Vocabulary and Spelling City: Lovin' It One Year Later!

 

It's been a year since I began using SpellingCity. I have to say that my students and I really enjoy using it. Not only that, but SpellingCity keeps finding new ways to keep my students engaged with added features, all beneficial to the classroom.

These are the features I loved a year ago, and thankfully, still exist today:

• You can set up individual student accounts.
• Instruction can be differentiated.
• LOVE the fact that I can input my own words. (Reading, Math, Science, you name it, you can input it.)
• Games/tests/tutorials/flash cards/ writing practice are created using the lists that you input. (talk about saving time)
• You can view the assignments that were completed, who completed them, and how well they scored.
• Reports and grades are generated for given assignments. (All this information can be printed
• There are TONS of lists in every subject already created. (Why reinvent the wheel?)

• My students love to get on this site and "play" the games. (Aaaah, learning + fun, don't cha love it?)
• They are part of the Edmodo community (Sharing great ideas with great teachers)
• There are so many games to choose from!
• The price for a Premium membership is reasonable, especially if purchased by your school.(Some of the features mentioned are only available with a Premium account, but even a free SpellingCity is great!)

New features:

• There's an app for that! Since my class is piloting BYOD, my students have uploaded the app on their devices. They work at their seats, on the carpet squares, wherever, right from their own devices!
• Even more pre-made word lists in every subject!
• Writing has been added. Students can write sentences and/or paragraphs with the words you provide.
• They are about to launch a Summer Study Program, great, fun, engaging way to beat the Summer Slide.
• New games and activities! The kids can't get enough of them!

My  favorite feature? I can differentiate lessons. I may have three different groups using the same words, but their assignments are unique. One example, my students that struggle, will receive the flash cards more than once, giving them more exposure to our Vocabulary words.

SpellingCity reinforces vocabulary without  the boring "kill and drill" And the best part, my students request SpellingCity assignments! If my students enjoy it, even though it's work, SpellingCity must be doing something right!