Virginia SOL 12.LU.2.B

ELA12th GradeLanguage Usage

The Standard

Spell correctly, consulting reference materials to check as needed.

Virginia Standards of Learning for English · Mechanics

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students spell words accurately in formal writing. They identify words that may be misspelled and check them with dictionaries, digital tools, or trusted sources. They judge whether suggested corrections fit the sentence.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students submit polished writing with accurate spelling, including difficult and subject-specific words. They notice when a word looks wrong and verify it with a reliable source. They review digital suggestions instead of accepting them automatically.
Common Misconceptions: Students may assume spell-check catches every error, even when a wrong word is spelled correctly. They may accept the first suggested correction without checking meaning. Homophones, technical terms, and proper names often cause errors.
How to Assess It: Give students a short paragraph containing six spelling errors, including one misused homophone. Ask them to correct each error and name the reference tool they used.

Lesson moves

Give pairs printed word cards to sort into correct, incorrect, and unsure groups, then verify every choice with a dictionary.
Present two spellings of five difficult words, and ask students to write which reference source they would trust and why.
Run a dictionary relay in which teams locate correct spellings, pronunciation guides, and word forms for ten teacher selected words.
Have students proofread a sample job application and email, correcting errors with a dictionary and checking proper names on official websites.

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