This Reading Mama

Spelling Folder with FREE Printables

By 47 Comments

Do you teach learner(s) who need a little extra support with spelling? Then, you’ll LOVE our spelling folder.

This spelling folder, made with two folders put together, has changed everything for my 2nd grader. And if you’re a subscriber to my newsletter, you can download all the printables that go with it for FREE!

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My Spelling Folder - Foldable Spelling Board with FREE Printables - This Reading Mama

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NOTE: If you are already a newsletter subscriber, hop over to my subscriber freebie page and enter the NEW password, which can be found in your most current newsletter (sent THIS MORNING).**

 

Spelling Folder – Foldable Spelling Board with FREE Printables

We’ve used a DIY word wall folder for years, specifically for keeping up with spellings of sight words. But this spelling folder helps kids spell SO many more skills. I also love that it’s portable!

So, just what’s included?

  • Number Words (1-20, then by tens to one hundred, thousand, and million)
  • b and d letter reversal reminder (using the word bed)
  • Color Words
  • Phonics Sound Chart – word and picture keys for digraphs, short vowels, bossy r vowels, long vowel sounds, and diphthongs
  • Word Endings Chart – word and picture keys for inflected endings
  • ALL Sight Words from Dolch PP-3rd grade PLUS Fry’s first 100, second 100, and 3rd 100 words {plus a few added words}
  • Handwriting Visuals (I’ve included print and D’Nealian)
  • Days of the Week
  • Months of the Year
  • 2D Shape Names
  • 3D Shape Names
  • U.S. Coin Names

This folder was developed specifically for my 2nd grader. I know that the needs of all learners are different, so cut and paste away to fit the needs of your learners!

Use resources from the printable spelling folder pack or find even more free spelling resources on my blog! I’ve included lots of links to spelling freebies on the blog in the spelling folder printable pack, too.

Note: These printable resources can be found in color AND in blackline!

 

Making Your Spelling Folder

Making the foldable spelling board isn’t difficult. Actually, it was kind of fun. 🙂

Start with two folders. I love the colored file folders, but manila folders also work. Be sure to cut the tabs off each folder so they will fold up nicely for easy storage.

 

Place one folder into the other on one side {like you see in the above picture} and either glue or staple them together. To save on time, I pulled out my long-arm stapler and stapled them.

 

folding spelling folder

Staple or glue it well so it won’t come apart when you fold over the sides. If you use glue, I highly recommend rubber cement! Be sure to give your folders time to dry, too.

 

gluing resources into spelling folder

Print out, cut, and paste {or staple} the printables you want to go on each side. I did not put anything on the very back of our spelling folder, but you could.

 

coloring cover of spelling folder

I left the front of the folder blank so my daughter could color the cover. She colored the little girl to look like her.

 

cover of my spelling folder - customize by coloring and adding name

Glue or staple the cover and ask learners to write their name.

 

Using the Spelling Folder

Now, you have the perfect resource for spelling all ready. BUT…learners, especially struggling spellers, won’t automatically know how to use it. You’ll need to do some modeling, teaching, and practicing.

For a few days, we spent just 2-3 minutes looking at the folder and talking about how to use each section.

Once she was familiar with it, we started playing a little “game” with it. I’d ask, “If I’m spelling a word that has a long a vowel pattern in it, where can I look to help me?” or “If I need to spell the sight word were, where can I find it?”

Please hear me say this:

Do not instruct learner(s) to stop and look up the spelling of every single word they want to write. This could greatly hinder their train of thought as they are getting ideas down on paper (I’m speaking to writing a draft).

Instead, encourage them to try the word to the best of their abilities. Then they can underline the word, if they don’t think they’ve spelled correctly. When they edit their work, they can use the resources in this spelling folder to review their underlined words.

 

Grab a copy of our spelling folder for your learners by entering your email below!


Enjoy teaching!
~Becky

 

 

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Comments

  1. Becky — I just have to say how much I am loving your website and am now using your freebies on a regular basis. I am one of the sponsors of a Syrian refugee family and the 5th grader is really struggling with learning how to read and write English. I tutor him almost daily, and you have saved me!! I just made this spelling folder for him. Thank you so much!

    Reply

  3. Thank you for sharing! I have seen these done in classrooms but not with such detail! I originally thought I couldn’t use it because it was in color and my color printer recently stopped working, so I was SOOOOO happy to find you included a black and white version in the download and I also appreciate that you included both forms of handwriting!

    Reply

  4. I love this! I am also glad for the black and white. The colour would be so nice, but I can’t afford it for my whole class. That printer ink adds up! I share my classroom with a co-teaching French instructor, so bulletin board space is at a premium. This saves me from making the classic Word Wall and I can use that space for other things. I love the portability. Thanks for saving me so much time.

    Reply

  5. Hi I am trying to get the printables to make this folder for next year but it says not available anymore? Any chance you could sent to me?

    Reply

  6. I love your spelling folder for my emergent readers. I teach in Canada, would you be able to send me a Canadian version using Canadian coins? Thank you

    Reply

    • You probably are trying to use the old password. The password changed on November 19th. The password will always be at the bottom of your newsletter. I just sent one yesterday. The new password is at the bottom of it.

      Reply

  12. Thank you so much for sharing these. I was looking for a good list of sight words for my struggling speller. This is great! It includes so much more than I was originally looking for.

    Reply

  14. Becky,

    I absolutely LOVE your ideas! Your self correct activities are perfect for the Montessori environment and your spelling folder fits the bill. I plan on introducing it at the beginning of next school year (2018-2019). Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  15. I am an inclusion teacher for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. I have many students who struggle with writing and spelling. I was wanting to make a personal word wall myself, but I am so glad I found yours. I think it’s great! And it’ll take a little work off me. haha Thanks!

    Reply

  16. Becky,
    I can’t even begin to tell you how encouraged I am by your genuineness and your generosity. I am a former classroom teacher who is now a stay at home mom of 4 kids 5 and under. My husband and I prayed a lot and decided that we were supposed to homeschool. Its been a wild ride and until I found your blog I had been creating a lot of my own resources. I can’t tell you how much it blessed me to find another mom, former teacher, with a bundle of kids, who loves the Lord and is using her gifting to bless her family and others. Its easy to feel really discouraged sometimes when I forget the calling I have and the blessings God has given. Thank you so much for doing this blog!

    Reply

    • Oh, you are SO welcome. It’s a blessing to be used to bless others!! Yes, the homeschooling road can feel a little lonely and discouraging at times, but my calling always draws me back. 🙂

      Reply

  17. Thank you for sending this through my email. It makes it easy for my Ell beginners when they finish writing to be able to use the folder to edit their spelling. A great resource!

    Reply

    • You’re very welcome! I’m glad your second grader is excited about it! My 2nd grader still shows hers off to others. Just yesterday, my son had a friend over and she explained it all to him. 🙂

      Reply

  19. Thank you very much for making this. Im going to put it all together tonight when I get home and introduce this to my girl who is a kindergarten.

    Reply

  20. Thanks for this. I’m starting my daughter (4yrs) on writing stories (a paragraph really) to keep her mind going and we have a dictionary but that seems daunting for her so having your folder is helping her be more independent.

    Reply

  21. This is a wonderful resource. I had made a few folders for children at our school. Slightly modified to suit our curriculum. Thank you for sharing this great resource idea!

    Reply

  23. Thank you this has been a great help for my two boys. Do you have a math folder? This would be wonderful. These two subjects are so important for kids. Thanks

    Reply

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