kdd+journal+2

Journal Assessment #2:

As the students in this first grade class are continuously learning how to read and spell, the students work on spelling almost everyday. The students are given words that they practice writing on their individual dry erase boards each day as well as given a sentence to them. Each day the teacher repeats the words and has the students write them down. During the week the words are kept up and the students can copy them but are gradually supposed to be memorizing them as the week goes on. Most of the words used are tricky words that cannot be sounded out and students just have to take the time to memorize. The way the teacher assesses these students with spelling is at the end of the week the students are given a spelling quiz on those specific words that they have been working on all week. The words that are usually written on the board are taking down and the students gives them a word, a sentence for that word, and then repeats that word again. The students do the best they can at writing the word and at the end the teacher collects each of their papers. A few children in this specific classroom have IEP’s and at the time of the spelling test a few of those students work with their aid on different words or take the quiz with the class as well, depending on what their individual needs are. This is an effective way of assessing the students on spelling because some of the words they just have to take the time to memorize and cannot simply sound out. It is difficult to teach students words that have “exceptional rules” when spelling so by working throughout the entire week and hopefully at home as well these words can begin to stick.