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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Read it backwards

One editing technique that writers can use to help them catch their own spelling errors is "Read It Backwards." In this lesson, students will learn a procedure for identifying and correcting the spelling of misspelled words.

A lesson plan for grades 2–4 English Language Arts

By DPI Writing Strategies

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • read backwards in a piece of writing to identify misspelled words.
  • provide possible correct spellings for the misspelled words
  • use reference resources to verify the correct spelling

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 hour

Materials/resources

  • Overhead of a sample modeled story with some spelling errors
  • Student writing samples

Technology resources

Overhead Projector

Activities

Modeling/Mini-lesson

  1. Share with students a story composed in a Modeled Writing session. Explain to students that it is often difficult to catch spelling errors when writers reread their own stories because they are paying attention to the content. One technique that writers can use to help them catch their own spelling errors is “Read It Backwards.”
  2. Use the sample story. Begin with the last word. Use a finger to point to each word while reading from right to left and bottom to top. When a misspelling is identified, point out that that word doesn’t look right. Put a squiggly line under the word. Explain that writers check their spelling using spelling resources after they have proofed their writing. Continue looking for misspelled words throughout the rest of the story.

Guided Practice

  1. Ask students to take out one of their rough drafts and read it backwards. Direct them to place a squiggly line under any word that doesn’t look right.
  2. After all of the students have reread their drafts and underlined misspelled words, have them select one or two words to correct. Discuss strategies for spelling words correctly, such as thinking of related words (word families), and using words you know. Have students write down 3 possible ways to spell each word and chose the one spelling that looks right.
  3. Discuss resources students might use to verify the spelling of the identified words that they have corrected. Have them explore dictionaries and other resources such as word walls, word banks, and glossaries.
  4. Remind students that whenever they are editing their writing for spelling they need to:
    • Read their draft backwards and underline misspelled words
    • For each misspelled word, think of words they know and related words to help them spell the word correctly.
    • Write 3 possible spellings for the word, then choose the spelling they think looks right.
    • Verify (check) the spelling is correct using resources such as dictionaries, word walls, and computer spellcheckers.

Assessment

Can students:

  • identify misspelled words in a piece of writing?
  • provide possible correct spellings for the misspelled words?
  • use resources to verify the correct spelling?

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 2

  • Goal 5: The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.
    • Objective 5.01: Spell correctly using:
      • previously studied words.
      • spelling patterns.
      • analysis of sounds to represent all the sounds in a word in one's own writing.
    • Objective 5.02: Attend to spelling, mechanics, and format for final products in one's own writing.

Grade 3

  • Goal 5: The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.
    • Objective 5.05: Use a number of strategies for spelling (e.g., sound patterns, visual patterns, silent letters, less common letter groupings).
    • Objective 5.06: Proofread own writing for spelling and correct most misspellings independently with reference to resources (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, word walls).

Grade 4

  • Goal 5: The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.
    • Objective 5.05: Use visual (orthography) and meaning-based strategies as primary sources for correct spelling.
    • Objective 5.06: Proofread and correct most misspellings independently with reference to resources (e.g., dictionaries, thesauri, glossaries, computer spell-checks, and other classroom sources).