Doubting how to spell basic words happens more often than you can imagine. Teachers and parents are faced with the fact that middle schoolers find spelling challenging. This can lead to low self-esteem and sometimes even bullying. Here are some innovative ways to help them improve their spelling skills quickly and easily!
1. Don’t miss out on the insightful article by Howard Miller "Innovation to Strategies" - A must-read.
What happens when students are writing and get stuck because they don’t know how to spell a word? Here is a great resource for educators and parents to understand the root problem.
Learn More: Research Gate
2. "Go Fish Anyone?”
Students create their own decks of Go Fish cards using grouped spelling patterns.
Students play the game by collecting the same spelling pattern such as words that end with “ought, augh, or eive.” It’s a splash of a way to review spelling.
Learn More: Read Write Think
3. Vocabulary increases spelling A-Z
Did you know that 70% of reading comprehension problems are due to a lack of vocabulary?
Get on board with this activity that can help your students with spelling exercises.
Improve spelling and reading comprehension all in one resource.
Learn More: Spelling City
4. Mnemonics to Improve your spelling
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If you use Mnemonics which helps your brain to decode and retain info in a simple way using images, sentences, or words you will be learning a great skill for life. This is a great activity for 8th grade.
I alone felt Eli’s loneliness
Have a piece of the pie.
Rhythm helps your two hips move.
Learn More: Though Co.
5. Roll the dice
A fun spelling activity for the class or at home. Letter dice can be so much fun and just by rolling the dice children can play in teams or individually these great games to improve spelling and word formation. Time to roll and learn.
Learn More: Averweij
6. Phonograms “Kan” improve spelling
Phonograms are letters or groups of letters that form sounds. Learners can “decode” words and focus on spelling by teaching their brains the right phonograms. Spelling and reading will be a piece of cake.
Not only will this kick start the spelling, but it is also perfect for primary grades.
Learn More: Study
7. The amazing advantages of letting middle schoolers become Rappers!
Have your middle schoolers rap their way into being great spellers. Kids love music, so why not let the juices flow where they can write their own tunes to improve their skills.
Let them practice their lines and watch them shine with Spelling Beats. They can become DJs and rappers to show off their raps in class and spelling issues will become a thing of the past!
This is a fun spelling activity they will love.
Learn More: Spelling Beats
8. The great wall of words!
Middle schoolers love doing class projects. A spelling wall with a list of spelling words is just what each classroom could use.
These are groups of words that are printed or written in a big font and can be easily seen from all points of the class or even displayed in the hall.
Learn More: Maneuvering The Middle
9. A good speller is a good reader!
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling opened up a new world to young readers and learning new words like beadily and exasperation made things a bit tricky. But, by getting your students hooked on excerpts of stories they will slowly become good spellers too. The magic of reading will bring the words to life and improves their reading skills.
Learn More: Scholastic
10. Become a Wizard at sight words
Middle school students should be learning approximately 400-500 new sight words per year.
Now, we read less and learning sight words has declined. Get back on track and help our middle schoolers with some super sight word activities that anyone can do at home or in the classroom.
Learn More: Study
11. Worksheet Game Time to improve Spelling
One of the best ways to improve our spelling is to use all different skills. With these hands-on activities, 6th-8th graders can practice these techniques daily while having fun.
From Hangman “High” to learning how to use Word Families to loads of spelling games both on and offline.
Learn More: The Butterfly Teacher
12. Spelling Games for Online Fun!
Take 5 and have a break playing some popular game online to improve your spelling. 6th - 8th graders will love these fun activities that can be played alone or in the classroom using a digital whiteboard. Great fun and a nice way to start or end the day.
Learn More: Pogo
13. Memory time
Get out your spelling list from 6th-8th and create your own flashcards. Test your family and friends to see how well they can spell off the spelling list. A fun way to encourage memory recall and retention. Spelling memory activities can increase brain power.
Learn More: Spelling Words Well
14. Write a rainbow
Get out your colorful highlighter and markers and write the prefixes and suffixes or the key letter groups that you are forgetting - highlighting them is a fantastic way of studying. Use Coloured paper to enhance your work.
Learn More: Teaching With A Mountain View
15. Song time
Music is a great tool and this is a spelling mistakes song that is great for 6th graders to help reinforce their skills.
Learn More: KidsTV123
16. Know your Dolch Words
75% of all the words used in children’s books come from DOLCH lists.
Find the list that corresponds to your child and play a variety of games like Sight Word Throw and Let’s go fishing. You can print flashcards and set phrases to work within a fun and entertaining way of doing spelling practice.
Learn More: Bested Lessons
17. The Morphs are invading!
Understanding Morphology can help to teach vocabulary.
Especially if you have the students color code the flashcards to help them learn.
Students really need to know how to dissect words inside and out.
Make some amazing flashcards and have fun.
Learn More: Keys To Literacy
18. Reach for the Stars
Middle school is the best age to really improve your spelling and become a spelling buff. With Spelling Stars, you can play games, get lists and have a blast while practicing your skills.
Learn More: Spelling Stars
19. Jabberwocky
Nonsense poems are great to help students relax a little while learning or revising phonetics and phonic instruction. The use of these silly words is very beneficial and effective in teaching decoding spelling patterns and sounds.
Learn More: Twinkl
20. Hungry for some Spelling Soup or feeling Flippity? Make your own game!
Make your own game for your classroom. Have the students create games using the templates from Flippity. These are colorful templates where you can make quizzes, trivia, or interactive worksheets to improve spelling.
Learn More: Flippity
18 Subject-Verb Agreement Activities for Middle School