic letters on a whiteboard, or the Spellcaster word mat, or just work directly onto a mini whiteboard or workbook.

How to deliver

  1. Set up your magnetic letters on a whiteboard (or use the Spellcaster word mat).
  2. You say the word and your learner will build the word.
  3. Say the next word and the learner will change the letter or letters that they need to change to make the next word.
  4. Continue doing this until you have completed the word chain.
Suggested script
"I am going to say a word and I want you to build it. Spell 'mat', turn 'mat' into 'sat', turn 'sat' into to 'set', turn 'set' into 'sent'."

Common Issues & Prompts

Issue: Learner leaves out a sound in the word

  • Do this: Ask the learner to finger spell the word, you can point as they go to see where they have missed a letter or letters.
  • Example: You ask the learner to turn ‘slow’ into ‘blow’, but they spell it ‘bow’. Say “Let’s finger spell the word ‘blow’”, support them to sound out the word and point to the sounds as they go. This usually surfaces the missing sound, have the learner add it. If they cannot figure it out, sound out the word for them and correct it.
  • Then: Move on to the next word.

Issue: Learner uses an incorrect but plausible spelling pattern.

  • Do this: Explain the correct spelling pattern used in this instance.
  • Example: The word is ‘snow’’ and the learner spells it ‘snoe’. Say, “In the word ‘snow’ we use o and w together to spell the /ō/ sound at the end.” (long-o).
  • Then: Support the learner to correct the word.

Additional Tips

  • If the learner is continuing to get the spelling patterns incorrect, they may need to be explicitly taught the patterns again, or have more exposure while reading words with the patterns.

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