The TTS for Spelling at Levels 0–3 assess whether a student finds it easier to learn to spell
commonly misspelled words by visualizing them or by copying them. The second strategy
provides an opportunity to review and assess learning.
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Strategy: Visualizing Words

Materials Needed:
TTS-Sp-DAR 2-VW and CW.pdf

Say:      I’d like you to learn how to spell some difficult words by taking a picture of the
 words in your mind. Let’s start with the word _____.

Show the student Word Card 1.

Say:     Let’s begin by looking carefully at the word on this card. This word is _____. What
is the word? (Allow the student to respond.)

Now close your eyes. Can you still see all the letters in the word with your eyes
closed? (Allow the student to respond.)

Now look at the word again. When you closed your eyes, did you see it correctly?

Repeat this process until the student is confident that he or she knows the word.

Say:     When you think you’ve got a good picture of the word in your mind, turn the word
card over and write the word on your paper.

After the student has written,

Say:     Now turn over the card and check to see if you wrote the word correctly. Did you  
get it right?

Show the student Word Card 2.

Say:     Here’s the next word. The word is _____. What is the word?

Look at the word on the card very carefully. Then close your eyes and try to see
the word again in your mind. When you think you’ve got a good picture of the
word, say its letters in your mind. Then turn the card over and see if you can write
the word correctly.

Repeat the procedure using Word Card 3.

 On the Student Record Form, note how many attempts it took the student to spell each word
correctly.

Then go on to the next strategy, Copying Words.
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Strategy: Copying Words

Materials Needed:
Included in Strategy: Visualizing Words

Say:     This time I’d like you to learn how to spell some difficult words by copying the
words. While you copy, I want you to say the names of the letters you are writing.
Let’s start with the word _____.

Show the student Word Card 4.

Say:     Begin by looking carefully at the word on this card. This word is _____. What is
the word? (Allow the student to respond.)

What letters are in the word? (Allow the student to respond.)

Now write the word on your paper, saying each letter as you write it. If you want,
you can look at the card to help you copy the word correctly.

Continue until the student writes the word and says the letters correctly three times.

Show the student Word Card 5.

Say:     Here’s the next word. This word is _____. What is the word?

Look at the word on this card very carefully. Say the names of the letters in the
word.

Now write the word on your paper, saying each letter as you write it. If you
want, you can look at the card to help you copy the word correctly.

Now look at the word. Did you spell it correctly? If not, let’s try it again.

Repeat the procedure using Word Card 6.

On the Student Record Form, note how many attempts it took the student to spell each word
correctly.

Finally,

Say:     Let’s review the words you’ve been working on. I’ll say a word and give you a
sentence for it. Then you write the word.

Dictate all six words that the student has been working on. Read the word, read the sentence
provided for the word, and then read the word again.

 On the Student Record Form, note the words that are spelled correctly.
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Interpreting and Using TTS Results:

Commonly misspelled words are best taught in groups of a few words, with brief daily review.
Students may use any strategy that makes it easy for them to master these words. Provide
students with ways to see their progress in learning to spell these difficult words. Whenever
possible, encourage students to incorporate their spelling words into their writing assignments.