How to use the 'Word to Learn' Section in Spell-Write Online

The best predictor of future success is success now. It is not the size of the success that is important, it is success itself. With this in mind what will give a child the most success and desire to continue learning their words in their ‘Word to Learn’ List, a tool in the Spell-Write Online site, www.spell-write.nz

What will give them a positive start to build on?

1. Use the words a child has difficulty with when writing. 
Why?      

•    The words need to be meaningful for the child
•      Words that have meaning are easier to learn
•     They are more likely to use these words in the future
•    Words they use are more likely to be remembered

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2. Begin with a small number of words, three to five words.  Why?

•       When first using the 'Words to Learn' section in www.spell-write.nz  a child is figuring out the mechanics of the site
•       The teacher needs to know that the child has completed the task correctly, that the words have been entered in correctly and that they are ready to be learnt
•       The parent who is supporting the process at home needs to know that the child’s list is correct and the anticipated number of words are there
•       The child needs to feel the success to want to continue the process
•       The teacher, child and supporting adult, at home, need to feel safe, that the predicted number of words are available in the child’s list

3. Use the animation and poster available in the ‘Words to Learn’ section to inform the ‘How to Learn a Word’ process. Why? 
(If you have a mac it might not show the below video so go here )

•         Children learn in a range of ways and different parts of this given process will have more meaning for each child
•     We can aid the memory of words by giving prompts to the skills a child can use to recall words:

1.          What letters did I use to make the word?
2.           What did the word look like?
3.           What was the shape of the word?
4.       How did the word sound?
5.       What sounds made up the word?
6.       What does the word mean?

A child will need to have words entered into their 'Word to Learn' list to access the interactive ‘How to Learn a Word’ process.