DIRECTIONS FOR SPELLING HOMEWORK
Your child will be bringing home a collection of spelling words weekly that
have been introduced in class. Each night of the week your child is
expected to do a different activity to ensure that these words and the
spelling principles that they represent are mastered. These activities have
been modeled and practiced in school, so your child can teach you how to do
them.
Monday: Have your child cut out the words and sort them into categories
like the ones we did in school. Your child can sort the words by visually
matching the spelling pattern. As each new word is sorted, practice reading
all the words in that column. Ask your child to explain how the words are
sorted. Have your child resort them a second time as fast as possible. You
can use a timer and make a game out of it.
Tuesday: Do a “Blind Sort.” Lay down the helper words from each category
as a header. Read the rest of the words aloud to your child. Your child
must point to which category the word goes in without seeing it. Lay it
down and let your child move it if he/she is wrong. Repeat the sort if your
child makes more than one error.
Wednesday: Assist your child in doing a “Word Hunt.” Your child will be
a “Word Detective” by looking for words in a book they have already read
that have the same sound or pattern. Try to find 2 or 3 words for each
category.
Thursday: Do a “Writing Sort” to prepare for the Friday test. As you call
out the words in random order your child should write them into categories.
Call out any word your child misspells a second or third time.
Thank you for your support. Together we can help your child make valuable
progress!
Words Their Way is a program based on the developmental ability of your
child.
Students learn phonics, spelling and vocabulary at their individual level.
Each week students will work on sorting words by letter patterns.
When the activities have been completed, the word sort will be sent home.
Have your child show you the word sort.
Keep the sorts in the special “Word Study” box.
Review sorts at home as needed.
WEEKLY DIRECTIONS FOR SORTING ACTIVITIES IN CLASS
Directions for Monday:
A NEW SORT
• You will receive your new sorts for the week. Look at the words.
• Highlight the beginning word for each sort.
• Color in the back of your sort with a crayon.
• Next, cut the words and place them in your plastic bag.
Directions for Tuesday:
PRACTICE SORTING
• Take your sorts out of your plastic bag.
• Arrange your words according to the sort.
• Next, write the sorts in your Word Study notebook.
• After you have written the words, check to see if you were correct.
Directions for Wednesday:
PARTNER SORTING
• Today you will be working with your spelling partner.
• One person needs to take out their words and place them face down on
the desk.
• Partner 1 will choose a word.
• Partner 1 will tell partner 2 the word, but don’t show it to them.
• Partner 2 will write the word in the correct column in the Word
Study notebook.
• Partner 1 will check to see if partner 2 spelled the word correctly
and placed the word in the correct column.
• Continue switching off until your teacher tells you to stop.
Directions for Thursday:
BE A SORTING DETECTIVE
• Take out your independent reading book.
• Look for words that contain your sorting pattern.
• List as many words containing your sort as you can find.
Directions for Friday:
TIME TO ASSESS
• Today is the day to assess what you have been working on all week.
• Using your word sort words test your partner.
• Choose 5 words for your partner to spell.
• After your partner has taken the test, you will become the teacher
and grade your partners work!
• If they misspelled a word, help your partner to fix it.
