About Spellbinder

Background information
Curriculum links
User instructions

Background Information

• Spelling is a skill of writing. We learn to spell in order to communicate through writing (Croft, 1983, p 8).
• Most children will benefit from a properly conceived and well-structured programme of word study and spelling (Croft, 1983, p 8).
• The New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) provided the words for SpellBinder. The words are are:
  • the 100 most frequently misspelt words classified by Spell-Write essential list, within the 290 most frequently used words in New Zealand primary students writing; and
  • the 40 most frequently misspelt words not included within the most frequently used words in New Zealand primary students writing.

SpellBinder supports and “reflects the important principle that spelling is primarily a skill of writing, which is best mastered within the context of learning to write. However it needs to be acknowledged that writing by itself is unlikely to be sufficient for most children” (Croft & Mapa, 1998, p 5).

For this reason, SpellBinder contains a practice section. Before the students can complete their stories, they must practise each word in three different ways: copying, filling in missing letters, and completely spelling the word.

SpellBinder gives students the opportunity to copy, study, learn, and test their selected words as recommended as best practice by NZCER.

SpellBinder allows students and teachers to “… to develop digital and information literacy, and enjoy using ICT creatively, constructively and critically in extending their horizons and growing as lifelong learners” (Ministry of Education, 2002, p 12).

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Curriculum Links

English in the New Zealand Curriculum
Written Language Poetic Writing

Level 1
Write on a variety of topics, beginning to shape ideas.

Level 2
Write on a variety of topics, shaping ideas in a number of genres, such as letters, poems, and narrative, and making choices in language and form.

Level 3
Write on a variety of topics, shaping, editing, and reworking texts in a range of genres, and using vocabulary and conventions, such as spelling and sentence structure, appropriate to the genre.

Level 4
Write on a variety of topics, shaping, editing, and reworking texts in a range of genres, expressing ideas and experiences imaginatively and using appropriate vocabulary and conventions, such as spelling and sentence structure.

Digital Horizons: Learning through ICT
A strategy for schools 2002-2004

Key action areas
Goals

Learners
Learners have systematic opportunities to develop digital and information literacy, and enjoy using ICT creatively, constructively, and critically in extending their horizons and growing as lifelong learners.

Teachers
Teachers become confident and capable users of ICT and integrate ICT flexibly and effectively within the curriculum to enhance learners’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

References

Croft, C. (1983). Teachers Manual for Spell-Write. Wellington: NZCER.

Croft, C. & Mapa, L. (1998). Spell-Write. Wellington: NZCER.

Ministry of Education. (2002). Digital Horizons: Learning through ICT. Wellington. Author.

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User Instructions

Follow these instructions to practise your spelling by writing about a picture.

Select a picture

Choose your words

• Select up to 5 commonly misspelt words from either:
  the yellow list (which is a computer-generated list of 10 words); or the green list (which is a list of 140 words).
• You can choose a different set of words from the yellow list by selecting ‘Generate a new list’.
• When you are satisfied with your word selection, select the ‘green arrow’ to move to the practice stage.

Practise your words
Select a word to practise it three times by:

• typing over the word,
• filling in only the missing letters,
• spelling the whole word.

Write your story

• Use the selected words to write a story about the picture.
• If you have forgotten your words, select the ‘See your word list’ to see and hear your words.

Spellcheck your story
When you have finished your story, select ‘Spellcheck the words from your list’.

• Correct words are highlighted green.
• Misspelt words are highlighted red, watch them move back into the practice area!
• Now repeat the three practice stages and correct the words in the story.

Note: If you do not use a word, it will be considered a misspelt word and you will need to repeat the practice stage.

Proofread, edit, and print your story

• To proofread, edit, or print your story, select ‘Name, proofread, and print your story’.
• Type the title of your story and your name in the pop-up box, and select OK.
• Proofread your story:
  If you want to make any changes, select ‘Edit’.
  To print your story, select ‘Print’.

Note: If you use the back button in your browser, it will return you to the Literacy Stuff page, NOT the previous page of SpellBinder.

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