Frequently Asked Questions

Spelling Safari is designed for students in kindergarten through eighth grade so around 5 years old through about 13 years old. Because students begin with a diagnostic assessment and progress at their own level, they do not have to work at the same spelling level as their grade.This makes Spelling Safari a strong fit for students who are right on grade level, need additional support, or are ready for more advanced words.

Spelling Safari can be used as a core spelling program or as supplemental practice in homeschools, classrooms, tutoring programs, intervention settings, and other educational environments.Students can work independently, in literacy centers, during intervention time, at home, or as part of a regular spelling routine. Because each student receives personalized words and progresses at an appropriate pace, Spelling Safari can fit a wide variety of schedules and instructional models.

That is exactly what Spelling Safari is designed to handle.Students begin with a diagnostic assessment that helps identify an appropriate starting level. From there, each student progresses based on their own performance rather than being limited to a predetermined list.Teachers and parents can also adjust individual student settings, including spelling level and the number of words assigned per learning cycle, to better match each learner’s needs.

Spelling Safari includes several features that can make spelling practice more accessible for students with a wide range of learning needs.Students work at their own level and pace, hear words and sentences aloud, receive immediate feedback, and can practice without relying on handwriting. Educators and parents can also customize settings for individual students.Spelling Safari is not designed to diagnose or treat learning disabilities, but its flexible and individualized structure can support many students who benefit from additional scaffolding or differentiated instruction.

New students begin with a diagnostic assessment that identifies an appropriate starting point based on their spelling performance.Rather than automatically assigning students words based only on their grade, the diagnostic helps determine the level at which they are ready to begin learning.The assessment does not need to be completed in one sitting. Student progress is saved, allowing younger students or those who need additional time to complete it across multiple sessions.

A learning Cycle is Spelling Safari's version of a traditional spelling week—but it does not have to follow a weekly schedule.Each Cycle typically includes a quiz (pretest), personalized practice, and a final test. The quiz identifies which words the student already knows and which words need practice. Missed test words are automatically added into the next Cycle until they are mastered.Because Cycles are not tied to calendar weeks, students can progress at the pace that works best for them.

At the beginning of each Cycle, students complete a quiz that samples words at their current spelling level.Words they already know are skipped so practice time is not spent repeatedly studying mastered words. Words they miss become part of their personalized spelling list for that Cycle.As students continue through the program, their lists adjust based on their performance. This allows two students working at the same general level to receive completely different spelling lists based on what each one actually needs to learn.

Spelling Safari uses the most comprehensive word list available. Our word bank was developed using multiple established spelling and vocabulary sources and is organized by spelling patterns and difficulty to create a broad progression of words across grade levels.Words are also analyzed and tagged by spelling features, including phonetic, orthographic, morphologic, and syllable features. These features help Spelling Safari identify patterns within the words students are learning and the areas where they may need additional support.

Words misspelled in the quiz or practice activities are followed by immediate feedback to maximize learning. A missed word in a test is not forgotten once the test is over.Words that students have not yet mastered automatically continue into future learning Cycles, giving them additional opportunities to practice and demonstrate mastery.This is an important difference from other spelling programs, where the focus moves on to a new list whether or not every student learned the previous one. In Spelling Safari, learning is based on mastery rather than the calendar.

Spelling Safari does more than help students pass one spelling test. Several features are designed to revisit learning over time.Missed words continue into future Cycles until mastered. Beginning in Cycle 3, Meerkat Lookout revisits words a student previously spelled correctly. Beginning in Cycle 5, Review Rapids provides additional spaced review of previously learned words. Words misspelled in Review Rapids return to the spelling list in the student's next cycle for additional practice.Together, these activities continually check whether students still remember what they learned before instead of assuming that one correct test answer means a word has been mastered forever.

