Spelling Archives - Character Ink

5 Tips for There, Their, and They’re From Language Lady

Donna — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 23:29:24 +0000

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5 Tips for There, Their, and They're From Language Lady

#1

There, Their, and They’re Are Homophones

Homophones, homonyms, and homographs are commonly confused (as are the words that fall under each category!). When teaching new words to students, direct them to what they ALREADY know. I tell my students “You know more than you think you know!”

In the case of homophones, I remind students that HOMO means same and PHONE means hear (roughly). Thus, homophones are words that sound the same as each other (but are not spelled the same). With younger kids, I tell them that homoPHONES sound the same when you’re talking on the PHONE–that if you don’t see them written or hear them in a sentence, you don’t know what the speaker means.

#2

Teach There in Two Ways

First of all, I have students highlight the word HERE within tHERE. I remind them that THERE is the word we use when we want to say HERE and THERE. That works for a while; however, it still focuses on position. That is just one of many uses for there.

Secondly, I tell students that THERE is used when we want to say THERE IS and THERE ARE. This is important to note with older kids especially because these present many challenges, starting with “Do I use THEIR or THERE this time?” and continuing with “Do I use there IS or there ARE?” (In other words, there (and here) presents many subject-verb issues for older students!

#3

Their Has the Word HEIR in IT

In moving from there to THEIR, I do something similar in that I have students highlight the HEIR within the word THEIR. The word their is a possessive pronoun. An HEIR is someone who will take the reign. I remind students that someone will be HEIR to the THRONE. And just like a prince is the HEIR, THEIR shows possession. For younger kids, I tell them the HEIR owns the throne and THEIR shows that someone owns something.

For older students, I remind them that their is a pronoun–and pronouns NEVER show ownership/possession with an apostrophe. (This is debatable for those who call words like other pronouns, but that doesn’t affect most pronouns.) In this regard, I tell them that you would never write their’s to show possession.

#4

They’re Is a Contraction

Since I consistently teach that you do not show possession to a pronoun with an apostrophe, students are used to not using an apostrophe with pronouns. So they’re would never be used to show possession. When an apostrophe is used with a pronoun, it always means a contraction (he’s, she’ll, they’re).

Contraction means squeezed. I tell students that a contraction is made when you squeeze two words together so hard that some of the letters pop out, and you must put an apostrophe in place of some of the letters. Then I teach something every other class session: Say contractions UNcontracted when you are about to write them. You will know for sure that you want that contraction if you always say the two words (in your head): THEY’RE here–they are here…yes!

#5

Bring Them All Together

When providing practice for these with young children, it is good to do the first two, then practice. Then add THEY’RE and practice. My favorite way to practice is to “choose the correct word” for youngers and have olders write the answers in the blank. Be sure the practice has the exact same types of uses as the lessons had.

Homophone errors are common in writers from second grade through senior citizens! Thus, the real place to practice these words is in the students’ writing. Students need writing teachers who take the time to thoroughly edit their papers, so that the students can learn from their own errors. Rather than holding back on “correcting” their rough draft papers, I use these papers as opportunities to teach. Using proofreaders’ marks, I mark out the incorrect homophone and write the correct one above it. Use every encounter with students as an opportunity to teach!

Resources

1) There, Their, and They’re Are Homophones: https://characterinkblog.com/slideshow-five-tips-two-language-lady/

2) Teach There in Two Ways: https://characterinkblog.com/punctuation-puzzle-homophones-parentheses/

3) Their Has the Word HEIR in IT: https://characterinkblog.com/there-their-and-theyre-quiz/

4) They’re Is a Contraction: https://characterinkstore.com/product/write-right-quick-kit/

5) Bring Them All Together: https://characterinkblog.com/proofreaders-marks-comical-ones-accurate-ones-printable-included/

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The Six S Spelling Secret Packet (FREEBIE!)

Donna — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 15:00:11 +0000

Crossword puzzles. Hidden words. Fill-in-the-blanks. Join-two-or-three-parts-of-words-together (not always at syllable breaks..agghh….). Graph paper practice. Circle the correct spelling. Highlight the word families. Syllabication. All viable spelling word practices. Some work. Some don’t. Some work for some kids but not for others. Enter my Six S Spelling Secret Packet–the technique that is used weekly in my Character Quality Language Arts program–and that brick and mortar and homeschool teachers are using weekly thanks to our new downloadable products!

