Spelling detectives

Good morning teachers, 

Today I will show you an activity I did with 1st grade to learn spelling. The typical activities we do are: alphabet song, spelling words aloud, hangman game, etc. They are bored to do always the same ones, so this activity is a bit different and mysterious. 

I gave them the following grid where they could see the alphabet and how to spell each letter. 

I remind them the letters on the white line are the "name" of the alphabet letters. Once this was clear I said to them they had to solve a mystery. At this point all the class was attending and interested for the task. (It is really important how you present an activity that can make a great difference for its development and attitude towards it)

I gave them the following example and I explained they had to write the letters by reading the names below. 

They all found the secret message very quickly using the grid or just by memory. Once they finished I asked them to be detectives and to create their own secret message which it will be solved at the end of the class by their classmates. They also wanted to draw a clue. The result was this: 

When everybody had their secret messages I wrote them on the whiteboard and they had to solve them. They had fun, which is important, and they learnt spelling through playing to be detectives.

“Play is the beginning of knowledge.” - George Dorsey

Emma. 

Playing and spelling

Another spelling game which was successful was the one I am explaining today. As teachers we usually teach the alphabet through songs, which is a great resource and it perfectly works, but what happens when we ask our students to spell a word? They usually get stucked when they have to think about how to spell a specific letter, then they come back to the song until they find the letter and so they can spell it. The game I am explaining today it helps with that, it allows our students to learn to spell without bearing in mind the alphabet order. 

The game is really simple, it consists on finding the letters that the teacher will say. You can put all the flashcards around the classroom and so they have to stand up and find them. The game is really simple but if you add a story and some extra material you can make simplicity look like a very elaborated game. In order to make it different I used the flashcards that Hip Hop Hen shared with me. 

Then, you can start the game by telling an invented story which explains the reason about the existence of alphabet flies. For example, you can tell them these flies just exist in the alphabet town but they have run away. You can create a story according to your students and even connect it with other activities they are doing in the school. This will depend on your imagination and creativity. Once you have introduced the alphabet flies and you have your students attention, you can explain them that they will have to swap the flies that the teacher will say. For example, if the teacher says "A" everybody will have to find this fly and swap it. The first one to do it wins. You can add points or children can keep the flies they swap. This will give them a plus of motivation. 

While they are playing, they are learning to spell the letters. Maybe they won't know the letter "E" at the beginning but at the third time they perfectly know it. The fact they want to find it before the rest of their classmates makes them be more aware of how the letter is spell it. 

Now when I ask them to spell a word it's easier than it was before. 

Thank you very much Hip Hop Hen for sending me your flashcards!! They were really helpful. I recommend your webside and your tablet Apps for learning. ( http://hiphophen.com/ ) 

“Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning.” - Diane Ackerman

Emma.