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

Section 5 Planning for Spelling

The tutors will practise planning a spelling segment for a lesson and build their confidence in their ability to tutor spelling.

Activity A

Plan mini spelling session

Discussion using handouts, practice
Materials and equipment Handout 8.14: Choosing Spelling Words Handout 8.10: Spelling and Sensory Learning Styles (3 pages), if you did not already give to tutors Handout 8.11: Spelling Case Study (2 pages) (tutors already have this from the earlier activity) Handout 8.15: A Few Useful Spelling Rules Handout 8.16: 100 Most Often Misspelled Words Handout 8.17: Profiles of Learners and Their Writing Samples (8 pages) Optional: learner profiles and writing samples that you have the learners’ permission to use Optional: diagnostic spelling tests from your own program Preparation Copy handouts. The tutors should already have copies of Spelling Case Study. You may want to use learner profiles, writing samples and diagnostic spelling tests from your own program with your learners’ permission. Review the handouts so that you can share ideas. Make sure you know the spelling mistakes in the writing samples. STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS Look at the handout Choosing Spelling Words. Point out the aspects that lead to active learning, such as using words that are useful for the learner, using words that the learner can already almost spell, using words that are based on the learner’s common errors and using words that the learner has asked to learn. Hand out Spelling and Sensory Learning Styles (if tutors don’t already have it), A Few Useful Spelling Rules and 100 Most Often Misspelled Words. If you haven’t done the Using learning styles to teach spelling optional activity, (Section 3, Activity D) take time to go over the categories listed and give tutors time to read the information. Also allow them time to look at the handouts A Few Useful Spelling Rules and 100 Most Often Misspelled Words.

Discussion using handouts, practice

Materials and equipment

Handout 8.14: Choosing Spelling Words
Handout 8.10: Spelling and Sensory Learning Styles (3 pages), if you did not already give to tutors
Handout 8.11: Spelling Case Study (2 pages) (tutors already have this from the earlier activity)
Handout 8.15: A Few Useful Spelling Rules
Handout 8.16: 100 Most Often Misspelled Words
Handout 8.17: Profiles of Learners and Their Writing Samples (8 pages)
Optional: learner profiles and writing samples that you have the learners’ permission to use Optional: diagnostic spelling tests from your own program

Preparation

Copy handouts.
The tutors should already have copies of Spelling Case Study.
You may want to use learner profiles, writing samples and diagnostic spelling tests from your own program with your learners’ permission.
Review the handouts so that you can share ideas. Make sure you know the spelling mistakes in the writing samples.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

Look at the handout Choosing Spelling Words. Point out the aspects that lead to active learning, such as using words that are useful for the learner, using words that the learner can already almost spell, using words that are based on the learner’s common errors and using words that the learner has asked to learn.
Hand out Spelling and Sensory Learning Styles (if tutors don’t already have it), A Few Useful Spelling Rules and 100 Most Often Misspelled Words. If you haven’t done the Using learning styles to teach spelling optional activity, (Section 3, Activity D) take time to go over the categories listed and give tutors time to read the information. Also allow them time to look at the handouts A Few Useful Spelling Rules and 100 Most Often Misspelled Words.