Two General Methods of Teaching Spelling Spelling in the Primary Grades Spelling in the Intermediate Grades

1. The Teaching of Spelling
Two General Methods of Teaching Spelling
1. Study-test Method: this is generally used in
the second, third and fourth grades.
2. Test-study Method: this is used in Grades IV
and up. The Horn method of spelling falls under
this procedure.

2. Spelling in the Primary Grades.
In the first grade, there should be no formal
teaching of spelling but pupils have experiences
daily that develop along with oral language,
reading and writing. In Grade One, spelling
activity takes the form of writing words as a
whole; that is merely pronouncing the whole
word and writing it.

3. Spelling in the Primary Grades.
In Grade Two to Four, the following activities
are observed in teaching spelling -look, spell,
check, write, check. The steps are summarized as
follows:

4. 1. Presentation and pronunciation - The teacher
presents and writes the word on the blackboard
and pronounces it. In this step the pupils are told
to look and listen or hear.

5. 2. Imaginary-seeing and saying the word,
syllable by syllable and spelling it. - In this step
the pupils are instructed to create a mental image
of the word and then told to look away and spell
the word. This may be done in group or
individually.

6. 3. Recall - closing eyes, spelling, checking for
correctness - Here the pupils close their eyes and
spell the word. Pupils open their eyes and check
their spelling with the word on the blackboard.

7. 4. Writing the word and checking for
correctness - Pupils are instructed to write
the word and then to check their work
with the model on the blackboard.

8. 5. Mastery - writing and checking or repeating
the entire process until the word is mastered -
Pupils are instructed to write the word again
without looking at the model and then compare
or check with the model what he has written.
This should be done several times under the
guidance of the teacher.

9. Spelling in the Intermediate
Grades
In Grades V or VI or inCD the
intermediate grades, the teacher can
substitute the pre-test techniques, or the
study test method. At the beginning of the
week, give a pre-test of all words of the
week. Test in list form, first saying the word,
then using it in a sentence, and finally
repeating the word. The pupils check their
copy with the correct list.

10. The next lesson consists of individual study;
each pupil works on his own needs, but still uses
the basic method - study, write, and compare. In
this lesson the teacher can call the attention of
the entire class to the words that are especially
difficult, and then work individually with those
pupils who need the most help.

11. At the end of the week, a retest on the same list
used during pre-test is given. In the intermediate
grades, pupils can be taught spelling rules, how
to analyze types of error, and above all, how to
use the dictionary.

12. The test study method or Horn method is
generally used in teaching spelling in the
intermediate grades. This method involves the
following steps:

13. 1. The teacher writes the word on the blackboard
and pronounces it distinctly.
2. The teacher calls on individual to do the same.
3. The teachers asks two or more pupils to use
the words in a sentences.

14. 4. The teacher underlines each syllable without
breaking it from each other syllables.
5. Pupils' attention is called to the difficult part
or parts of the word.
6. Individual pupils are called to spell the word
orally and correctly.

15. 7. The pupils write the word once
and compare it with the model on the
board.
8. All the pupils write the word
several times, comparing or checking
each time with the model.