Spelling Workshop is a way of meeting the diverse needs of all
of the spellers in your classroom. I designed my spelling
workshop (described below) based on the research of J. Richard
Gentry. According to Gentry, a spelling program should
incorporate the following: a systematic study of spelling
patterns attention to the developmental aspects of spelling
connection of spelling to reading and writing Gentry says, “It’s
easy to judge if a good spelling program is part of an
elementary classroom. Simply ask, ‘Are children in this
classroom engaged in the spelling process: finding words,
inspecting words, mastering words, and developing good spelling
habits?’” (Gentry, 1995). For more information on this subject,
check out Richard Gentry’s Website. It contains research on
spelling, spelling activities, and a list of his resource
materials. Following is a sample week’s schedule for spelling
workshop. You can also view a slide show presentation of the
weekly schedule: - Pretest all students on 8-12 “pattern” words.