Spelling

Directed Spelling Thinking Activity

Jerry Zutell (1996)  - The Directed Spelling Thinking Activity

Choose 2-4 word patterns to study and 12-20 words to match the word patterns.  You can use this DSTA planning sheet .  You can type in your patterns and words in the PDF but you have to print it out to keep a copy.

Pretest

The teacher asks students how they spelled individual words, what they were thinking when they spelled them, and why they spelled them that way.  The students decided which spelling they think is correct and then the teacher reveals the correct spelling.

Students can revise or change their spellings of words as the discussion continues and they begin to see patterns between words.

Word Sorts 

This is an activity that is done as a whole class.  At the end of the activity the class may develop spelling rules or generalizations.  

Word Hunting
Students find other words to add to the categories.

Practice

Test

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