ET 247

Wiki Assignment

Molly Carlson and Amy Vollmar

Teaching Vocabulary and Spelling through Spellingcity.com

Description:

Spellingcity is a website with the mission to help students learn classroom literacy using game-based programs with word lists created by classroom teachers. The website is divided into four parts for use: by students, teachers, parents and school districts. Spellingcity allows teachers to upload spelling or vocabulary lists, track student progress and differentiate instruction based on teacher-made groups. Parents are also able to add individual vocabulary and spelling lists based on their child’s needs. Students can log onto Spellingcity from school or at home and can choose between twenty-five different games and study tools to enhance their literacy learned in the classroom. Getting started video for students. Finally, school districts can accumulate district reports based on classroom and individual student reports.

How to Utilize Spellingcity (as a teacher):

Spellingcity.com/teachers-overview.html

Once teachers sign up for a free membership, they receive a class homepage where they can easily upload spelling or vocabulary lists. Teachers can individualize spelling and vocabulary based on the needs of the students. For example, Spellingcity accommodates ELL students, students with special needs, gifted and talented students as well as mainstream students. It is also available for all levels of instruction, from elementary school to highschool, as well as home-schooling. Spellingcity has thousands of pre-made lists of words, however teachers can also upload lists of weekly vocabulary and spelling words.Spellingcity also provides a “getting started” video for step-by-step instructions to become familiar with the website. There is also a premium edition which offers individual student log-ins, automated record-keeping, premium learning activities and more activities for a fee of $50 per year. Getting Started video.

Saving Vocabulary lists.

Submitting lists to Spellingcity is user friendly and can be completed quickly. Registered users have the ability to save lists to the website and share with their class.

Application to Teaching and Learning:

Match-It Sentences:

This activity asks students to fill in the blank of a sentence by matching the correct vocabulary word. In order to fulfill this task, students must understand the definition of the vocabulary word in order to be able to successfully complete a sentence. Once a vocabulary word has been matched to its sentence, both the word and the sentence turn a specific color in order to help students visually understand that the word and sentence have been used. When all words and sentences are matched, the student submits the activity and automatically receive a score. The students score is then transferred to the teacher’s homepage records for teacher, parent or district use. This activity would be helpful to younger or low-ability students because the options are continuously portrayed and the process of elimination can be used.

Which Word:

This activity portrays a definition and gives four options of vocabulary words below. Students are asked to read the definition and choose the correct vocabulary word out of the group of four. If the answer is correct, they are praised and able to move onto the next definition. If incorrect, they are given another chance to choose the correct vocabulary word. Once the entire activity is complete, the student receives a score and the score is transferred to the teacher’s homepage for teacher, parent and district records.

Sentence Unscramble:

This activity is recommended for higher-level or gifted and talented students. A vocabulary sentence is portrayed out of order, and students are asked to use their knowledge of the vocabulary to put the words of the sentence in the correct order. Students drag words down into the answer box, until they have used and placed every word. The program then tells the student if the sentence order is correct or incorrect. If correct, the student moves onto the next sentence. If incorrect, the student can ask for a hint to help solve the sentence order. This activity also helps auditory learners because the sentence is read out loud by a teacher recording once in the correct order.

Word-O-Rama:

This activity is structured like a game show and recommended for auditory learners because the instructions are recorded and play over the speakers. The student is asked to choose the correct vocabulary word once given the definition. After each correct question, the “game show host” adds points to the student’s playing total.