Spelling Test Games

Try these fun, new spelling test games to add some pizzazz to your weekly spelling quizzes! Students will get plenty of practice with correct spelling, and you'll know right away if they've learned their words. 

Spelling Test Game #1:  Switch-Er-Roo

This game works well for spelling tests of 10-20 words. Be sure to allow more time for this activity than you would for a standard spelling test.

Students will spell individually but work cooperatively to make sure all words are spelled correctly in this team activity.

Here's the full text. You can also use the printable page. 

Directions

1. Arrange students in teams of 4-6 students each. Ask them to sit in a straight line. Make sure each student has a piece of paper and a pencil.

2. The teacher calls out the first spelling word.

3. Each student writes the word on his paper.

4. Each student then passes his paper to the person behind him. The last person in the row passes his paper to the person sitting in the front.

5. Each student examines the word already on the paper. If it is incorrect, he crosses the word out and spells it correctly on the same line.

6. The teacher calls out the second word.

7. Each student writes it on the paper that has just been passed to him.

8. Each student passes his paper to the person behind him, and so on. Continue in the same manner until all words on the test have been spelled.

9. Each time a student receives a test paper, he should examine all the words written on it. If a word still needs to be corrected, he should do it the manner described above. If a word has been corrected but still isn’t right, he should cross out the corrected word and spell it again.

10. After calling out the last word, give students a few moments to review all the words on the page he's holding. That page is the one he will score for his own grade. 

Scoring

Give 5 points for each word that is spelled correctly at the end of the test. Add 1 point for each word in which no correction has been made. (See example below.)

Team members add up the points on all of their papers. The team with the most points is the winning team. (Note: If teams do not have the same number of students, quickly calculate the average score of each team member and find the winner that way.) 

Spelling Test Game #2:  Bingo Bash

Use this fun spelling test game to review or test 24 spelling words. The goal is for students to get as many “bingos” as possible by spelling 5 words correctly in any direction. Use these directions or get the printable pages for both games.

Directions

1. Have each student draw a blank 5 x 5 grid on his paper. He writes FREE in the center square.

2. The teacher calls out the first spelling word.

3. Each student writes the word anywhere on his grid.

4. Continue in the same manner until all 24 words have been called out.

5. Students exchange papers with a neighbor so they may check each other's work.

6. The teacher calls out the correct spelling of all the words.

7. If a word is misspelled, the checker marks a large X through it.

Students hand papers back to the owners. 

Scoring

Students look at their own papers and count the number of “bingos.”  The maximum number is 10:  5 horizontal, 5 vertical and 2 diagonal.

Award 1 point for each bingo. Students with highest number of bingos are the winners.

Variations:

• Students may check their own papers.
• For shorter word lists, play with 4 x 4 or 3  x 3 grids. 

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