BUSY SPELLING BEES

My goal this year is to increase the results of the Six Year Net Writing data.  So this term I have introduced a spelling aspect to our week.  Six words are sent home on Monday, for children to learn in time for a Friday test.  To encourage up-take on this new initiative, I made each child a bee with their own face on it.  When all the six words have been spelled correctly, students can move their bee to a flower.  There are ten flowers, taking the ‘bees’ to the hive.  We’ve had four weeks of tests, and at present, three students have had their bees move each week and are on track to make the hive by the end of the term.  A couple of students were absent for a few days, so either didn’t get the new words, have enough time to learn the words, or weren’t there on Friday to be tested.  There are a few students who are still learning to ID letters of the alphabet.  In order for these children to experience success, and get to move their bee, they do not have words to spell, but rather, have letters to learn to ID and write.  Only one child hasn’t moved from the starting point, and I am now working with his mum to ensure he’s going to make some progress.  This Busy Bee spelling test that I’m doing seems to be working well.  Children are increasing in their writing of HFW, and, if all goes well – but the time they have their six-year-net, they’ll be able to spell at least fifty words!

I still need to implement some music/singing into our learning of HFW, and will come up with a plan before long (hopefully).