Intentional Spelling #4 - Analyze Errors and Correct them

8/21/2012

Metacognition

Metacognition: The ability to examine ones thought process or thinking about your own thinking

How can metacognition help students to become better spellers

As students use metacognition to think about their spelling mistakes they can use what they have learned to correct their mistakes and become more aware of the types of mistakes that they are making. Below is a spelling mistakes chart t

Spelling Mistakes Chart

Step 4 in Michelle Newlands Intentional Spelling (2011) is analyze errors and correct them. She used 5 different categories in her spelling error analysis chart: phonemic error, orthographic error, missed letters, insertions, and letter reversals. I've created my own spelling analysis chart but I've changed a few of the categories.

Vowels I misspelled - Under this column students will examine the the vowels that they've misspelled. They will examine the misspelling and the correct spelling and then will but the vowels correct spelling in the box. If the vowel is a diphthong they will put both letters in the box, even if they got one of the letters in the diphthong right.
Consonants I misspelled - Students will put the correct spelling of the consonants in the box. Again if the consonant is a diphthong or a blend they will put both letters in the box.
I missed a letter - The letter that was missed will go in the box.
I have too many letters - If there word has too many letters they will put a check-mark here.
My letters are in the wrong order - Students will write the letters that they reversed in the correct order
I had trouble adding the word ending - If students had trouble following the rules for adding word endings like (ing, ed, ful, etc.) they will write the word ending plus two letters in this box.

How to use the chart

After filling in all of the words and misspellings, students will add up the total of the misspelling at the bottom. For the Vowels and consonants misspelled students will examine the letters and determine if they are missing one vowel or consonant more than the others. For the rest of the columns students will count each instance of the type of mistake and put the total at the bottom. They then can analyze which type of mistake they are making the most of.

Once they have finished the chart I would have my students set a spelling goal to work on based on there chart. Once the goal has been set the teach and student can figure out different ways that they can work on their goal.