Spelling Safari is strongly aligned with several principles supported by the Science of Reading, including attention to phonics, sound-letter relationships, spelling patterns, morphology, syllable structure, cumulative practice, immediate feedback, retrieval practice, and spaced review.Students repeatedly apply spelling knowledge rather than relying only on memorization.Spelling Safari applies research-supported learning principles to match best with how students learn to spell.

Spelling Insights analyzes student misspellings from recent quizzes, tests, and review activities and turns that information into actionable instructional guidance.Educators can see common spelling error types, the word features students are struggling with most, suggested targeted lessons, students who may benefit from additional support, and individual student insights.Instead of simply showing which words were missed, Spelling Insights helps answer a much more useful question: What should I teach next, and which students need it?

Spelling Safari provides multiple ways for educators and parents to monitor student growth and performance.Users can review information such as diagnostic results, current spelling level, assessment scores, learning progress, words students have practiced or mastered, and individual misspellings.Spelling Insights adds another layer by analyzing recent spelling errors and identifying patterns across groups of students and individuals, helping users move from simply viewing scores to making more informed instructional decisions.

Students using Spelling Safari average approximately one full grade level of spelling growth in 20 learning Cycles, which is about double typical growth.Students also enter each Cycle already knowing roughly two-thirds of the words at their level. Spelling Safari identifies and skips those known words so students can spend more of their time learning words they have not yet mastered. System-wide, students are averaging 88% on tests.Because every student progresses differently, individual results will vary, but program-wide data consistently shows meaningful growth across students and ability levels.

Traditional spelling programs often give every student the same list, provide the same amount of practice, and move to a new list at the end of the week.Spelling Safari takes a different approach:Find the right starting level → Skip what students already know → Practice what they need → Keep missed words in learning → Revisit mastered words over time.Each student receives personalized words, immediate feedback, mastery-based progression, spaced review, and ongoing performance analysis without requiring educators to build different spelling lists by hand.

Spelling Safari is designed to fit a variety of schedules rather than requiring one specific amount of weekly time.Students can complete activities in short sessions throughout the week, and learning Cycles can be completed as quickly or gradually as needed.For adults, assessment delivery, grading, personalized word selection, student feedback, and performance data analysis are handled automatically. Educators and parents can choose how involved they want to be, from closely managing each step to allowing students to progress much more independently, while saving more than 100 hours per year.

Spelling Safari offers three automation modes so parents and educators can choose how much control they want over student progression.Manual Mode gives the adult the greatest control over when assessments are given.Partial Automation automates much of the learning process while allowing adults to monitor tests.Full Automation allows students to progress through learning Cycles independently with practice guardrails that you can tailor to your expectations.Regardless of the mode selected, Spelling Safari automatically administers assessments, grades student work, provides immediate feedback, and builds personalized spelling lists.

Most educators and parents can create their account, add students, and configure basic settings in under 15 minutes.Students then complete a diagnostic assessment to determine their starting level. Because progress is saved automatically, the diagnostic can be completed over multiple sessions if needed.Students need an internet-connected computer or tablet. Because words and sentences are presented with audio, headphones are recommended in classrooms or other shared spaces.

Spelling Safari is designed to be easy to begin using without any formal training.Step-by-step tutorial videos and setup guides are available directly within the program, and additional help resources are available when questions arise.Schools can begin using Spelling Safari without scheduling professional development sessions, making it easier to implement without adding another major demand to educators' schedules.

Our risk-free trial allows you to experience Spelling Safari before purchasing a subscription.Students can complete two full learning Cycles, allowing families and educators to experience the diagnostic, personalized spelling lists, practice activities, assessments, and automated feedback.Our trial is usage-based, so you don't need to worry about fitting your trial into a set time period.No payment information is required to begin the trial, and the trial does not automatically convert into a paid subscription. If Spelling Safari is a good fit, we're delighted to earn your subscription.