Before I explain the four ways that students practice their spelling words with this packet, I’ll give some tips associated with the methods contained in it:

1) Students need to use multi-sensory spelling practice methods. Some kids learn better visualizing; some writing; some speaking aloud.

2) Students should not be burdened with practicing words that they already know how to spell.

3) Students benefit from incremental practice. If this step doesn’t help, the next one might. The incrementality in this packet helps students learn what works best for them!

4) Students get better at spelling practice by repetition. By doing the same steps each week to practice spelling, they become skilled at using those techniques.

5) Students work harder on pre-tests and pre-practice (practice before the practice!) if they know they might be able to drop some spelling words from their practice steps. This helps them look harder at words to see what they already know.

6) Students are encouraged by protocols that show them that “they know more than they think they know”! This packet does that for students (along with teachers who continually tell them that “they know more than they think they know!”).

7) Teachers like built-in spelling practices that are user-friendly for all word lists and that are easily mastered by students so that the practice becomes automatic each week.

This packet is currently available at three of my stores: CurrClick, and Character Ink Store as a downloadable product. And it’s available to you for free at Teachers Pay Teachers !

To learn more about this product via audio, click here.

The “Six S Spelling Secret Packet” gives your students four helpful ways to practice their spelling words–three traditional methods and one “secret” method! These methods work for students of all ages, but are especially effective for second through eighth grade students who are able to self monitor their progress (which this packet will help them learn to do even more!).

Here are some suggestions for using the Six S Spelling Secret Packet:

(1) The first page of the packet is a traditional “pin-point your challenging words and syllabicate and copy.”

This works especially well with spelling programs in which the syllabication is given for the student’s spelling words–though it is also effective for extremely phonetic learners who can syllabicate on their own. If the student does not desire to syllabicate, the lines are provided to simply copy challenging words multiple times for repetition. This step also gives the student the option of listing words under the coordinating spelling commonalities/word families in Language Lady’s Spelling Notebook. This is optional, of course, but for those desiring to create your own SN, the preview of the SN (available at Teachers Pay Teachers, CurrClick, and Character Ink Store) gives the Table of Contents that may be used to create a phonetically-based, systematic spelling notebook for recording mis-spelled words.

(2) The next two pages of this packet contain two pages of graph paper with two different sizes of boxes in the graph.

This allows younger learners who write larger to use the larger boxed paper and older learners with smaller penmanship to use the smaller boxed paper. Writing each word, one letter per box, helps many students visualize their spelling words, one letter and one shape at a time.

(3) Lastly, the “secret” part. The instructions for the Six S Spelling Secret Sheet are given on the actual sheet for each student. Here are some other keys to using this document:

(a) Stress to the students that they only need to use The Six S Spelling Secret Sheet for words that they mis-spell in a pre-test. This alone is sometimes enough encouragement for a student to practice prior to the pre-test. (They will not have to work on any words
that they “passed” in the pre-test.)

(b) Work through the columns of the sheet with your students one column at a time for one word, completing each step that is listed for each column. You will want to do this several times in order for them to be able to do it completely independently as they study
for their spelling test.

(c) Emphasize honesty in the cover, write, etc.. portions of the sheet. While it isn’t a test per se, looking up the spelling (not covering or folding the page over) will not help the student learn how to spell the word (obviously). Encourage them to complete the sheet as
it is given, reminding them that this repetition and multi-sensory approach will help them become excellent spellers.

(d) For classroom use, I recommend that you have a pocket or stacking tray or other area in which students can pick up copies of The Six S Spelling Secret Sheet at any time (even if you pass out a sheet to each student weekly).

(e) Consider passing out the sheet each week when you give new spelling words–and walk through one word (a challenging one from their list) with the students at that time. They will be more likely to use the sheets on their own if they are emphasized and even
re-taught each week.

Enjoy my freebie for subscribers this week! I hope your spelling practice goes amazingly well this semester!

P.S. What spelling practice protocols have you used with success? Have you tried this packet yet? 🙂

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