With concerns about standardized testing, spellchecking, and longer word counts, parents of homeschooled students are increasingly asking how much spelling needs to be taught in third grade. Although spelling may feel laborious, teaching it can help kids build literacy and confidence, distinguish homophones and increase their vocabularies.
Third grade is an important year in terms of spelling and language development. In this post, we explore the answer to this important question, laying out the expectations, benefits, and best practices for incorporating spelling in Pennsylvania homeschools.
What Testing Expectations Exist in PA Homeschools?
In the state of Pennsylvania, state law mandates homeschoolers provide instruction in Reading, Writing and Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, Health, and Physical Education. Although spelling is not explicitly included in this list, most assessments for the state consider spelling when evaluating homeschoolers’ level of mastery and progress. Pennsylvania homeschoolers must take the SAT, for instance, and the written portion of the test contains words that require correct spelling.
Non-standardized tests and projects similarly emphasize the importance of literacy, including spelling accuracy. Even when preparing for oral tests and assessments, homeschoolers in Pennsylvania should be aware that fluency, clear pronunciation, and the ability to explain oneself rely heavily upon knowledge of the English language, and therefore, the ability to spell correctly.
When looking into definitions of testing expectations and their associated standards, the Keystone State’s Department of Education offers a helpful analysis. The Department’s Common Core State Standards outline the types of skills students should have developed by third grade, stating: “Students should spell words according to common spelling patterns, know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words, and use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.
g. , roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context. ” In essence, this suggests that proficiency in the realm of spelling by the end of third grade is an important benchmark for a student’s growth in language arts.
What are the Benefits of Teaching Spelling in Third Grade?
Third grade is when decoding skills become increasingly important. Students as young as third graders in Pennsylvania homeschools should be able to sound out words, deepening their understanding of English orthography. Additionally, through recognizing patterns in words, children can begin to comprehend syllable boundaries and prefixes, further deepening their spelling engagement.
For example, by understanding prefixes, they can better distinguish between similarly spelled words that have different meanings and parts of speech, such as read and reread. But learning spelling is also important for developing fluency, or the speed and eloquence while reading and writing.
Many homeschoolers find that although they can understand and communicate in English, spelling can still be an area of difficulty when it comes to fluency. As homeschoolers progress and use written language more and more, misspelled words become more noticeable and reading can become choppy and require a greater investment of time.
Having a good grasp of spelling improves the flow of written language, which makes for more effortless reading for both reader and author. In terms of vocabulary building, too, third graders gain a great deal from learning about spelling convention, including letter patterns and syllabic cues. By the end of third grade, homeschoolers should be able to identify and distinguish between many types of words, such as nouns and verbs.
Empowering homeschoolers to understand these cues in words increases their spelling acuity and helps them master spelling more quickly and effectively.
What are the Best Practices for Teaching Spelling in PA Homeschools?
When it comes to teaching, homeschoolers have the option of many different approaches. Many parents use workbooks, focusing on particular spelling words tailored to each student’s level of understanding.
Teaching spelling this way requires close supervision, where parents have their kids read aloud or dictate words to them. Resources such as The National Spelling Bee’s “Monkey Match” game can also be helpful for teaching and learning spelling convention. Other parents use a more open-ended approach for teaching spelling.
With this approach, homeschoolers can find words in books, magazines and newspapers, and use speech recognition technology, such as apps and online programs, to learn spelling. This approach can be self-paced – geared to meet the student’s development needs, from word recognition to understanding where sounds fit into syllables.
Although it can be less formal, parents should still be involved with their child’s progress, helping them become more accurate spellers. Finally, homeschoolers have the option of a blended approach, meaning parents supplement their own tools with tools and resources from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The department’s Common Core State Standards are valuable road maps to understanding the mastery of language arts, and the department’s digital resources – such as its “Spelling” games and other spell-related software – can also help meet Pennsylvania homeschoolers’ needs.
Conclusion
Third grade is an important year for spelling and language development, and Pennsylvania homeschoolers need to ensure their children understand and apply spelling techniques. Testing expectations and the Common Core State Standards point to the importance of spelling in this grade, and there are benefits ranging from increased vocabulary building to improved fluency. Therefore, third-grade homeschoolers should learn and practice spelling conventions, and parents should use a variety of methods to reinforce understanding, such as workbooks, apps and games, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s resources.
Doing so can help third graders in PA homeschools gain a strong grasp of English orthography and be better prepared for the academic years ahead.