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  • How long does it take to get started?
    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. Teachers have reported the setup process averaged about 10 minutes. Watch the short video below, an example of our tutorial videos, to see the process:
  • Where do the word lists come from?
    Spelling Safari's word lists were developed by combining several well-established spelling programs. Because our system is not bound by the room on a piece of paper, it has capabilities that are not possible from traditional methods. Lower elementary words are grouped by spelling pattern. Because we use more words per pattern, children have the potential to learn a pattern while getting quizzed on words at their level. Self-discovery is a more authentic form of learning. Our word lists are the most comprehensive on the market. Students can discover spelling patterns while they build their list and will skip words they already know. This allows them to be exposed to and move through many more words in a given time period.
  • How does Spelling Safari compare to other approaches?
    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 teacher has a lot more work and those students are still not reaching their full potential because each child's 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 teacher, taking work off their plate.
  • What equipment is needed?
    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.
  • What is a "Cycle"?
    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%!
  • How much time should one expect to spend on Spelling Safari each week?
    The quiz may take up to 30 minutes initially, but that time should get lower after a few cycles as students work into more challenging words. You can choose to dedicate in-class time for students to complete practice activities, or they can do those on their own. Tests should take less than 15 minutes.
  • What kind of support is available to users?
    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.
  • What are some alternative options for classroom teachers to cover the cost of a 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 to that to cover the cost. Classroom parents (individually or as a group) may be willing to donate a subscription to you.
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