Spelling City

Spelling City is another site that is so very useful is so many ways, it's hard to believe it's free. Once again, it's American... (pause review)

If you're wondering what it is I have against American educational web sites, just allow me to explain. I'm an Australian teacher, teaching Australian kids. Listening to American accents is not very helpful when it comes to teaching phonics, it's detrimental in fact. Aussie kids are bombarded with American TV, films and music. It's hard raising a generation of Aussie kids when so many of them are obsessed with American icons. Just out of interest, ask your students what the emergency telephone number is in Australia and see just how of them think it's 911. It would be remiss of me not to include American web sites on this blog, as the Americans often have the best resources out there. The British also have some outstanding web sites and I'll be treating them with the same approach. So allow for my reviews to state the origin of the site and whether or not this becomes a hindrance to your objectives as a teacher and please, pretty please, take no offense.

...which can stand in the way at times.

The emphasis in Spelling City is YOUR word list. The teacher or student can enter in a set list of spelling words and the site will then give you three options:

Option 1) Test Me. This takes you to another screen where you are read your words back (in a sentence if you choose) and you need to type them correctly. Amazing. Of all the crazy words I put into this section, it recognised all of them. It had prepared sentences for all of them and read the sentences out in a pleasant, if not American accent. Having said that, I wouldn't use it in class, simply for that reason.

Option 2) Teach Me. Much the same as Option 1, but Spelling City goes through the word with you, letter by letter. Avoid it if you don't like the accent.

Option 3) Play a Game. Using your words, play one of ten different interactive games, from word finds, crosswords, to hangmouse and unscramble. The games are excellent. Some of them can go full screen and look stunning - these are the ones I'd be using on my IWB. Others are perfect for the students to use at home or for early finishers when they need to practice their weekly spelling.

I love this site, it's a definite keeper. Add it to your Bookmarks now. You'll use part of it, reject part of it, but there's something there for every teacher. In regards to it being a useful IWB resource - it has it's moments. Well worth checking out.