Differentiated Spelling Instruction (the Canadian English Version) Grade 5 provides teachers with comprehensive printable and digital program resources to teach both grade-level spelling patterns and previous grade-level spelling patterns which students have not yet mastered. With this program, Canadian teachers can truly differentiate instruction for all students with maximum instruction and practice, using minimal class time.

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This program focuses on instructional spelling patterns. Most are consistent between Canadian and American English, but where they differ, students will learn the Canadian spellings with notations that American English differs. Canadians often muse about their spelling inconsistencies; however, the vast majority of Canadian spelling patterns are quite regular and dependable.

Differentiated Spelling Instruction features weekly grade-level word lists based upon instructional spelling patterns. Each spelling pattern has a corresponding spelling sort. Formative assessments (unit tests) with progress monitoring matrices help teachers monitor individual and class mastery of the program spelling patterns.

To address the needs of diverse learners, the program provides the comprehensive Diagnostic Spelling Assessment with recording matrix to help teachers individualize spelling instruction (includes printables, Google Forms, and Google Sheets). The corresponding 82 remedial spelling pattern worksheets each include a spelling sort, a word jumble, rhyme, and/or book search, and a short formative assessment to determine whether or not the student has mastered the spelling pattern. 

The appendix also includes these spelling resources: supplementary word lists, spelling review games, proofreading activities, spelling rules, and memorable spelling songs.

Now that's effective differentiated instruction! Your students can catch up, while they keep up with grade level spelling instruction.

Spelling Pattern Lessons

1. Short Vowels
2. Long Vowel
3. Silent Final e
4. Vowel Diphthongs
5. Consonant Digraphs
6. r- controlled Vowels (ar, ir, ur)
7. r- controlled Vowels (re, our)
8. y
9. Consonant Doubling
10. Consonant-le and Vowel-ll Doubling
11. /j/
12. ibefore e
13. Hard /c/, Soft /c/
14. Hard /g/, Soft /g/
15. “s” and “es” Plurals
16. /x/,/ch/,/sh/,/z/,/f/ Plurals
17. Drop/Keep final e
18. /ch/
19. "ough" and "augh"
20. Starting/Ending /k/
21. Change/Keep y
22. "al" and "ful"
23. Double l-f-s-z
24. Irregular Plurals
25. Contractions
26. Silent Letters
27. Non-phonetic Words
28. Homonyms
29. Greek and Latin Prefixes
30. Greek and Latin Roots

Why Other Spelling Programs Fall Short and Why Differentiated Spelling Instruction (DSI) Succeeds...

Others use solely American spellings and treat Canadian English spellings as exceptions to the orthographic rules.

Others use “themed” spelling word lists, such as the Canadian provinces, colours, etc. DSI uses instructional spelling patterns for its word lists, providing sequential, research-based orthographic instruction.

Others use practice worksheets which focus on rote spelling memorization, such as word searches, fill-in-the-blanks, or crossword puzzles. DSI uses practice worksheets which focus on sound-spelling patterns, such as spelling sorts, word jumbles, rhymes, syllable and accent rules.

Others de-emphasize structural analysis and simply provide spelling lists to memorize. DSI emphasizes word study: syllables, accents, morphemes, inflections, spelling rules, pronunciation, and derivational influences.

Others do not integrate spelling and vocabulary instruction. DSI connects spelling and vocabulary instruction through multiple meaning words, common Greek and Latin prefixes, roots, and suffixes, and syllabication practice.

Others minimize the reading-spelling connection. DSI reinforces the decoding-encoding connection with an instructional scope and sequence aligned with systematic, explicit phonics instruction. The DSI program includes 7 years (Grades 2‒8) of seamless spelling instruction with built-in review.

Others ignore spelling and pronunciation irregularities. DSI includes “exceptions” throughout the program, providing problem-solving strategies that build student (and teacher) confidence in the English orthographic spelling system.

Others use spelling tests solely as summative assessments. DSI uses spelling tests as diagnostic and formative instruments to help teachers differentiate instruction. Recording matrices enable teachers to keep track of mastered and un-mastered spelling patterns for each student—simple record-keeping and minimal paperwork.

Others provide one-size-fits-all instruction. DSI provides the resources and management system for true individualized instruction with remedial, grade-level, and accelerated spellers.

Others use visual-only spelling and vocabulary strategies. DSI uses multi-sensory instructional practice, including songs and rhymes (with Mp3 downloads), games and phonological awareness activities−perfect for students with auditory processing deficits and a “must” for effective Response to Intervention (RtI) instruction.

Others have no writing-spelling connection. DSI requires students to develop weekly Personal Spelling Lists that include commonly misspelled words from their own writing.

Others provide no review activities for formative and summative tests. DSI provides ample review activities, including spelling review games and word jumbles. 

Differentiated Spelling Instruction the Canadian English Version Grade 5 is part of the Differentiated Spelling Instruction Grades 2‒8 program series for Canadian teachers.