Magnetizing the All About Spelling Letter Tiles and storing them on a magnet board is a great way to stay organized. Since letter tiles remain set up until the next spelling class, the boards make lesson preparation quick and efficient, and then store neatly away when not in use.
Keep the following tips in mind when purchasing and using a magnet board in your spelling lessons
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Purchase a board that is a minimum of 2’ high x 3’ wide. That will give you enough room for all the letters, plus plenty of open space to work in. You can go larger, of course, but it's not necessary. See our recommendation below.
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Before purchasing a board, check the product description to be sure it’s actually magnetic! Boards may go by several names—magnet board, magnetic board, dry-erase board, white board, marker board—but magnets will not necessarily stick to all of them.
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Consider purchasing a board with a dry-erase feature—a nice addition to your daily lessons that offers yet another tactile way for your students to practice their spelling words.
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If you want a permanent workspace in the classroom, boards can be mounted on the wall. Or for more flexibility, leave the board free for use on the table.
Recommendation
This dry-erase magnet board works well with the All About Spelling letter tiles.
Suggestions From All About Spelling Users
Costco is another possible source for magnetic dry-erase boards. Cindy Kee of Nevada sent in this photo of the one she picked up locally, along with this note:
“Here is my magnet board all set up with the magnet tiles as of the end of Level Two! Costco’s web site does not show it for purchase online, so apparently it is only available in the actual store. It comes with a magnetic eraser that holds two dry-erase markers, two double-ended markers, six magnets, white board cleaner and cloth, and two magnetic swivel clips. Quite a bit of stuff to come with the board!”
Christie Groff has this idea for a low-cost alternative:
"I bought a 2' x 3' piece of sheet metal from the local home
improvement store and put duct tape around the sharp edges and now
I have a wonderful practice board. My daughter loves it and my 4 year
old son wants to learn to read and spell because of it! I store it on the top of my tall
bookshelf and it's working out just fine."
How to Set Up the Letter Tiles
When you first begin the All About Spelling program, set up the magnet board using just the tiles you need for the lesson, following the diagram shown in the book. Store the extra tiles in a separate bag until they are introduced in the spelling lessons.
The letter tiles are introduced several at a time. Eventually, your student will know all 72 basic phonograms and your layout will include all of the letter tiles, including necessary duplicates.
When you set up the manipulatives, it helps to keep them in the same arrangement for each lesson. This way, you and your student can easily find the letter tiles needed for the activities. The clear graphics in the All About Spelling lesson plans show you how to set up your magnet board.
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