Download Words, word lists and courses

Words, word lists and courses
The courses and the word lists
The Courses
If you wish to investigate courses other than
the Wordshark course – a brief description is
given for each below.
Wordshark course – is a general spelling
course starting with letter sounds and simple
words and follows through systematically
to long difficult words. Tick the phonics box
when you want a phonics approach.
Supplementary lists – gives some more lists
to dip into if you want to supplement the
Wordshark course at any stage; selection will
be necessary on an individual list basis.
‘Letters and Sounds’ (English phonics) –
follows week by week progression for
‘Letters and Sounds’ (an English Government
synthetic phonics scheme).
Nat. Curriculum 2014 England: spellings –
follows the English Government’s spellings for
KS1 and KS2 – including the statutory lists,
and practice for the Year 1 Phonics Screening
Check.
‘Alpha to Omega’ – follows the progression
found in the book ‘Alpha to Omega’ by Bevé
Hornsby and Frula Shear.
Brief phonics – briefly covers
single letters and only the most frequently
taught letter patterns, using synthetic
phonics.
Everyday vocabulary lists – useful for EAL.
(Set 1) has the simplest of greetings, colours
numbers etc. (Set 2) introduces extra words
and simple sentences. (Set 3) provides many
more words and uses them in both simple
and more complex sentences.
Secondary subject lists – are arranged under
13 subject headings. The Crossword game
uses these words in context.
Alphabet and dictionary course – practises
single letter sounds and names. It also
practises the alphabetical ordering of letters
and words.
High Frequency Words (HFW) –
gives comprehensive lists of common words
most often needed for children’s reading and
writing.
Administrator/Teacher’s own lists – found
here if you have added your own list(s).
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The word lists
There is a variety of courses to choose from
but if in doubt it is suggested that you use
the Wordshark course.
You can work systematically down through
this course or ‘dip into it’ as required.
As a reminder: This is the screen from which
you find the word lists. The middle column
shows the word list headings (green) and
individual word list titles (black). Click on
green headings to find more lists.
The right hand column shows the chosen
word list. Green titles giving Mixed words will
be described later under “Important features”.
You can move from list to list by clicking on
these arrows.
Extended lists
Your chosen list may have an extended list.
Selecting the Extended Sample draws in
different words (sometimes slightly more
difficult words) from a larger pool.
If you click on Extended Sample you can
refresh the words before each game.
Selecting Extended will show you the
whole extended list from which the words
are drawn.
Revision word lists
The words in revision lists change for
each game.
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Using Search to find a word list
If you want to find a particular word, or
letter pattern or topic, you can use Search
to do this quickly. Go to Search (menu bar)
and click.
Type the word or spelling pattern you need
into the box, for example ‘ee’.
Click on the titles in the left hand column to
find a suitable list – the words are shown over
on the far right.
Click on the i if you need more information.
Click on Select to return with this list to the
games screen.
Which word list to start with – using Test
Where to start – using Test
If you are not sure where to start in
the Wordshark course, you can use the
Test facility.
Choose the Wordshark course and select Test.
This will lead you through a series of spelling
tests and then place you in the course at a
suggested suitable starting point. As it can be
quite a long test, it can be spread over more
than one session.
It is best done with an adult present.
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When the student starts to make errors
they are taken to a suggested point in the
Wordshark course.
There is also a facility to give this as a paper
test. Go to Help\Printable word lists and
resources (pdf) in the program. In the Word
lists folder you will find TEST print-out. This
gives each test with the words presented
in sentences, together with instructions
for the test.
Splitting words into syllables etc.
If you choose a Split words game (usually for
longer words) you are asked to set the game
up ready to play. Do this by splitting at least
4 of the words from the list in any suitable
way (into syllables etc).
As you move across the words, click where
you want the splits to be placed.
To delete a split, highlight it, then click on it
to remove it.
When you have placed your splits, they will
be ready to play in the split word games.
To remove splits from the whole list, click on
the delete button.
When you move to another list, your splits
will not be kept. If you want to save them,
click on the save button.
If you un-tick the Use splits box, the splits will
not be used in the reading and spelling games.
You can split words in your own lists.
Tick the Add splits box
Follow the instructions above.
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Mixed words mode (for fast track and for revision)
Mixed words (green headings)
When choosing a list, if you select a green
heading you are offered Mixed Words.
Mixed Words addresses the following:
• A ‘fast track’ revision of words from
lists under the selected green heading
• A possible baseline and assessment
for lists under this heading
Its features include:
• A new set of words provided for
every game
• Words taken from more than one list
under the current green heading
• A spelling game ensured every
fourth game
Homophones
These are dealt with in specific lists, and have
a spoken clue following a ‘bleep’ sound.
When words have a different meaning but
share the same spelling, the accompanying
picture will include an ‘h’ in a circle for
‘homonym’.
Homophones are introduced at appropriate
places in the courses.
To find all the lists which contain
homophones, you need to go to Search
and type in ‘homophones’.
Homophones 1 and homophones 2 contain
vey common words.
The homophones from the English National
Curriculum are all included in the lists with
‘NC’ in their title.
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Some of the lists have an extended list,
especially the one entitled 150 homophones
– see extended list where you will have a very
wide choice of homophones.
These are shown if you click on Extended.
Click on Extended sample to get different
selections.
Whichever sample is currently showing will be
used in the games, so keep clicking until you
have a selection you would like to work with.
There is a separate list entitled it its it’s
Words in present and past tense
Words in the present and past tense share
the same picture; however the past tense one
will show a clock with a backward arrow.
For example ‘fill’ and ‘filled’.
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