1

10 day intervention program

(Improving spelling strategy & Motivation)
Day 1 Diagnostic test & Data collection
1. Collecting Words their way Spelling Analysis
2. Spelling Survey
3. Short Spelling test (Words from South Australian Test)
Day 2 Activity 1 (15 minutes)
Visual memory activity 1
(Further explanation in pg.2)
Activity 2 (15 minutes)
Multisensory activity with the
words from Words Their way &
High Frequency word list
(Further explanation in pg.4)
Day 3 Activity 1 (20 minutes)
Word sorting from words their
way
Activity 2 (10 minutes)
Visual memory activity 1
(Continued)
Day 4 Activity 1 (15 minutes)
Visual memory activity 2
( Depending on how students go
from visual memory activity 1)

Activity 2
Multisensory activity (Syllables)
Using the words from WTW and
HFW
Day 5 Activity 1
Visual memory activity 2
(Continued)
Activity 2
Multisensory activity (Syllables)
Using the words from WTW and
HFW
Day 6 Activity 1
Visual memory activity 2
(Continued)
Activity 2
Multisensory activity (Syllables)
Using the words from WTW and
HFW
Day 7 Activity 1
Visual memory activity 3
Activity 2
Multisensory activity (Syllables)
Using the words from WTW and
HFW
Day 8 Activity 1 (15 minutes)
WTW spelling sort
Activity 2
Multisensory activity (Syllables)
Using the words from WTW and
HFW
Day 9 Activity 1
Visual memory activity 3
Activity 2
Multisensory activity (Syllables)
Using the words from WTW and
HFW
Day 10 Activity 1
Visual memory activity 3
Activity 2
Multisensory activity (Syllables)
Using the words from WTW and
HFW
2


Visual memory activity 1:
1) Cards with the geometric shapes in good quality, color images will be used for this activity.
2) Put students into pairs.
3) Ask student A to show student B two cards chosen at random. They should give their partner time to
memorize the images on the cards. Tell student B. A page from the Students Book, showing images
used for
4) Next, student A asks three questions. Student B has to recall the images and the order in which they
were arranged. The students book explains how this method works. It gives students the type of
questions they should ask to test visual memory. For instance: What is the first shape starting from the
left? What shape is between the circle and the triangle? Is the rectangle red or blue?
5) Now the roles are reversed. Student B shows the cards to student A. Then student A answers the
questions. 6) At the end of the activity, take note of how your students are doing. You can do this by
saying, Raise your hand if you are playing with two cards at a time; then Raise your hand if you are
playing with three cards at a time and so on, until all students have raised their hand.
Visual memory activity 2: (Using words from high frequency word list)
The objective of this step is for students to be able to automatically and unconsciously picture
words when they write. In order to do this, they need to link visual memory with spelling. The activity
I propose here is very similar to the previous one. The difference is that you use cards with words on
them instead of geometric shapes. Every card has one word, and every letter of the word is a different
color.
1. Student A shows student B a word card.
2. Give student B time to memorize the word by taking a mental picture of it.
This picture should include the letters and the color of each letter.
3. Student A takes the card out of student Bs sight. Student A should still be able to see the card.
4. Student A asks for five answers, always following the same pattern: the first two requests must be
respected rigorously; the last three are open questions.
FIRST: Ask your partner to spell the word backwards. For instance, if the word is TWO your partner should say: O - W - T.
Important note: The reason for this is simple. You begin by spelling backwards because that way you have to use visual memory.
If you use auditory memory it wont work. This is why you must always ask for the backwards spelling first when doing this
activity. SECOND: Ask your partner to spell the word from the beginning. If the word is TWO, your partner should say: T - W -
O. Afterwards, students ask their partners three questions of their choice. They can ask about the color of the letters (What
color is the second letter? What color is the letter T?); the order of the letters (What is the third letter? What letter comes
3

before the O? What is the last letter?); or common spelling peculiarities (Does the word have any double letters? Does the
word have any silent letters?).
They can also ask their partner to write the word. Students may ask tricky questions to keep each other alert. For instance they
can ask about letters that are not in the word. (What color is the letter F? *if the word is LAUGH+.)

Visual Memory activity 3 (Using words from WTW and High frequency word list)
*This activity is very similar to the previous activity. However, the words used for this activity will be
harder and longer with no colours.
1. Students will have 3-5 minutes to observe the words in the card prior to the activity.
2. Student A shows student B a word card.
3. Give student B time to memorize the word by taking a mental picture of it. (However the student
will have slightly longer time to memorize the word)
4. Student A takes the card out of student Bs sight. Student A should still be able to see the card.
5. Student A asks for five answers, always following the same pattern: the first two requests must be
respected rigorously; the last three are open questions.












4

Multisensory activities
(Using words from WTW and high frequency word list)
Letter Clappers
1. The students will choose one student to be the first clapper.
2. The clapper should choose a spelling word and silently count the letters of the word
3. The clapper should clap once for each letter of the word.
4. Students should guess the word. If a student guesses the word correctly, he/she should spell the word.
If a student spells the word correctly, she/he becomes the next clapper. If the student does not spell the
word correctly, another student should spell the word.

