Tuesday, October 29, 2013

VocabularySpellingCity: A TOS Crew Review

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VocabularySpellingCity


From their website:
"  VocabularySpellingCity :
  • An award-winning game-based learning tool for vocabulary, spelling, writing and language arts
  • A K-12 educational service used worldwide by schools and families
  • 50,000 words and 60,000 sentences read by a real person
  • Access via mobile app for your tablet and smart phone,or online via computer and interactive whiteboard
Buy a Premium Membership to enjoy ALL of our features at a surprisingly low cost (Check out a demo video here) :
  • Vocabulary, writing, spelling, and language arts activities
  • Access to ALL games and interactive Flash Cards
  • Student progress tracking
  • Automated testing and grading
  • Personalized learning with assignments for differentiated instruction
  • Student logins with no commercial ads

COST: $29.99  per year for up to 5 students,   K-12


Bentz Test Laboratory is in despreate, desparate... ummm, I mean SERIOUS need of help with spelling Instruction!  I'm a "sight speller" -either it looks right, or it doesn't.  Some of my testers have been "rule spellers" - just tell them the spelling rule, and they're good.  Other testers - well, not so much.    

Maybe it's due to my own lack of diligence in teaching my testers further down the birth-order ladder (please, moms with more than a handful...tell me I'm not alone!)  But, I have several testers that need some spelling instruction that does NOT include yelling and tears (from either of us).

Ta-da!  VocabularySpellingCity arrived at just the right time.   I was going to be on a 2 week mission trip, and spelling was already a much neglected subject.  I couldn't sign my testers up quick enough.

Our Premium Membership allowed for up to 5 students for an affordable $29.99 per year.    It was very easy to set-up.  I logged on as the Parent, and found some spelling lists to add to our account.  You will be impressed with the lists that are available - K-12 - literature, math, sight words, so many - arranged in an easy to find manner or you can create your own.   I added them to our main page, then added each student.  Smooth, easy and fast.  I love a program that can work with all my ages at the same time.

My testers LOVED this program!  They had many ways to interact with their spelling words - tests, flashcards, and games (their favorite).  A great feature with the Premium Membership is the addition of Vocabulary review and practice as well.  (Yeah for us, that's 2 subjects for the price of 1).  

 photo flashcard_zps3b3e1de7.jpgI was impressed -They could also practice geography- states and capitals, science vocabulary, math words and more.  Sentence writing, paragraphs and analogies are included as well.


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Of course, the games were their favorite.  Playing Letter Fall, Hang Mouse and even doing Word Finds & Crossword Puzzles kept their attention on learning those pesky spelling words in a way that seemed more like fun.  Maybe...spelling isn't that bad after all.

The Premium Membership allows the parent access to information - a great way to keep up with their progress. You can easily customize each child's plan.  Frankly, I was excited that my testers were happy to do spelling - EVERY DAY.  

Another plus - Access via mobile app for your tablet and smart phone. You can take all this fun with you, but don't let on it's really spelling practice... :-)

They offer a Free membership, so go ahead - give it a try, you can't lose. Their website has an entire page of great videos to explain exactly how to use this resource to it's fullest.  The Teaching Resources page is a valuable tool for you too - don't miss it.

I will say, I was glad to have the Premium Membership with all the extra features - it's too affordable to pass up.  



Click to read more reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew
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