The personal dictionary card is another resource that students can use when they are writing. I always encourage phonetic spelling as a part of writing development, but when students are consistently misspelling a word that they use frequently, these misspellings can become visually imprinted and harder to correct down the road.
Using the Personal Dictionary Card
When I am reading students’ writing or when they are reading their writing to me, I look for frequently used words that are misspelled. I first congratulate the student on using phonics to stretch the word. Then, together, we figure out the “book spelling” and write the word in the appropriate column.
Make the Personal Dictionary Card a Positive Experience
I might say things such as, “You are right, sh can say the /sh/ sound, but in this word, it is actually ch that makes the /sh/ sound.” OR, “I like how you hear every sound in this word, but there is also a silent e on end that makes the vowel say its long name sound.” The next time the student uses this word in writing, s/he will use the personal dictionary card as a reference. I will also occasionally add words for students upon request, but don’t get into this habit, or some students will keep asking instead of stretching their words and hearing the sounds.
Click here to read about Sight Word Assessment in First Grade
