Creating Learning Partners: A facilitator’s guide for training effective adult literacy tutors

Activity B

Relate memory strategies to spelling

This activity uses a handout on spelling and memory to build spelling-specific examples of how to memorize.

Use of handout, discussion
Materials and equipment Handout 8.5: Memory and Spelling Preparation Copy handout. STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS Give tutors the handout. Read each point on the handout and ask tutors to give an example of how the point relates to spelling. Following are some examples that you can use. Note that we identify the items below by the same letters as on the handout, so that they are easy to reference. Word families, in which the words all have parts that are spelled the same way, can be used to organize words according to patterns. Words for specific tasks can be grouped in themes, such as breakfast food words or a camping list. A word like giraffe might be easy to remember because of its unusual ending. Remind people of the unusual item on the tray. Words that relate to us and our interests will be easier to remember; for example, the spelling of vermilion is easier for artists or people who live in Vermilion. Spelling lists should be short (5 to 0 words usually). They can be longer if there are words that are spelled similarly. Remind tutors of how many items they remembered in the memory game and how they could remember similar items together. Remind tutors of one of the words they didn’t spell correctly from the list in the How do you learn to spell? activity. Learners should understand a word and have it in their oral vocabulary before they try to spell it. Building memory links in spelling can involve several processes: Coming across the word while reading will build familiarity. Talking about the word can activate oral memory. Finding similarities between words will help to link them. When you analyze words, logic can help make sense of them. For example, the word review can be analyzed as having two parts – the prefix re that means again in this word as it does in retell; and view, which follows the i before e rule. Knowing about the word helps, that is, understanding the meaning or being able to spell part of it already. The word edition is easier to figure out if you already know the various ways of spelling the ending. Active learners analyze their spelling errors and come up with ways to correct these errors. (An activity on this follows.)

Use of handout, discussion

Materials and equipment

Handout 8.5: Memory and Spelling

Preparation

Copy handout.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Give tutors the handout.
Read each point on the handout and ask tutors to give an example of how the point relates to spelling.
Following are some examples that you can use. Note that we identify the items below by the same letters as on the handout, so that they are easy to reference.
1. Word families, in which the words all have parts that are spelled the same way, can be used to organize words according to patterns. Words for specific tasks can be grouped in themes, such as breakfast food words or a camping list.
2. A word like giraffe might be easy to remember because of its unusual ending. Remind people of the unusual item on the tray.
3. Words that relate to us and our interests will be easier to remember; for example, the spelling of vermilion is easier for artists or people who live in Vermilion.
4. Spelling lists should be short (5 to 0 words usually). They can be longer if there are words that are spelled similarly. Remind tutors of how many items they remembered in the memory game and how they could remember similar items together.
5. Remind tutors of one of the words they didn’t spell correctly from the list in the How do you learn to spell? activity. Learners should understand a word and have it in their oral vocabulary before they try to spell it.
6. Building memory links in spelling can involve several processes:
  - Coming across the word while reading will build familiarity.
  - Talking about the word can activate oral memory.
  - Finding similarities between words will help to link them.
  - When you analyze words, logic can help make sense of them. For example, the word review can be analyzed as having two parts – the prefix re that means again in this word as it does in retell; and view, which follows the i before e rule.
7. Knowing about the word helps, that is, understanding the meaning or being able to spell part of it already. The word edition is easier to figure out if you already know the various ways of spelling the ending.
8. Active learners analyze their spelling errors and come up with ways to correct these errors. (An activity on this follows.)