lessons and why we use them

We use lessons in S2C because they provide a meaningful and structured way to engage spellers in both learning and communication. Lessons allow us to explore a variety of topics—whether academic, current events, or personal interests—ensuring that the speller’s mind is always engaged...Always feeding that brain with age-appropriate material. This is important because spellers, like anyone else, have rich, complex thoughts and ideas. Lessons create a space for them to fully express these, allowing them to share their insights and perspectives in a thoughtful, organized way.

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Lesson question structure:

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Spell-Only (Green)
Used during the Acquisition Phase, these questions focus on motor skill development. Spellers are asked to spell words from the lesson to build familiarity with the board and refine motor control.

Known Questions (Green)
These questions typically have one correct answer (e.g., fill-in-the-blank). They reduce cognitive load, allowing spellers to focus on motor skills and spelling accuracy during the early stages of S2C.

Numbers & Math (Purple)
Questions involving calculations, dates, and quantities help spellers strengthen their math and problem-solving skills while continuing to refine their motor control as they progress in S2C.

Semi-Open (Orange)
These questions offer a limited set of answers (e.g., synonyms, antonyms), promoting cognitive flexibility as spellers gain control over their motor skills. Semi-open questions are useful as spellers advance through S2C.

Open-Ended (Pink)
In the Fluency Phase, these questions allow spellers to express original thoughts and opinions. Open-ended questions foster independence and creativity, helping spellers express themselves freely.

Creative Writing (Pink)
A form of open-ended question, creative writing prompts encourage spellers to engage with lesson content in a personal and imaginative way. These questions promote creative thinking and deeper self-expression.

Prior Knowledge (Blue)
These questions connect new learning to the speller’s life experiences and general knowledge. Used throughout the S2C process, they help deepen understanding by integrating the speller’s personal context.

VAKT (Red)
VAKT: (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Tactile) activities engage multiple senses to reinforce learning. These activities are especially helpful in the Acquisition Phase to build motor control through multisensory experiences.

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Here is a lesson created by Brittney for you to take a look at for reference: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xQiS7ZsDiAO9JXRVP5LgtAP56miNPwRdqsL5SkvsFsM/edit