Spelling Safari offers subscription options for homeschool families, individual classrooms, and organizations purchasing multiple classrooms.Homeschool subscriptions are designed for families using the program with their own children. Classroom subscriptions provide access for an individual educator and their students. Multi-Classroom options are available for schools, districts, tutoring organizations, nonprofits, and other groups that need multiple classrooms or administrative oversight.Schools and organizations can also contact us for assistance with larger purchases, purchase orders, or multi-classroom pricing.

Yes. Spelling Safari is an approved vendor with multiple education savings account and scholarship programs across the United States.Depending on your state, purchases may be made through platforms such as ClassWallet or Odyssey, or through another approved program process.Because program rules and purchasing procedures vary by state, visit our ESA purchasing page to find your state program and the appropriate steps for purchasing Spelling Safari with available education funds or requesting an invoice.

You can be up and running with your class in a matter of minutes. You just need your list of students and their birthdates to complete your class roster. Users have reported the setup process averaged around 10 minutes. Watch the short video below, an example of our tutorial videos, to see the process: The diagnostic assessment launches automatically for each student on their first login. The time it takes to complete for each child varies, but it could be around 30 minutes. Progress is saved on that assessment, so you can break it into shorter sessions if you wish.

Spelling Safari's word lists were developed by combining several well-established spelling programs. This resulted in our word lists being the most comprehensive on the market. Our system is not bound by the space on a piece of paper, and has moved beyond the antiquated approaches of traditional spelling, so it has capabilities that are not possible with other programs. Lower elementary words are grouped by spelling pattern. Because we use more words per spelling pattern, children have the potential to discover a pattern on their own while getting quizzed on words at their level. Self-discovery is a more authentic and more powerful form of learning. Students already know, on average, 66% of words at their level. Spelling Safari allows them to skip the words they already know. This allows them to be exposed to and move through many more words each learning cycle. The end result is a customized list of words for each child, meeting their unique needs at their challenge level. They will find greater value in this more-relevant learning process. This sets each student up for greater success, building more confidence and allowing them to enjoy spelling more.

Based on analysis of 3,000+ students who have completed at least 3 cycles of the Spelling Safari program: Spelling Safari doubles student growth over traditional learning methods. On average SS students progress a full grade level every 20 learning cycles. The average SS student will complete 40 learning cycles in the typical 40 week school year. As a result they will progress, on average, 2 grade levels worth of spelling in one school year. Spelling Safari focuses students on words they don’t already know. Based on the results from more than 13,000 quizzes, our data shows that students already know 66% of words at their level during each cycle’s pre-test (Quiz). Skipping the words they already know and focusing learning efforts on previously unknown words is critical to the faster pace of learning growth. Spelling Safari’s learning activities are highly effective at teaching how to spell previously unknown words. The typical student completes more than 3 practice activities per cycle, focused on their customized spelling list. As a result the average student scores an 84% on tests.

The traditional method of spelling where every student in the class receives the same list of words limits the learning potential of every child. Below-level students perform poorly and experience frustration because the words are too difficult and don't get reinforced at their reading and writing level. Because of this, the words they do learn are not retained. Above-level students already know most or all of the words from a common list, grow very little, and are bored. Every student is impacted by absences that create missed learning opportunities. Even systems that place students into ability-based small groups are limited by the teacher's ability to prep and manage those groups. The educator has a lot more work and those students are still not reaching their full potential because each child's prior knowledge and needs are as unique as they are. Spelling Safari addresses all of these issues with customized learning that is driven by the child's needs and automated for the educator, taking work off their plate.

All student users will need: a computer or tablet that has an internet connection headphones to listen to the words and sample sentences or a quiet place to work Educators will need a device with internet access. A laptop, tablet, or desktop computer is ideal, but a phone could be used as well.

We use the term Cycle instead of weeks for the instructional process for two reasons: 1. Our process is not constrained by the typical school week schedule. Many users will likely continue with the traditional Monday-Friday approach, but you could run the program however it works best for you and your students. 2. Progress should inform the learning pathway, so the student results from one cycle feed into the next for each child. Any misspelled words carry over into the next list so that new learning gaps don't form. The teacher is free to run the steps of the cycle with their class whenever it best fits their class schedule. Pro Tip: Running Spelling Safari on a 4-day cycle can increase student learning progress by up to 25%!

