Spelling Tip

How exactly do you use the My Schoolhouse Spelling Tests?  Many people wonder how you use an online spelling test without speaking the words to the child.  Simple!  Each week the child prints out the spelling list for the appropriate grade level.  He or she then studies the word spellings and meanings.  It's very important that the child understand he or she must know the meaning of the word.  Why?  When the child takes the test, he or she will be given a list of sentences with blanks.  Each blank corresponds to one of the spelling words.  The child must read the sentence and determine what spelling word best fits the sentence.  He or she must then spell the word correctly.  Too difficult?  Not at all!  At first the child struggles with the concept of learning the words meanings and spellings, but after awhile, he or she gets the hang of it and becomes quite successful.

What makes this better than simply writing the word on a piece of paper after the teacher pronounces it?  The child not only learns the spelling of the word but also its meaning and usage on My Schoolhouse.

Give it a try, but don't give up too soon.  You might need to start with a lower level spelling list.   :)