How to Give a Spelling Test Using Google Forms

Do you still administer spelling tests?  If so, are you tired of grading them!  So was I.  I found a great solution to not only incorporate spelling and technology in a 1:1 classroom, but also lessen the grading load as a teacher.  The answer is Google Forms!

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I created a template in Google Forms for my students to take the weekly spelling test.  I’m not here to defend or attack the idea of weekly spelling tests.  Sometimes they are just a necessary test that parents and students expect and are also incorporated into the report card.  But it doesn’t mean it has to be cumbersome to grade.

Using Google Forms I created a 20 item form in which there is a text box for each of the 20 spelling words.  Instead of writing the spelling words in the weekly spelling test folder, the students type in the spelling word on the form.  Other than that, I administer the test as I usually do:  saying the word, using it in a sentence and then repeating it.

When the test is done, students simply hit the submit button.  Now comes the fun part.  I use a Google Sheets add-on called Flubaroo which will automate the grading of the test for each student.  In case you are not familiar with Google Forms, once a student submits the answers all responses are populated into a Google Sheets (spreadsheet) for you to view.  From there, it’s simply navigating a menu to Add-ons and selecting Flubaroo to grade it (Flubaroo must be installed first).

If you want to install Flubaroo as an Add-on in Google Sheets, just follow these 5 steps:

1. Open Google Sheets and create a new sheets
2. Find the Add-ons menu
3. Scroll down to Get Add-ons
4. Find the Flubaroo Add-on (it’s usually the first one!)
5. Follow the instructions to add it

Before you grade with Flubaroo, go back to the original Google Forms and create an answer key by filling out the form yourself with the correct answers.  Where it says student name, type in Answer Key.  Submit the form.  Don’t worry, it won’t be counted or graded, but Flubaroo needs an answer key to grade.

Now that’s it installed, how do you use it?  Follow these steps:

1. After the students have submitted their forms to you, click on view responses.  This will open up the Google Sheets
2. Then find the Add-ons menu
3. Select Flubaroo to grade
4. Step 1 asks you to verify the point for each question
5. Step 2 asks you to select the answer key
6. After that, Flubaroo takes over and grades the test

Once it’s graded, it will give you a summary and you can see the overall class average, questions percentage, etc.  If you had the students include their email, or it was collected by the Google Form, you can email the results to them.  There is also an option to save the student’s results to their Google Drive.

The entire process from giving the test to grading it takes approximately 15-20 minutes.  The only variable is how fast your students can type.  My third graders are still hunting and pecking at this stage so it does take a little longer than a conventional spelling test.  But the advantage to them is that they are using technology to complete a task and that will only help them in the future but also with taking the SBAC coming up in the Spring!

If you decide to keep using Google Forms for the spelling tests, one quick tip.  Remember to erase the previous responses from the Forms or it will just keep adding answers!  Or you could just make a new template each time.

If you are looking for more ideas, resources and tips on how to use Google in the classroom, consider following my Google in the Classroom Pinterest Board.  I have been adding useful and informative pins on how to use all things Google (Forms, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Google Classroom).  Just click on the clink to see the board then join!