SpellDoctor is a patent-pending, revolutionary technology that operates in conjunction with Microsoft Word®. As students spell check Word documents, SpellDoctor intercepts and logs each error.

Once the student’s words are uploaded, all other activity happens at SPELLDOCTOR.COM. This website is the nerve center of our powerful learning tool. It has numerous functions, divided into two main parts: The Teacher Path and The Student Path.

The graphic below summarizes the basic SpellDoctor lesson cycle. Each of these activities is described in more detail below. The Individualized Spelling Journal contains all the words studied in all SpellDoctor sessions.



TEACHER PATH ~ Create Lesson:

Teachers log in to SPELLDOCTOR.COM and see an overview of their classes at the Status Window. From the list they can select any class and check the status of each student’s lesson progress.

     Example of Status Window for a Sample Class

A red ToDo indicates a teacher task to be performed. Clicking the ToDo in the Teacher Check In Words column opens the Lesson Set-Up Window. (see the screen example below) In this window, the red box displays spell-checked words from the student’s own document work. The green box contains Language Arts Curriculum Words, and the blue box contains Cross-Curriculum Words from any other subject. Clicking on the Assign buttons, the teacher can build a custom lesson for this student. The Unassign button saves a word for the next lesson. Delete removes a word from a list.

    Example of Lesson Set-Up Window



It is important to remember that SpellDoctor lessons are set up for individuals, not groups. As a teacher builds a lesson, a counter tracks the number of words selected. When the lesson is ready, the teacher clicks the Send Assignment button. Lesson set-up time is about 20-30 seconds per student.

STUDENT PATH~ Correct Captured and Assigned Words

SpellDoctor provides a robust and highly interactive web-based learning environment for students. Students log in to SPELLDOCTOR.COM to perform each stage of the word study process. In the first stage, they perform two tasks.

First, they correct the spelling of each of their Captured Words.

Second, they take dictation on their Curriculum and Cross-Curriculum words. The dictation is presented by Merlin the Wizard, SpellDoctor’s animated spelling genius.

Each word must also be used in a clear and meaningful sentence. If a word is misspelled anywhere in the lesson, Merlin asks the student to try again. When all the words and sentences are complete, the student clicks the Pass In Homework button and the assignment is returned to the teacher for review.

        Example: SpellDoctor Basic lesson showing Captured Words

TEACHER PATH~ Review Word Corrections and Sentences
Back at the Status Window, the red ToDo in the Teacher Review Words and Sentences column indicates that work has been passed in. Clicking on the ToDo, the teacher opens a window that neatly displays all of the corrections and sentences completed by the student. The teacher quickly assesses each entry, verifying that the corrected word is in fact the intended target word, and that the written sentence is clear and meaningful. Deselecting an Accept box returns the word and sentence to the student for revision. Once all of the words and sentences are accepted, the lesson is moved forward to the Practice Dictation stage on the Student Path.

STUDENT PATH~ Practice Dictation
Peedy the Parrot, the second member of SpellDoctor’s elite spell-coaching team, greets the students at this stage of their lesson. Peedy dictates each word, and uses it in the student’s own sentence. If an error is made, Peedy coaches the student on how to fix it by displaying the word with question marks in place of the incorrect letters. If the word is misspelled three times, Peedy moves on to the next word, returning to the trouble word in the next round. Teachers set the number of practice rounds the students must complete.

STUDENT PATH~ Spelling Test
Once the student has completed the practice dictation, he/she is eligible to take the test. Entering this window, the student is again greeted by Peedy. Each word is dictated and used in the student’s own sentence. Students can click the Hear Word button to have a word repeated. Once the test is complete, students click the See Results button. Errors are shown next to correct spellings to provide instant comparison.

TEACHER PATH~ Review and Accept Test Results
A completed test will again post a red ToDo on the teacher Status Window. Clicking on the ToDo, the teacher can quickly review test performance and record the score. Teachers then click Accept Test Results, the screen changes back to the Status Window and the red ToDo has reset to the Check-in Words column. A new lesson can now be set up for this student. Teachers can also review test results and Trouble Words by class.

SPELLDOCTOR.COM: Individualized Spelling Journal
In addition to regular custom lessons, each student also builds up a Spelling Journal. This sortable archive contains all the words the student has studied in SpellDoctor lessons. Each word is displayed with its error-frequency number, and can be quickly recycled for additional practice in future lessons. The Individualized Spelling Journal is a powerful tool for keeping students on track with consistent development of their language skills.