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

Section 3 Spelling Techniques

This section introduces a variety of basic spelling techniques. There are many, many more and you may want to add some that have worked well for you. Only the first activity is a core activity; we recommend the others but if you have ones you’d prefer to use, that’s fine.

Activity A

Learn general spelling techniques

This activity introduces two techniques that are widely used. They aren’t the only spelling techniques by any means, but your tutors should know at least one of them. Choose which one you want to teach.

Option 1 Use of video, handout, practice
Why choose this option? Use this option to teach the Fernald-Keller technique. It is more useful than the See, Say and Spell technique in Option 2, for learners who need more of a tactile approach to spelling. Materials and equipment TV and VCR Video: Creating Learning Partners – Learn General Spelling Techniques Handout 8.6: Fernald-Keller Technique Letter-sized paper cut in half vertically A few dictionaries Tutors’ spelling lists from the How do you learn to spell activity or a few incorrectly spelled words of your choice Preparation Copy handout. Cue video. Familiarize yourself with the technique so you can demonstrate it if necessary. STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS Tell tutors that they will be practising this technique. Watch the video. Ask tutors to pull out their spelling list from the How do you learn to spell activity. Tell them to choose one word with which they had trouble to use for this exercise. You can also just give a few sample incorrectly spelled words and their correct versions. Give out handout. Go over the instructions. Point out the use of different senses. Work in pairs, with one person acting as the tutor and the other acting as the learner, to practise the technique.

Option 1 Use of video, handout, practice

Why choose this option?

Use this option to teach the Fernald-Keller technique. It is more useful than the See, Say and Spell technique in Option 2, for learners who need more of a tactile approach to spelling.

Materials and equipment

TV and VCR Video: Creating Learning Partners – Learn General Spelling Techniques
Handout 8.6: Fernald-Keller Technique
Letter-sized paper cut in half vertically
A few dictionaries
Tutors’ spelling lists from the How do you learn to spell activity or a few incorrectly spelled words of your choice

Preparation

Copy handout.
Cue video.
Familiarize yourself with the technique so you can demonstrate it if necessary.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Tell tutors that they will be practising this technique. Watch the video.
Ask tutors to pull out their spelling list from the How do you learn to spell activity. Tell them to choose one word with which they had trouble to use for this exercise. You can also just give a few sample incorrectly spelled words and their correct versions.
Give out handout. Go over the instructions. Point out the use of different senses.
Work in pairs, with one person acting as the tutor and the other acting as the learner, to practise the technique.