Week 6 - Harris

The vast majority of the children in my placement classroom can be classified within the emergent spelling (stage 1) and letter name-alphabetic spelling (stage 2) stages in regards to literacy development. I am able to visually classify these students as so by observing them during literacy block, as they engage in the various literacy centers throughout the classroom, as well as when I previously observed them during Writer's Workshop. These children are able to verbalize a word, 'stretch' it, and write it as it sounds without the help of an adult, although they may ask for it. A small number of children in the classroom are still working toward identifying letter sounds, and proper letter formation. These children still require scaffolding from an adult to help them stretch the word, identify the letter sounds they are hearing, and forming those letters. The students who display stage 2 literacy development are able to identify most all of the letters within each word, with the frequent exception of vowels.

A literacy center activity that could potentially help my students improve their spelling could involve matching matching picture cards to the words that represent them. This way, students will be able to make connections between objects and their names, while providing them with exposure to the correct spelling. The more frequently a student encounters a word, and various letter combinations, the more likely he or she is to remember them.