A few days ago
Mina

Helping middle school students with spelling?

I teach 7th grade language arts and we are working on our writing skills right now. I’ve noticed from the beginning of the year in my students’ writing that they make a lot of spelling errors. I have not had such a problem with 7th graders before. I do have a large ESL population, but most of them have been mainstreamed and are no longer in the program. My friend that teaches high school says her students are horrible spellers, and I just don’t want my kids to have the problem.

The spelling activities that I have looked up are geared towards elementary, but I haven’t found anything focused on middle school. Do you know of any specific activities geared towards 7th graders, or a website that I can check out? Any help is appreciated.

Top 2 Answers
A few days ago
busymom

Favorite Answer

Grammar-writing.

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/index.htm

http://www.zozanga.com/

Spelling.

http://www.splashesfromtheriver.com/spelling/courseoutline.htm

I would also look into a program called Wordly Wise 3000.

These books are about $8.00 to $ 10.00; each student could get one on their own level, and you could recommend that the parents get them for their children to help them, since the schools probably will not.

The workbooks are great, and a students vocabulary, spelling, and comprehension will grow significantly.

If a student is not very proficient in spelling, or vocabulary start at least 2 grades below their current grade level; 7th grade would translate into book 3, maybe 4.

A good teacher does not need the teachers packet, the answer keys will do. ($2.00 to $3.00 each).

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?Ntk=keywords&Ntt=wordly+wise+3000&action=Search&N=0&Ne=0&event=ESRCN&nav_search=1&cms=1&Go.x=20&Go.y=14

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A few days ago
Anonymous
As anyone who has looked at the issue closely knows, often English spelling does not make a lot of sense, which is one of the reasons kids have so much trouble with it. There are many exceptions to all the rules. My advice would be to focus on lists of the 100 most frequently used words, and the most frequently misspelled words.

Seventh graders are probably old enough to enjoy this poem:

When the English tongue we speak

Why is break not rhymed with freak?

Will you tell me why it’s true

We say sew, but likewise few?

And the maker of a verse,

Cannot rhyme his horse with worse?

Beard is not the same as heard,

Cord is different from word,

Cow is cow, but low is low,

Shoe is never rhymed with foe.

Think of hose and dose and lose,

And think of goose and yet of choose,

Think of comb and tomb and bomb,

Doll and roll and home and some.

And since pay is rhymed with say,

Why not paid with said I pray?

Think of blood and food and good;

Mould is not pronounced like could.

Wherefore done, but gone and lone –

Is there any reason known?

To sum up all, it seems to me

Sounds and letters don’t agree.

Here are a few sites that may help you. Best of luck with it.

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