![]() A school tournament in March decides which team will play toward the national championship. Ironically, students don't always spell the words correctly, but they also get a chance to practice math, teamwork, and problem solving, Paisie said.Īt Belmont Middle School, Scrabble Club meetings draw about 35 students in fifth through eighth grades every week, said Charbeneau. Some more experienced or advanced players who want to go head-to-head can do so when they like, but many prefer the social interaction in the group of four." "I find that two heads are definitely better than one for my seventh graders. ![]() Students at Paisie's school enjoy playing in teams. There is a good mixture of grade levels." "For the past six years that we've met, we usually have anywhere from eight to 12 kids come for an hour after school. "This club provides a place for students who don't participate on sports teams, or orchestra, or other larger groups," said Ginny Paisie, a language arts teacher at Davis Drive Middle School in Cary, North Carolina. Several teachers told Education World that their after-school clubs often draw a range of students. "We hear a lot of anecdotal stuff from teachers who say that they've seen playing Scrabble improve students' spelling, teamwork, and interest in reading," according to Williams. The School SCRABBLE program also provides teachers with lesson plans and curriculum guidelines to help them tie-in Scrabble with national standards, said Williams. "You haven't lived until you've seen two 12-year-old boys fight over a dictionary." SPELL-BINDING ACTION "You can have a few good moves and do well in the game," he said. The game appeals to youngsters because most students are able to play and it can be very competitive, Williams noted. "We also encourage them to play with timers so the game moves faster and there is more scoring." "We've found it works best with fifth through eighth graders, and we encourage them to work in teams," Williams told Education World. "You haven't lived until you've seen two 12-year-old boys fight over a dictionary." Williams Jr., executive director of the National Scrabble Association, which runs the School SCRABBLE program. The top two teams from each state compete.Ĭurrently, there are between 400 and 500 Scrabble Clubs in the U.S., and many more students playing informally, said John D. The School SCRABBLE program also sponsors a national tournament for school Scrabble clubs, which is held in Boston in April. ![]() ![]() "Teachers can use it for math, spatial relations, spelling, and vocabulary." "It covers so many subjects," said Tara Rogers, director of communications and educational programs for the School SCRABBLE program. schools are playing in Scrabble clubs as part of the School SCRABBLE program, which began in 1991. A GAME FOR ALLĪbout 1 million students in 20,000 U.S. "It's a good way to work on strategy, teamwork, and vocabulary," added Charbeneau, who is the school's Scrabble Club advisor. "We have a wide variety of kids who come to the club, even those who are not strong spellers," said Alison Charbeneau, an English teacher at Belmont Middle School in Belmont, New Hampshire. And they love that students are learning without realizing it. Principals and teachers like that playing Scrabble builds spelling, vocabulary, and social skills, and can give students a chance to compete against other schools. Welcome to Scrabble clubs, an after-school activity growing in popularity with educators and students. There's even math, and yes, there's plenty of spelling. Included: Ways to use Scrabble as a teaching tool. Educators say playing Scrabble improves language and social skills. Many schools are luring students away from TV and video games with the chance to out-spell their classmates in after-school Scrabble club competitions. Best Books for Teachers, Students and Parents. ![]()
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