Tool Evaluation 9 – Floating Done

“Vocabulary SpellingCity makes learning your word lists fun and easy.”

Overview:

Type of Software: Online website and account

Cost: FREE! There is no cost for the free account but there is also a premium version for $69.95 annually.

Primary User: Teachers can use this site to make a classroom where they can post assignments, contact families, manage grades/records and more. Parents can use this site to check their child’s progress and maintain communication with their child’s teacher. Students can use this site to check their assignments, monitor their grades, and access extra practice.

Features:

• Create a class page for students, parents, and teachers to access from anywhere with internet.

• Premium member teachers can add grades and records as well as assignments to the site where students and parents can access this information.

• Teachers can create vocabulary lists and add them directly to the class page in order for students to access them.

• Teachers can set the page’s settings to allow students the opportunity to create their own vocabulary lists.

• Teachers can add tips for English Language Learners.

• Users can upload lists directly to the site

Intuitiveness: The site is very explanatory and there are very clear directions for users to follow. I do not see any intuitive issues with this site.

An Alternative: A similar site is Quizlet. This alternative will also allow users the chance to drill and practice vocabulary lists. However, SpellingCity is better because there are a lot more games and engaging activities to use for vocabulary practice.

As a Resource for the Classroom

Benefits:

• The spelling tests have an option for getting the word read aloud on its own as well as in a sentence which can be very helpful for students when learning vocabulary.

• Students get immediate feedback about their spelling or vocabulary practice quizzes

•  When making a list, users can enter the word and the definition will be imported automatically

• The free account has 11 different games that users can play using selected lists

• Users can print out paper copies of lists

• Users can set a security preference as to whether or not each list could be publically viewed or not

• The site is connected through school systems so teachers can connect and share lists with other teacher in their school

Drawbacks:

• Users need internet access in order to access the site

• The premium site offers significantly more additional material than the free site offers

Tips:

• Work with your school to get a school wide premium package for this site because all of the bonuses that the premium package has are worth the cost

• Outline the list of words so that you can quickly fill them in

Problems to Solve and Possible Uses:

• Studying and practice work is not always engaging for students

Studying vocabulary with flashcards can become very tedious and boring so this site offers more entertaining activities for students to use as their means of studying vocabulary. Students can use this site at home or during in class practice time in order to study for their vocabulary tests.

• Needing center activities during times of the day

Teachers could set this site up as a center on the computers for students to use during literacy lessons.

• Collaboration with other teachers in the school

Teachers can work with other teachers in their school system by sharing lists and working together on what material they will teach.

This is the link to my SpellingCity page and there is a list on the page called

“3rd Grade Spelling List”

Overall, I would highly suggest this web source to future and current educators!