Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Tuesday!

These kindergartners are getting bigger by the minute!  They are acting more and more like first-graders....well except for the tattling!  We sent handwriting homework home today ....should be crumpled up in the bottom of that back pack somewhere!  And we even did a SPELLING TEST today just for assessment purposes to use for oral language development.  I went to a wonderful class on Saturday to learn about the "Words Their Way" curriculum.  It was great!  The spelling research reveals five main points:
  • Our brains are pattern seekers
  • Most students use systematic spelling strategies that we can highlight and teach.
  • There are a number of strategies that good spellers unconsciously use (alphabet/letter-sound correspondence, within-word patterns and word meaning).
  • Learning is enhanced when students demonstrate an understanding of how something works rather than reciting facts.
  • Spelling is a developmental process like learning to Read and Write!
I will continue the class tomorrow....first and second grades are using this program already!

A quick peek at these wonderful, ever-energetic, kindergartners.....gotta love them!

2 comments:

Beth G. said...

The sound of learning is a beautiful sound indeed. I have noticed an amazing advance in spelling in our kindergartener in the past few weeks.

Candace said...

Oh those smiles! Graham and Eric - awww! Thanks for catching Clarkie's hammming it up too. I will keep these videos forever! They would be great fun to show at a high-school graduation party...