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Review by Stacy Zeiger, Common Sense Education | Updated March 2014

Miss Spell's Class

Name: Miss Spell's Class
Item: Miss Spell's Class
Rating: 3
Author: Stacy Zeiger

Fast-paced game puts spelling skills to the test

Subjects & skills

Grades This grade range is based on learning appropriateness and doesn't take into account privacy. It's determined by Common Sense Education, not the product's publisher.

7–12

Common Sense says (See details)

Teachers say (1 Review)

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Not yet rated

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The game starts with an introduction to the rules.

Pros: Tracks players' progress as they complete challenges and allows them to look up correct spelling and definitions of words.

Cons: Game moves very quickly, doesn't track progress in practice mode, and allows players to challenge strangers to a match.

Bottom Line: Provides a way to introduce kids to many commonly misspelled words in a fun and social way, but the fast pace and random word presentation make it hard to learn.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Teachers can use Miss Spell's Class both in whole-class instruction and with individual students. As part of whole-class instruction, the game gives teachers another tool to use as a bellringer activity to get kids warmed up and ready to learn. Teachers could have one class compete against another, or could partner with other English teachers to have students compete against classes at other schools. At the end of each round, teachers can use the review screen to point out common spelling patterns or introduce students to the definitions of new words.

Individually, teachers can have students play the game when they finish work early or to inspire them during writing time. Teachers should encourage students to keep word journals or word lists in the front of their notebooks and have them write down new and interesting words they discover as they play the game.

What Is It?

Editor's Note: Miss Spell's Class is no longer available for download.

In Miss Spell's Class, kids identify correctly and incorrectly spelled words. They choose from two modes of play: a practice round or a challenge match. In both modes, kids go through a round of words, identifying each word as spelled correctly or spelled incorrectly. At the end of the round, they receive a letter grade and see a summary of their answers. As kids play others, they see their progress over time and gain a basic understanding of the strength of their spelling skills and how they improve over time. In addition to helping kids learn to spell commonly misspelled words, the game also teaches vocabulary by giving kids the option of looking up the definitions of words.

Is It Good for Learning?

As kids play the game, they encounter familiar and unfamiliar words. Time limits prevent kids from focusing on individual words, but if any pique their interest, they'll get a chance to review them at the end of every round. During the game, kids see words in random order, making it difficult for high-quality spelling or vocabulary learning to take place. The app does, however, serve as a way to keep kids' spelling skills sharp and to introduce them to new words.

Rating Details

Overall Rating

Engagement Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?

Fast pace and the ability to challenge friends makes this game fun for kids.

Pedagogy Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?

Allows players to review words after each game and view definitions of words.

Support Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?

Tracks progress, but only during games with others, not during practice games.

Common Sense Reviewer

Stacy Zeiger Homeschooling parent

About our ratings and privacy evaluation.

Teacher Reviews

Featured review by
Jamey B. , Other

Other

Spelling game that gets results.

The graphics are fun. The app is fast paced. When you open up the app you have to take a spelling test before you can do any challenges. The words range in difficulty, and sometimes students will just guess because of the pace. But during the semester the students really got into challenging each other and focusing on the words.

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