Stars of Success Spelling - Book 1

ESSENTIAL PREREQUISITE SKILL MASTERY:

• Reading Hook Series 1 and/or 
• Special Offspring Beginning Readers Series 1 

Spelling Book 1 

Frequently, developmentally delayed children are assigned spelling words they can not read. Reading a word is a prerequisite skill to spelling a word. All Stars of Success Spelling Book 1 words are sight words previously mastered in the Reading Hook Series 1 and/or the Beginning Sight Word Readers Series 1. Not only can students successfully recognize and read each spelling list word prior to spelling demands, but they can also read every word in each of the student spelling lessons. Each word list corresponds directly to the sequence of sight word presentation in the Reading Hook Series 1 and/or the Beginning Sight Word Readers Series 1. Each list identifies the specific readers in which list words are located. Integration of all curricular materials is an educational imperative for the most successful remediation of known long-term and short-term memory deficits, an inability to transfer mastered skills to new and different settings, as well as delays in concept development.

SPECIAL NOTE:  The four activity pages offering spelling practice are a component of the learning state.  Errors are expected.  The goal is to move the child closer to mastery while maintaining a successful learning environment.  During skill acquisition, phrases such as "No, that's wrong," "That's not right," and "Not that way," should never be used.  If the student does not recall the correct spelling, acknowledge all effort with one word, "Good."  Simply correct, remodel, and continue.  The Volume Mastery Tests and Cumulative Word Mastery Tests are the only evaluation tools for determining skill attainment.  Errors are documented to aid in planning future reteaching.  Positive reinforcement should be provided for all student successes.  Focus on the positive!

Activity 1: Read, Spell, Check and Correct

This page is used for the initial practice of each spelling word.  For each of the three practice trials, ask the student to (Use exact wording):

Step 1 - Read the word.

Step 2 - Say the letters that spell the word.

Step 3 - Write the letters that spell the word.

Step 4 - Read the word.

Step 5 - Check your work.  Ask "Does the word you wrote look like the model beside the number?  If not, fix it."  (This step is critical!  Children need to learn to self-correct.  Errors learned and practiced are very             difficult to correct.)

For students who are strong visual learners, weaker auditory skills can be improved by tape recording lessons which require auditory attention and independent study skills.

Activity 2: Visual Memory/Visual Discrimination

Configuration pages help students visualize word construction . Word configuration boxes aid visual imprinting of the shape and order of the letters in a word to improve visual memory. At the bottom of each page, a variety of visual discrimination activities are provided. These activities range from gross discrimination, i.e. various differences in word formation ( I, man) to finer discrimination, i.e. words that are similar in formation (if, it). These exercises require an increase in student attention to individual word characteristics, thereby reducing the frequency of student errors. All word choices provided are sight words previously mastered in Reading Hook Series 1 and/or Beginning Readers Series 1. Students will recognize and be able to read all sections.

Special Note: Visual discrimination skills may be emerging. This section may require teacher direction until independent completion is appropriate. The teacher may need to:

Step 1 - Read choices offered.

Step 2 - State, "Read the two words. Circle the word I say."

Activity 3: Word Meaning/Word Usage

Sentences have been generated exclusively from previously mastered sight words. Completion of this page provides a third opportunity for spelling practice while demonstrating an understanding of word meanings. It is important that each student be taught how to test each word choice in the sentence when selecting the correct answer. For each sentence, ask student to:

Step 1 - Read the sentence. Say "blank" for the blank presented. Finish reading the sentence.

Step 2 - Read the sentence filling in the blank with the first word choice. Ask, "Does the word make sense in the sentence?"

Step 3 - Read the sentence filling in the blank with the second word choice. Ask, "Does the word make sense in the sentence?"

Step 4 - Read the sentence. Say, "Select the correct word to finish the sentence." Ask the student, "Say each letter that spells the word as you write it on the lines."Teach Steps 1-4 until student can conplete each             step automatically.

Activity 4: Spelling Practice

The initial presentation and practice of list words occurs in Activity 1. THe first direction states, "Trace." This is an important direction. Tracing is the student's first experience with the feel of the order and shape of the letters in a word. The second column says, "Practice." The visual model has been diminished requiring the student increase attention to the order and shape of the letters. Finally, the student is asked for independent recall of the letters that spell the word. Teach everything every way it can be taught, using as many senses as possible.

with the successful completion of Activities 1 - 3, Spelling Practice in Activity 4 requires an increase in memory performance of the learner. Tracing with a diminished model cues the student's recall for practice without a model and then from memory alone. At the bottom of the page, the directions say, "Read." Integration of skills is essential in providing ongoing remediation for known deficits in long-term and short-term memory, transferring a learned skill to a new and different setting, as well as concept development.

Spelling List

Each spelling list is printed in triplicate. Individual copies are available for use in the learning center, regular classroom and home. Directions for daily practice are printed on the reverse side of each list.

Each list contains lines for memory words.  This section affords additional practice for unmastered words or words dropped from memory.  Memory words for individual students are determined by weekly, volume and cumulative mastery evaluations.

Each list corresponds to the sequence of word presentation in Reading Hook Series 1 and/or Beginning Sight Word Readers Series 1.  Integration of spelling skills with previously mastered reading skills provides distributed practice for known memory deficits.

Sentences for Dictation

Sentences for dictation are invaluable in enhancing auditory skills, word usage, sentence development and memory skills.  There is one dictation sentence for each spelling list.  Dictation sentences have been created exclusively from sight words mastered in Reading Hook Series 1 and/or Beginning Sight Word Readers Series 1.  Because some children may experience low muscle tone and/or spatial relationship deficiencies, lines for sentence dictation have been provided on the testing forms.  Dictation sentence creation, length and implementation will be determined by the individual needs of each student.

 Steps for Presentation  (Pencils should be down.)

1. As students to listen to the complete sentence as you read it.
2. Ask students to repeat the sentence aloud.
3. State sentences in short phrases, repeating each phrase one time clearly.

When developmentally appropriate, i.e., mastery of small muscle skills required for handwriting have been attained, continue with the following steps:

1. Have students repeat the sentence or phrase.
2. Wait as students pick up pencil and write the phrase.
3. Check work.  When students have written the complete sentence, read it again, having students touch each word as you say it.

SPECIAL NOTE:  Mastery of list word spelling is the target skill.  The performance skill, handwriting, remains in the learning phase and should not interfere with spelling practice and evaluation.

Weekly Test Forms

Weekly Tests contain lines for the 5 main spelling words, any extra list words, two memory words you may have assigned and for one dictation sentence.

Volume Review Test Forms

Volume Review Test Forms provide lines for the 10 spelling review words, plus three extra sets of lines for additional list words.

Cumulative Word Mastery Test Forms

Cumulative Word Mastery Forms are included to provide distributed practice (on-going practice over a long period of time) for all words presented to date.  These exercises are not a spelling evaluation instrument.  Maintenance of spelling skills has been measured previously in volume review.  THis tool will identify unmastered/challenging sight words (word recognition) and will afford opportunities to plan for additional review and practice.

Individual Spelling Record

Each student record reflects the date, spelling list, number of correct words, space to list misspelled words and an area to document corresponding Reading Hook Series 1 and/or Beginning Sight Word Readers Series 1 for additional practice and review.  Notation of list words missed provides immediate identification of memory words for the next week's spelling list.  Documentation of student progress affords essential information required for future reteaching.