Plainville Community Schools use Cast-A-Spell , Handwriting Without Tears , and Phonics Lessons 1: Letters, Words, and How They Work for instruction in early literacy development.  During spelling, the students are taught a specific skill or word pattern.  For instance, long a may be the objective for the day. Students practice words on a small white board such as make, rake, came, cane, fame and then say it, spell it, say it.  Handwriting instruction consists of practicing proper letter formation using lines and spaces.  We always start our letters at the TOP! To learn more about our handwriting program, visit www.hwtears.com/ .  We learn about how words work, practice letter sounds and word parts, and learn how to use known words to read and write unknown words during phonics instruction.