Families have been asking for more dedicated support in spelling, and we’re thrilled to bring this to life. As educators, we know spelling is rarely taught in isolation; it often works best when paired with reading and phonics instruction. Still, families want focused practice to help their children build stronger spelling habits, boost confidence, and feel successful in their writing.
Who can teach Spelling?
- Available for Pre-K to 5th grade only.
- If you currently teach Reading, you’ll automatically be opted in to offer Spelling as well. No action is needed on your end! 🎉
Spelling Trial Assessment
During the trial session, you’ll:
- Use the Spelling Trial Slide Deck to guide activities and questions that uncover the student’s spelling strengths and areas for growth.
- Conduct a warm meet-and-greet to connect with the student (and/or their family) and learn more about their spelling challenges, confidence with words, and learning preferences.
- Observe how the student approaches spelling tasks. This could include identifying patterns, sounding out words, using sight words, or attempting grade-level spelling lists.
- Start building rapport while noting strengths, gaps, and focus areas that will guide your instruction in future classes.
- Keep it flexible. The trial is designed to meet the student where they are—whether that means practicing specific word lists, integrating phonics strategies, or combining spelling with reading and writing support.
Pacing Guide for Weekly Spelling Classes
Here’s a simple structure you can use to keep spelling lessons effective and fun:
- Introductions: Welcome your student back and get them warmed up for learning.
- Goal Review: Quickly review the spelling goals you’re working on. This might be tricky word patterns, sight words, or grade-level lists.
- Main Lesson: Dive into activities to build spelling skills. This could include word sorts, spelling games, phonics practice, or applying new words in writing.
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Wrap Up: Review today’s goals, celebrate progress 🎉, and preview what you’ll focus on next class.
FAQ
Q: Who can I tutor in Spelling?
A: You can tutor students in Pre-K through 5th grade. These are the only grade levels where Spelling is currently offered.
Q: Do I need to sign up to teach Spelling?
A: Nope! 🎉 If you already tutor Reading, you’ve been automatically opted in to offer Spelling. If you’d prefer not to teach Spelling at this time, you can easily opt out anytime through your online dashboard.
Q: What’s the goal of a Spelling trial session?
A: To identify the student’s current spelling skills, uncover tricky areas (like word patterns or sight words), and begin creating a plan to help them build confidence and accuracy.
Q: How is spelling different from Reading?
A: While reading focuses on comprehension, fluency, and decoding, Spelling provides structured practice with word patterns, phonics rules, and sight words. They go hand-in-hand! Many families ask for Spelling as a standalone subject, but in practice, it often connects directly back to Reading instruction.
Q: Do I need to use a specific spelling curriculum?
A: No required curriculum. Use your expertise to guide instruction! Most often, Spelling will be reinforced through a Reading-based curriculum or phonics strategies. You can also bring in word lists, spelling games, dictation, and other activities to keep practice engaging and targeted to each student’s needs.
Q: Do I need to set goals for Spelling students?
A: Yes! Clear, personalized goals keep sessions focused and show progress to families. Examples:
- “Master spelling short and long vowel patterns.”
- “Correctly spell 20 new high-frequency words by the end of the month.”
- “Apply spelling rules when writing complete sentences.”
Q: How do I know if I’m qualified to tutor Spelling?
A: If you’re already comfortable teaching Reading, you’re more than ready for Spelling! Strong literacy instruction skills, especially in phonics, word study, and sight words, make you well-prepared to support learners.
More questions? Email our team at: tutoring-support@classdojo.com