Spelling tests have been one of those things that I can't stand! I have issues with assigning Spelling words for homework anyway. Heck...I have issues with assigning homework at all (I'll save the Homework argument for another post)!
So back to spelling tests, in the past the teacher calls out a spelling word and the students write that word on a paper. In theory it sounds like a simple, straight-forward process; but in reality, it's a giant headache! The test goes more like this...
Teacher: "Ok, are we ready? Here's your first word...cow. I saw a brown cow eating grass. Cow."
Teacher walks around looking at the students' papers. Making sure everyone has written "cow".
Teacher: "Number 2 is...pig. Pig. The pig is in the mud. Pig"
Again, teacher walks around. After a few more words have been called out, the teacher notices that Eddie is looking at an ant crawling on the floor and he has missed the last three words. So now the decision has to be made...does the teacher stop and repeat all the words that Eddie missed and risk losing the attention of the other 29 students? Or make Eddie wait until after the test to give him the rest of the words. Ugh!! This makes me crazy! Something that should only take a few minutes, turns into a frustrating time suck!
Well, at 1 am (my mind doesn't know when to quit sometimes) I had a brainstorm! All of my students have Acer computers so I decided that I was going to "tech-i-fy" my spelling tests!
Here's what I did...
I used QuickTime Player on my Mac to record myself saying all the spelling words. I just opened QuickTime Player and then clicked on "File" and "New Audio Recording". (Click HERE to listen) I then uploaded the file to my Google Drive.
Next, I created a Google Form (click HERE for the form) for the kids to type the spelling words into.
I also use Google Classroom with my students (I LOVE Google Classroom!) so it was very easy to share both the link to the audio file of me saying the spelling words and the google form. (When sharing the link to your google form, be sure to click "View Live Form" and then copy that URL)
My students put on their headphones and got into Google Classroom and with just a few clicks, they were listening to the audio file and typing words into the Google Form! It was beyond cool! Each student could take the time he/she needed. Some needed to pause the audio while they typed, and others blew right through.
So back to spelling tests, in the past the teacher calls out a spelling word and the students write that word on a paper. In theory it sounds like a simple, straight-forward process; but in reality, it's a giant headache! The test goes more like this...
Teacher: "Ok, are we ready? Here's your first word...cow. I saw a brown cow eating grass. Cow."
Teacher walks around looking at the students' papers. Making sure everyone has written "cow".
Teacher: "Number 2 is...pig. Pig. The pig is in the mud. Pig"
Again, teacher walks around. After a few more words have been called out, the teacher notices that Eddie is looking at an ant crawling on the floor and he has missed the last three words. So now the decision has to be made...does the teacher stop and repeat all the words that Eddie missed and risk losing the attention of the other 29 students? Or make Eddie wait until after the test to give him the rest of the words. Ugh!! This makes me crazy! Something that should only take a few minutes, turns into a frustrating time suck!
Well, at 1 am (my mind doesn't know when to quit sometimes) I had a brainstorm! All of my students have Acer computers so I decided that I was going to "tech-i-fy" my spelling tests!
Here's what I did...
I used QuickTime Player on my Mac to record myself saying all the spelling words. I just opened QuickTime Player and then clicked on "File" and "New Audio Recording". (Click HERE to listen) I then uploaded the file to my Google Drive.
Next, I created a Google Form (click HERE for the form) for the kids to type the spelling words into.
I also use Google Classroom with my students (I LOVE Google Classroom!) so it was very easy to share both the link to the audio file of me saying the spelling words and the google form. (When sharing the link to your google form, be sure to click "View Live Form" and then copy that URL)
My students put on their headphones and got into Google Classroom and with just a few clicks, they were listening to the audio file and typing words into the Google Form! It was beyond cool! Each student could take the time he/she needed. Some needed to pause the audio while they typed, and others blew right through.
Stay tuned for my next post..."Grading Google Forms Using Flubaroo". If you can't wait (and I don't blame you) and want to know about this miraculous thing called Flubaroo, check out this post by Alice Keeler. She is AMAZING!