Spelling Inventories Essay

1062 Words3 Pages

Words their way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling instruction defines spelling inventories as “a list of words specially chosen to represent a variety of spelling features at increasing levels of difficulty” (WTW, 2012). Spelling inventories are designed to help assess a student’s stage and what they know about words (WTW, 2012). There are many different types of spelling inventories. Some of these inventories are The Primary Spelling Inventory, The Elementary Spelling Inventory, and The Upper Level Spelling Inventory. The Primary Spelling Inventory (PSI) consists of a list of 26 words that begin with simple words, and ends with inflectional ending words (WTW, 2012). For example, the Primary Spelling Inventory in Words their …show more content…

To obtain a complete understanding of the word knowledge of students who are learning English, it is important their reading abilities (WTW, 2012). There are many ways to assess the reading abilities for ELL’s. For example, spelling inventories help explore the literacy knowledge of an ELL; however, the test should be first administered in their primary or first language. According to Words their way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling instruction, “a spelling inventory in students’ spoken language can indicate their literacy levels in the primary language, and more specifically, show which orthographic features they already understand” (WTW, 2014). Bilingual learners rely on knowledge of their primary language to spell words in a second language (WTW, 2014). Teachers can also assess ELL’s reading comprehension through sequencing activity (Ada, 1990). For example, teachers can have ELL’s write individual sentences from the text on separate sheets of drawing paper; then read or have the students read each sentence and illustrate it (Ada, 1990). Teachers can also informally test students’ ability to sequence material from a story by printing sentences from a section of the story on paper strips, mix the strips; have students put them in order (Ada, 1990). According to Spanish-Language Children’s Literature in the Classroom, teachers should “read to newcomers every day” (Ada, 1990). Appropriate reading material for beginning English Language Learners (ELL) should include numerous illustrations that help clarify the text, story plots that are action-based, little text on each page, text that contains repetitive, predictable phrases, high-frequency vocabulary and useful words, text that employs simple sentence structures (Ada, 1990). When you read to beginning ESL students, be sure to make language comprehensible to them (Ada,

More about Spelling Inventories Essay

Open Document