Dear Teacher:

Automated spelling tests can be useful in many ways. As you use them in your classroom keep the following things in mind:

• These tests can be used by students to practice for a teacher-administered spelling test.
• These tests can be used in place of a traditional, teacher-administered test.
• These tests allow students to work at their own pace and have words read aloud to them as many times as necessary – unlike a teacher-administered test.
• These tests can be used for make-up when a student misses a test – saving you precious time.
• Poor handwriting is not an issue with the automated tests.
• The tests provide immediate feedback to students.
• The tests are self-grading, saving you time and effort.

You will need to have the Flash player installed for the tests to work properly.

The “Challenge” words are included in the tests but they are worth 0 (zero) points. If you use the tests as a graded assignment you will need to add points for correct “Challenge” words.

Due to limitations in the software used to create these tests, the computer will not consider lower case letters at the beginning of proper nouns or pronouns as errors.
For example, "november" will be given full credit when it should be "November.” Please be aware of this issue when scoring and recording grades.

You will be using your web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari) to access the spelling tests provided here. Please read the instructions below so that the tests will work properly on your computer(s).

You must make sure that your browser settings will allow "active content" to be displayed.
In Internet Explorer you must go to Tools then Internet Options and then Advanced.
Under the Advanced tab you will need to make sure that display of active content is enabled.

Most web browsers have features that will remember words typed into forms.
You must disable this feature before using the spelling tests.
If you don't, every student (except the first test taker) will see the words that the previous student typed into the blanks.
Please use the instructions provided below to disable this feature on all the computers where you will use the spelling tests.

On computers running Windows:
Internet Explorer
- Open Internet Explorer
- Choose Tools from the main menu
- Choose Internet Options from the pulldown menu
- Choose the Content tab
- Click on the AutoComplete button
- Uncheck “Forms” and “User names and passwords on forms”
- Click OK
- Click OK again
- Close Internet Explorer
Firefox
- Open Firefox
- Choose Tools from the main menu
- Choose Options from the pulldown menu
- Click on Privacy
- Uncheck “Remember what I enter in forms and the search bar”
Note: At this point you will also want to disable Firefox's spell check feature.
- Click Advanced
- Uncheck “Check my spelling as I type”
- Click OK
- Close Firefox

On Macintosh computers running OS X
(These tests will not work on older Macs running OS 8.x or 9.x.):
Safari
- Open Safari
- Choose Safari from the main menu
- Choose Preferences from the pulldown menu
- Choose Autofill
- Uncheck “Other forms”
- Choose Safari from the main menu
- Choose Quit from the pulldown menu
Firefox
- Open Firefox
- Choose Firefox from the main menu
- Choose Preferences from the pulldown menu
- Click on Privacy
- Uncheck “Remember what I enter in forms and the search bar”
Note: At this point you will also want to disable Firefox's spell check feature.
- Click Advanced
- Click on the General tab
- Uncheck “Check my spelling as I type”
- Choose Firefox from the main menu
- Choose Quit from the pulldown menu