Wordshark for specific uses

Wordshark for specific uses

For a spelling lesson on an IWB

Introduce a spelling rule on the IWB (finding the relevant list in Wordshark using 'Search'). You might like to create a teacher account for teachers to use on IWBs with no student records in so that if the computer is left unattended for any reason no sensitive material can be accessed. 

Supporting deaf students

  1. Study ‘My Play Words’ very carefully - to focus on any repeated letter pattern/s. Use the phonics slider for phonemes, and the vowels slider to see syllables, and the splits slider also for syllables – and for the morphemic structure of the words.
  1. For words with a given visual pattern that have photo support, you can use most of the reading games. For the spelling games, use 'Salvage' and 'Sharks' – using the ‘peep’ facility more like a ‘Look, say, cover, write, check’  method.
  1. The game ‘pattern’ can be used, which isn't dependent on sound.
  1. Any relevant syllable games can be used.
  1. The 'Sentence' game and any photos can be used to put the words into context.
  2. You could print out the word list (from the ‘My Play Words’ screen) on card and use these as flash cards.
  3. You could also print the Wordsearch and Sentence games as worksheets.

 

Secondary School, Subject vocabulary, English as an additional language (EAL) 

Consider printing out the Secondary school subject lists pdf, or access on screen, for students to familiarise themselves with. They will not have automatic access to these so you will need to set some lists that they can work through as set work  – or consider granting them free access i.e. allowing 'Free Play' (the latter incidentally doesn’t involve obligatory spelling tests). 


For EAL, you can grant Free Play access to the Everyday Vocabulary ‘course’; https://www.wordshark.co.uk/wordshark/schools/for-eal/ 

 

For larger year group cohort

Keep an eye where individual students are placed in Supershark, (sharing this duty among staff!), and check that all are happy. Use the onscreen group report under Student Progress for this and scroll down the students. Go to Set work > Change level - Supershark button to move any student in Supershark. 


SNIP

In addition to the default placement test and automatic progression, you can choose the 'High Frequency Words' course when setting work. You can also add your own words which SNIP also mentions as a benefit of using Wordshark.

Dyslexia

Wordshark includes carefully thought-through games, structured lists, and a phonic approach. It provides the ‘overlearning’ that is often needed. For examples of why Wordshark supports students with Dyslexia as well as tips on using the program: https://www.wordshark.co.uk/wordshark/schools/send/

ASD

Both ‘Supershark’ (automatic progression course), (via the Shark challenge placement test), and assigning Set Work can provide a helpful, structured way of working, as opposed to allowing 'Free Play'


Personalised lists

  1. Ask students to look at their work and identify the words they have trouble with, then create personalised word lists for them and assign the lists as set work. Bringing in images/photos would be beneficial so that the word isn’t dependant on the sound – unless you photo the word and use that as an image! 
  2. Alternatively, you could sit with the student and create the personalised list/s together. The student can record their own voice.
Note:
With personalised lists students can learn the words without having to do spelling tests at regular intervals which may be helpful. Note: you won’t see records of this though.


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