This common type of spelling activity allows the child to have first sight of a multisyllabic word for several seconds. Afterwards, the teacher covers the word. The student tries to spell the word orally or write the word down from memory. The teacher then uncovers the word and lets the child check if he has spelled the word correctly. The teacher does this repetitively until the student gets the correct spelling of the multisyllabic word. This type of exercise uses the repetition process, which lets the child memorize the words without being pressured in a single try.
The teacher writes sentences on the board, leaving the space for the spelling word blank. Proceed to reading the entire sentence completely, including the missing spelling word. Read the sentence twice, then direct students to write down the missing word. It is important that the word be enunciated clearly, following correct stress and syllabication. This familiarizes the student with the entire word concept and also helps them figure out what the word means.
After vocabulary words are given in an initial or introductory lesson, the teacher prepares a kind of template or grid where the spelling words are cut into syllables, separate chunks or units and placed in no particular order together. For instance, in one part of the template, the first syllable of one word is written, and the other syllables are somewhere else in the grid. The students then search for the missing components of each word. Be sure that there is no overlapping of word syllables, so as not to cause confusion to the student. This will encourage third graders to use simple recall and association/collocation of the word syllables.
A set of ten words are first studied and memorized by the students. Then present the words again, this time in scrambled set-ups. Have the students unscramble the letters to form the spelling words. This encourages word and word signal recall, such as when the student sees the word “embedded” within the scrambled letters.