Bowled Over

1. The first bowler should stand 10-12 feet from the pins and should roll the ball towards the pins.
2. The scorekeeper should collect the pins that are knocked down. The scorekeeper should pull the word
strip from a pin that was knocked down and read the word aloud.
3. The bowler should spell the word. If the bowler spells the word correctly, she scores point. If she
spells the word incorrectly, she loses her turn.
4. Repeat the process for each pin that was knocked down.
5. The scorekeeper (Teacher) should record the number of points scored
6. Play continues until each bowler bowls four times. The bowler with the most point at the end wins.


Scentsational Spelling
(*Make sure to ask the students if they are allergic to anything prior to the activity)
1. The group should divide the spelling list so that each student has the same number of words.
2. Have each student write one word with liquid glue on a piece of card stock.
3. Each student should sprinkle powdered gelatin over the glue and allow the glue to dry
4. Students should tap the excess powder onto a paper plate.

Whats in a word? (Using the words from WTW & High frequency word list)
1. Have the student to choose a spelling word with many letters and write it at the top of a sheet of
paper.
2. The students should make as many new words as possible using the letter of the spelling word. Each
word that the students make should be three or more letters long.
3. The student should write each new word below the spelling word
4. Continue the activity with several long spelling words
5

Hoop Spelling
1. The first player on each team should choose a word to spell and pick a letter card from inside the first
hoop.
2. The first player should run to the second hoop, place the letter card on the floor inside the hoop, and
return to the first hoop
3. The second player should repeat the process by picking a letter card from inside the first hoop,
running to the second hoop to add the letter card to the spelling word, and returning to the first hoop.
4. Play continues as players spell the word
4. The first team to spell a word correctly wins.

Using the tape recorder

1. One student will read the words (teacher will make sure they are pronouncing it right) into a tape
recorder
2. Student will need to record it like its a spelling test: word, example sentence, word.
3. Students will listen (including the student who recorded it) and write down the word and example
sentence.

Syllable Activity

1. http://www.vocabulary.co.il/syllables/syllable-lesson/
(Watch the short clip video on how to break the word into syllables)
2. Students will try to break the words (From WTW) into syllables using one of the methods from the
video.
3. Students will discuss which method worded the best at the end of the lesson

Syllable Activity 2 (Reverse Chaining by letter/syllables)

1. Say the word. Then write it, saying each letter (W - O - R D)
2. Skip a line and say it and write it again minus the last letter. Say the last letter, but don't write it.
(W - O - R - ____)
3. Skip a line and say it and write it again minus the last two letters. Say them, but don't write them.
(W - O - ___ ____)
4. Do that until you're only writing one letter.
5. Go back to the top. Read the word, and then spell it out loud.
6. Fold the page over so you can't see the whole word. Say the word, spell it, and add that last letter.
7. Fold the page back again. Say the word, spell it, and add the last two letters.
8. Keep going until you spell the whole word.
9. GO BACK AND CHECK makes sure you didn't leave out a letter.
10. Repeat the activity but writing by syllables.

6

The Envelope Game (Continuous)
1. First of all, give each student four envelopes. Ask them to number them 1, 2, 3 and 4.
2. Next, ask them to cut out small cards. Students will write a basic spelling word on each card. (The
students book contains ready-made cards with basic spelling words and a template you can photocopy
to make personalized cards.) Ideally, you should work on 25-30 words at a time. If this is too ambitious,
try starting out with 10-15 words. When the cards are prepared, ask students to put them in envelope
#1. The other envelopes should remain empty for the time being.
3. You are ready to begin the activity. Put students into pairs. Ask them to look at the word cards in
envelope #1. They should do this for a few minutes, until they can visualize them in their mind when
they close their eyes. Remind them that by doing this they are using their visual memory. (If you prefer,
you can use one of the other effective strategies for studying vocabulary described in the students
book.)
4. Once they have taken their mental pictures, they should put the cards back into envelope #1 and give
it to their partner. Each student should ask their partner to spell the words from the envelope
backwards, one by one. Remind them that this is of uttermost importance! It guarantees that they are
using their visual memory.
5. Now each student should ask their partner to spell the words again. This time they should spell them
the normal way, from left to right.
6. All the words that a student spells correctly should be put into envelope
7. The words that a student misspells should be put back into envelope #1.
8. When a word is spelled correctly, it moves from one envelope to the next. Correctly spelled words
from envelope #1 go to #2. The correctly spelled words from #2 are put in #3. Correctly spelt words from
envelope #3 move up to #4.
10. Each word is asked only once in each study session. Correctly spelled words can only move up one
envelope each time students practice. Any words they misspell from any envelope should be put back
into #1
11. Therefore, envelope #4 will hold the words a student has spelled correctly three days in a row. These
words should only be asked once in a while. This way you will make sure they are not forgotten.
12. When envelope #1 is nearly empty, it is time to add another batch of 25 words.