Homeschool Tips: Seven Sites for Spelling

Spelling can easily be overlooked when homeschooling, at least until standardized test scores return in the mail. Learning to spell does not need to be a boring or painful process. My children and I appreciate online games and tutorials to learn to spell.

Here are my seven favorite websites you can use to help your child excel in spelling:

1. Eslus.com offers free English Lessons, including spelling. (Do a search for eslus & spelling.) This website is for grade levels 1-5 with 10 units in each grade level. This spelling lesson site allows the student to listen to the word, type it in and check it for correctness.

2. Primarygames.com, "see and spell" game teaches long vowels, short vowels, vowel blends, digraphs, vowels, plurals, and more. This website is for first through approximately 3rd grade. The user looks at the pictures and drags letters into a box to test the spelling.

3. Quia.com offers several learning opportunities. There is "phonics: long vowel patterns", that allows the user to unscramble letters. "100 most misspelled words" allow you to play battleship where you have to spell the occasional word each round. "300 most frequently misspelled words" works a lot like hangman where you have a certain number of spaces and have to guess the answers. There is a falling bear instead of a hanging man.

4. Harcourtsschool.com "word builder" is for grades first though sixth. Each grade level has 13 units. This can be used with the corresponding Harcourt Brace Spelling Text Book. The user will listen to the word, and then drag the scrambled letters into the correct box.

5. Manythings.com has many ways to improve your spelling skills. With numerous categories basic words, body parts, common words, animals, trees, high school words and University words. These falling letters games are very valuable.

6. Eduplace.com has a spelling match game for grades first though eighth. It allows the uses to match root words with prefixes and suffixes, to match homophones, and much more.

7. Candlelightstories.com is a great website for age five though eight with fun games that will teach your child to spell through trial and error. They need to spell the item they see in the picture. ": Stellar Speller" is great fun. They also have a version of "hangaroo" as well.

When you do not have access to the internet to practice spelling, pull out your travel-sized scrabble game instead.