Our Houghton-Mifflin Spelling Program begins in October. Each Monday you will find the weekly list of spelling words in their red folders. During the week we will do many activities with these words at school. In addition, your child will need to review these words at home. Students must be able to spell and print the words correctly.Our spelling tests will be given each Friday. The letters must be formed correctly. Even if your child can verbally spell the words correctly, it is a good idea to have him/her practice writing the words, too.
If your child receives 100 % on their spelling pre-test, they will be given a challenge list to study for the week. They will also receive 100% in the grade book for that week's test, but will still be given a test on the challenge words (their grade on this test will not count towards their final grade). Once words are presented on a spelling list, these words are considered "sight words", and students are expected to correctly spell these words in their daily writing.
In addition to spelling, the students will also be writing a dictation sentence. Through dictation, the students become aware that reading and writing are interrelated. Dictation gives them a strategy for spelling words. As they learn that sounds and spellings are connected to form words and that words form sentences, the children begin to learn the standard spellings that will enable others to read their writing. Proofreading is an integral part of dictation, encouraging the students to look critically at their writing and giving them an early introduction to an essential part of the writing process.
