Multisensory Spelling Rules Stephanie Fuchs

2 Multisensory Spelling Rules Multisensory teaching is any learning activity that includes the use of two or more sensory modalities simultaneously to take in or express information.

Stephanie Fuchs3 Multisensory Spelling Rules There are four Sensory Modalities: Visual – Using sight Auditory – Using hearing Tactile – Using touch Kinesthetic – using body movements

Stephanie Fuchs4 Multisensory Spelling Rules Multisensory teaching is designed to use these modalities simultaneously, thus making it possible for all students to learn and advance.

Stephanie Fuchs5 Multisensory Spelling Rules A multisensory approach to learning maximizes mastery and retention and enables learners to capitalize on their strengths while strengthening their weaknesses.

Stephanie Fuchs6 Multisensory Spelling Rules Multisensory instruction is a powerful tool in reinforcing our language teaching in three important ways. First, it helps get the information across. Second, it helps the students process the information. And, third, it helps students retrieve information already learned.

Stephanie Fuchs7 Multisensory Spelling Rules Why spelling rules? When children are familiar with spelling rules, their reading and writing are strengthened. Spelling is an essential and interconnected complement to reading instruction.

Stephanie Fuchs8 Multisensory Spelling Rules Often spelling rules are taught and learned, but then are not put into use when students read or write. Multisensory teaching helps students store these rules efficiently in their long term memory so when needed they will be efficiently retrieved.

Stephanie Fuchs9 “Magic e “ Abracadabra! Vowel, say your name!

Stephanie Fuchs10 “Magic e” For younger students: Present the “Magic e” rule using magician props: magic wand, glitter, etc… Use pictures or actual items, if possible, to show the magic. For older students: bring in weights. Have students pass the weights to each other and say that this is like the magic e passing all its strength to the short vowel, so it can become a long vowel.

Stephanie Fuchs11 “Magic e” cancancanecane petpetPetePete

Stephanie Fuchs12 “Magic e” kitkitkitekite hophop hopehope cutcutcutecute

Stephanie Fuchs13 “Magic e” Ask the students to sort words with 2 colors: red for short vowel sounds (red = stop) green for long vowel sounds (green = go). Give an answer card so they can self check their work. For older students use sentence cards with target words in bold. Ask them to read the sentences to each other in groups or pairs and sort them into 2 groups: long and short vowel sounds.

Stephanie Fuchs14 Vowel Pairs “ When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking!” Teach the vowel pairs: ee, ea, ai, oa, giving examples with pictures or actual items, if possible. Give the students a board game with cards to read aloud and match to the meanings of the words on the boards. This game is appropriate for all ages.

Stephanie Fuchs15 “ck” Rule Teach the “ck” rule using these words with pictures or items: back, tack, packet neck, deck kick, sick, chicken rock, sock stuck, luck Color the vowels red to show that these are the short vowel sounds.

Stephanie Fuchs16 “ck” Rule For younger students: Read the story “There are Rocks in My Socks” to the class or group. Give the students dialogues from the story to act out on stage or as a puppet show.

Stephanie Fuchs17 “ck” Rule For older students: Give them the story: “Grandfather Hada’s Favorite Soup”. Read the story with them and have them act it out.

Stephanie Fuchs18 Soft c / soft g Teach the rule for soft c or soft g with words, pictures and items. Give the students 2 boxes: a soft box filled with colored cotton balls and a hard box, filled with small wooden cubes. For younger students: Ask them to sort word cards into the boxes according to the sound of the c/g. Give an answer card so they can self check their work. For older students: Use sentence cards instead of word cards.

Stephanie Fuchs19 qu Teach the “qu” rule. Tell them that the letter q is so in love with the letter u that it can’t bear to be apart. qu

Stephanie Fuchs20 qu Give them a pillow in the shape of a heart with the letters qu on it and have the toss it around while saying qu words: quiet, question, quit, etc.

Stephanie Fuchs21 Bibliography 1. Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills. Second Edition. Judith R. Birsh 2. Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills. Activity Book. Suzanne Carreker and Judith R. Birsh