Learn spelling rules with Wordy Qwerty

1. Silent E
2. Sounds of C
3. Sounds of G
4. J or DGE
5. W or WH
6. C or K
7. CK or K
8. CKS or X
9. CH or TCH
10. LL, SS, FF, ZZ
11. OI or OY
12. VE Words
13. Open Syllables
14. Double Consonants
15. Doubling rule
16. ER, IR, OR, UR, EAR
17. I Before E
18. Plurals: Add ES
19. Plurals: Y to IES
20. Plurals: F to VES

As soon as we got her login set up, the Princess dove right in – she enjoyed Wordy Qwerty so much, that at times it was difficult to get her OFF Wordy Qwerty and ON to another project. By the time she had worked her way half-way through the program, she’d also gained an audience. Older brother Doodle, age 11, was captivated by the music, and thankfully, not too much of a distraction for her to tolerate.

Each lesson in Wordy Qwerty has six steps that the student progresses through:

Step 1 is Patterns.

Students create two word lists by typing the name of pictures they are show, and then sorting the words into two group by a particular characteristic. Then the two cartoon keyboards, Qwerty and Midi, discuss the differences between the two groups and derive the rule from what they have learned.

Step 2 is Karaoke.

During the Karaoke portion, a song is sung as the lyrics show on the screen. The song is intended as a memory tool to help students recall the spelling rule in the future. The song is played through once, then the student is given the option to repeat it, and even to sing along.

Step 3 is the Recycler.

Many words can be created by using one ending with different beginning characters. Also, many words may sound alike, but be spelled in two different manners. The Recycler works with both by using “randomly” chosen beginning sounds, and asking the student to choose which word, or both, are real words. If the student scores less then 90%, the student is asked to study the list of words, and then try again for a bonus. Words may be clicked on for a spoken definition.

Step 4 is Pop-A-Word.

A 4-word phrase is shown, and then the student is to choose, in order, the words from the phrase as they appear and disappear on the balloons. The more times they are able to complete the phrase, the higher their score will be. This encourages the student to memorize “outlaw” words, words that must simply be memorized because they do not fit any spelling patterns or rules.

Step 5 is Write Stories.

In this activity, students are shown an eight-line rhyme, two lines at a time. The first line is “typed” by the computer, and then the student types in the second line from dictation. When mistakes are made, the computer suggests corrections for the student to type. The less help a student needs to recreate the line, the greater their score will be.

Step 6 is Read Stories.

These are stories to read, with a few carefully chosen “blanks”. When the student reaches a blank, they choose, from a drop-down list, the word that best completes the sentence. These stories allow the students to practice fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Wordy Qwerty incorporates rewards to encourage students to do well. “Spheres” are earned based on their success in the games, which allows them to unlock fun music portions. (Have to say, these musical interludes are my – and my kids’ – favorite part of Wordy Qwerty, though the keyboard characters, Qwerty and Midi, are pretty darn cute.)