Yes, Spelling Safari includes a built-in review process designed to ensure long-term mastery. After a student completes four learning cycles, the Review Rapids practice activity is unlocked. During Review Rapids, students are asked to spell words they previously spelled correctly in a test from four cycles earlier. If a word is misspelled during review, it is automatically added to the student’s next word list for additional practice. This review process ensures that students get more time with the words they need more practice with and reinforces retention over time, not just short-term memorization.

Our system is built upon flexibility, so you get to choose how our program best fits with your learning framework. The average time for a student to complete a quiz (the pretest that builds their word list) is less than 15 minutes. A quiz may take up to around 30 minutes initially, but that time should decrease after a few cycles as students work into more challenging words. Practice activities are available all the time, so you can dedicate time for their completion or have students do them on their own. If you choose to turn full automation on, you select the minimum number of practice activities that are required to be completed and a minimum score on the practice test to unlock each child's next test. Tests should take less than 10 minutes. If you're a classroom teacher, you can have your students complete the assessments in whole class or small group settings, such as with literacy stations. This again allows you to structure our program to make the best use of your class time with students.

Spelling Safari is designed to be easy to manage and save time for both parents and educators. Our program takes less than 10 minutes to set up and get started. The level of involvement depends on your chosen Automation settings: Full Automation With full automation, students progress at their own pace with no requirements for you. Parents or teachers simply check in on student progress as needed, and our optional automated emails help keep you informed. This option is ideal for homeschool families and independent learners. Partial Automation With partial automation, you only need to start tests during each learning cycle - just 2 clicks! The process is quick and simple while still allowing educators to oversee the testing experience. This option is well suited for classroom teachers who want to monitor testing for fairness. No Automation With no automation enabled, you start both quizzes and tests during each cycle - just 4 clicks! It's still easy to manage and allows the most oversight of student assessments. Click here learn more about our automation options. No matter which option you choose, Spelling Safari is built to make spelling fast, simple, and stress-free for you while delivering a high-quality learning experience for your students.

Under the Support Tab, educators have access to 14 tutorial videos. Ten of those videos are tailored for teachers, breaking down each part of the Spelling Safari Cycle and detailing all of the features available. There are 4 videos that are made for a student audience so that educators can preview each activity with their class. Users can also email support@spellingsafari.com with any issues or questions.

Check with your state first, as requirements may vary. If your state uses ClassWallet: 1. Fill out the contact form here to request an invoice. 2. Check your email in the next 24-48 hours for an invoice from Stripe. The company listed will be Synapse Creations. 3. Complete the approval process per your state's requirements. 4. Complete payment through ClassWallet. 5. Email us at support@spellingsafari.com to request your code for subscription activation. This link from ClassWallet has more details: https://classwallet.my.site.com/classwallet/s/article/How-to-pay-a-vendor If your state uses Odyssey: 1. Log into your state's Odyssey portal. 2. Search for Spelling Safari. 3. Place an order for a homeschool subscription. We'll follow up with directions to activate your subscription.

Many options may be available. Possibilities include: Building principals usually have a budget to purchase school needs. Your PTA/PTO organization may purchase it for you. School district or community grants may be available. Local businesses may be willing to donate to your classroom. If you have an Amazon wishlist, add a gift card that will cover the cost. Classroom parents (individually or as a group) may be willing to donate a subscription to you.

The best use for Spelling Safari as a tool for tutoring or supplemental learning would be in a flipped model. When setting up your classroom, turn Automation On. Have students work through the learning cycles independently, checking in on their progress occasionally or getting updates from our automated emails. Use the Misspellings link in the Student Progress tab to guide instruction.

Contact us here:Email: support@spellingsafari.comPhone: (313) 327-2835