Let’s be honest, spelling isn’t exactly most people’s favorite subject. Matter of fact, it was my least favorite growing up. When I was in school, we had a new spelling list of 10 words each week. We had to take each word and write each word 5 times and use it in a sentence. It seemed to be this way year after year with spelling, nothing changed, nothing exciting, zero engagement. I wasn’t a bad speller, but I just couldn’t make myself get excited or even a little happy to sit down and write my words A.G.A.I.N. Luckily, things have changed over the years. I have found spelling activities that get students excited about spelling and keep them engaged.

My Spelling Philosophy

Many times, a teacher’s approach to spelling is more than likely shaped by their childhood experience with spelling. If I’m being honest, repetitive spelling drills led me to dislike spelling activities. I’ve always known that spelling is important, and yes, I realize some memorization and repeated practice are necessary. However, that doesn’t mean spelling practice has to be dull.

From the very beginning of my teaching career, I set out to make spelling something that students actually enjoy. Over the years, I’ve tried all kinds of spelling activities. Many of these activities became classroom favorites, and some were a flop. But the biggest game-changer? Choice!

When I started giving students options in how they practiced their spelling, I saw a huge shift in engagement. All of a sudden, students looked forward to their spelling activities for the day. That’s how my Spelling Choice Menus came to life.

Making Spelling Fun and Engaging for Students

I decided to take 16 of my students’ favorite spelling activities and put them all together on a bingo-style board. Then I handed them out to my students and challenged them to complete 4 in a row before their spelling test. Well, maybe it was more of an assignment, but they jumped to the challenge!

My students were so engaged in reading all of the options. Then, little by little, I started hearing whispers of “Yeeeessssss!” and “I love rainbow writing.” After that, I heard someone say, “This looks so fun!”

My students started passing their spelling tests with flying colors. They were excited about spelling and so was I. Later, I created another spelling choice board, but this time I added new activities and challenged them to complete as many as they could for extra credit.

Many students stepped up to the challenge and completed every single square on the choice board. That’s 16 spelling activities – with a smile and excitement. I’m pretty sure that if I told them we were going to have 16 spelling assignments this week the result would not have been the same. But this time – it was their choice!

Spelling choice menus became a staple in my classroom. What started as a little experiment ended with a classroom full of excited and happy students.

Speller’s Choice Menus

I have pulled together over 90 of these student-approved activities and put them together for you. If your students love choice boards, then they will be thrilled when you assign them one of these Speller’s Choice Menus!

These six EDITABLE spelling menu boards contain 96 meaningful activities students can choose from that will reinforce consistent spelling instruction throughout the entire year.

• Use with ANY WORD LIST!
• Editable and versatile!
• Easily change the text, create your own, or rearrange the activities to fit your needs.
• 96 different spelling activities included!

These menus are so versatile because they can be used with any word list. They are perfect for weekly spelling homework, in class practice, or even a spelling or word work center. Students can use notebook paper or the provided printables to complete each activity.

Meaningful Spelling Activities

These spelling activities for upper elementary are easy to use. They truly are just print-and-go with step-by-step directions included. Teachers can easily assign a number of spelling activities to be completed or assign the final shape or outcome such as:

• Complete 4 in a Row (vertically, horizontally or diagonally)
• Create an X or a Plus Sign
• Complete 2 lines that are parallel to each other
• Complete 2 lines that are perpendicular to each other
• Black-Out
• Give a menu for one month with each row being a different week

If you are looking to add some spice and excitement to your spelling assignments, these Speller’s Choice Menus and Activity Sheets are your one-stop shop! I know your students will love them!

How to Use Speller’s Choice Menus

Each Speller’s Choice Menu has matching printable activity pages. 

• Print the matching activity sheets and assign them to students.
• Add them to a literacy or word work center. 
• Organize file folders and label them with the menu board number and name of each activity.
• Teach students how to easily access the activity pages they need.

Differentiating Spelling Activities

Each Speller’s Choice Menu board is editable in PowerPoint! Don’t have PowerPoint? No worries! Teachers can easily upload the menus to Google Drive and customize them using Google Slides. They can change the text, create new activities, or rearrange options to fit their classroom needs. Still unsure if these spelling menus will work for your students?

The printable activity pages are totally optional. All the activities on the choice boards can be done on regular notebook paper. This will help save paper and reduce copying. Teachers simply assign a choice board along with a set number of activities for students to complete each week. Students then use their spelling lists to complete any of the activities on notebook paper.

This makes spelling practice flexible, engaging, and easy to manage for both the student and the teacher!

LOOK AT ALL OF THE AMAZING OPTIONS INCLUDED!

Includes 6 EDITABLE spelling menu boards with 96 meaningful activities that students can choose from! Easily reinforce consistent spelling instruction throughout the entire year.

🎉 Grab a Free Speller’s Choice Menu for Your Grade Level!

Want to see how Speller’s Choice Menus can transform spelling activities in your classoom? I’ve created free samples for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade teachers. Try them out with your own students and see the difference choice can make. Just sign up below, and I’ll send your grade-level freebie straight to your inbox. It’s the perfect way to bring engagement, flexibility, and fun to your weekly spelling routine!

Save for Later!

Make sure to pin these spelling activities to your favorite Pinterest board so you can find these Speller’s Choice Menus later. Your students will thank you!