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Spelling Workout vs Other Programs


dsbrack
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Hello!  This is my first post here and I'm not sure if I am missing the posts that might discuss this or not.  The WTM recommends Spelling Workout or Spelling Power for the elementary years.  I've noticed that quite of few of you use other spelling programs.  AAS seems to be very popular as well as a few others.  If you chose something other than what is recommended in WTM, can you explain how you decided on your program?  Also, if you are using Spelling Workout or Spelling Power, how do you like it?

 

I understand that every family has their own needs but I would really like to find one spelling program to stick with throughout the elementary stage so I am trying to gather as much information as I can before purchasing.  Next year will be our first year with a formal spelling program.  I have read several reviews on homeschoolreviews.com but I would appreciate a classical education viewpoint.  Thanks in advance for your help!

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We used Spelling Workout for two years and my son retained absolutely nothing. We moved to AAS and there have been significant improvements.

 

IF your child is a natural speller, Spelling Workout may be enough, although if your child is a natural speller, they may not even need a spelling program. My son needed clear rules connected to phonics. AAS has been great for that.

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Spelling Power was a bust in my house. The program was too much busywork for my natural spellers, while my struggling spellers had no retention.

 

I use Spelling Workout with my natural spellers. It has a nice coverage of phonics, puzzles which keep it fun, and introducing editing notation. We catch the few words that need to be studied, it's a quick study, and takes very little time on my part.

 

For my kids who need more, I use Apples and Pears Spelling. It is time and writing intensive for the children and myself, but it's working!

 

 

 

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I never purchased spelling workout based on the reviews on this forum. I saw it later on person and I'm glad I didn't bc to me it looked like busywork. The first spelling program I purchased after much research was R&S. didn't stick with it long bc my kids could spell their way through the end of the book already. It was too easy. Then I purchased AAS, again based on the great reviews here. I took it out of the package and knew immediately it would not work for us bc it was too involved; my kids didn't need that much hand holding with tiles and all that. So I sold it. Then I got into OG programs, of course based on the reviews, first phonics road for a year, then SWR for about 8 weeks. I quit those bc I was tired of dictating a spelling list every day, basically. So I decided to do something more independent and went back to R&S, only this time putting them up a grade level. After a while it seemed like busy work so I cut it out of their day. You know what? I have natural spellers!!! I do do dictation with them once a week, but no more spelling programs for us!

 

Good luck with that research ! ;)

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SWO flopped in our house. The exercises could be completed without even reading the phonics rule in the corner of the page; none of the exercises required it. Those exercises had a puzzle book feel to them, which one DC loved, and the other loathed. Neither one learned how to spell.

 

One year we tried Rod and Staff's Spelling by Sound and Structure, and we haven't looked back since. It's effective, solid, easy for the DC to use themselves, and easy for the parent to use.

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SWO was a big flop over here, too.  We started at 5yo, and it was too much busywork writing.  There was little sense to the word lists.  There was no explanation as to why things were spelled the way they were.  It was just expected that the kids would write the words a bunch of times and memorize the spellings.  I have a lot of respect for SWB, but I really don't get this WTM recommendation.  I can only assume her kids were/are natural spellers and therefore did not need a lot of phonics.  

 

I decided I wanted something that was a lot more phonics-driven.  I ended up using SWR, because I am too cheap for AAS.  I am really glad that I made that choice, because I think SWR is particularly good for tweaking for different kids.  

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I tutor LD students with spelling/reading disabilities. I prefer to use a Spalding type curriculum with them.

 

I am very mobile lately, and choose to use eBooks whenever possible.

 

Reading Lessons through Literature is a Spalding type curriculum and comes in eBook format.

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Could I perhaps have some help in the general area of spelling as far as the major methods I might need to research?  It might help narrow down curriculum options.  Spalding is one method that I've heard referenced often and then there are phonics based programs and list based programs.  Are there others that I'm missing?  I like to research philosophies behind the programs so I can make a more informed decision but I feel totally lost on what the options are for spelling. 

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From what I can tell, there are 4 major approaches to teaching spelling: phonics based, rule based, visual and morpheme based (or some combination of the 4.)  Spelling Workout looks to be primarily phonics based.  I think I would like a program that touches on all 4 methods maybe starting in phonics and working up from there for when words could have multiple spellings based on phonics alone.  I'll keep researching but I think AAS might be a good fit.  Of course, I'll never really know until we get the materials and give it a go! :tongue_smilie:

 

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From what I can tell, there are 4 major approaches to teaching spelling: phonics based, rule based, visual and morpheme based (or some combination of the 4.)  Spelling Workout looks to be primarily phonics based.  I think I would like a program that touches on all 4 methods maybe starting in phonics and working up from there for when words could have multiple spellings based on phonics alone.  I'll keep researching but I think AAS might be a good fit.  Of course, I'll never really know until we get the materials and give it a go! :tongue_smilie:

 

I have a hard time seeing SWO as phonics-based.  We only used it for two years, but I didn't see any phonics being taught.  A natural speller would probably be able to intuit phonics from using SWO, but phonics was not taught directly, at least not in the levels that we used.  

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We use A Reason for Spelling.  We skip the story part and the journal and all the other fluff, and use the word list and exercises, which are actually very well done.  It works great for my son, and doesn't take much time at all- it's based on a 5-day, weekly plan, which takes him about 10 minutes a day, and covers the basic spelling groups and rules.  BUT he is a natural speller.  Something like AAS would drive him nuts!  (and me...)  The big one is to look at how much time you want to spend, and whether your dc kind of "get" spelling, or just have no idea- that will drive some of your needs for a spelling program.  Look at the samples online- thanks Rainbow Resource! and see what might work for you.  Most also have placement tests or other samples on their websites- A Reason's is here http://www.areasonfor.com/downloads.html for example.

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I chose not to use Spelling Workout b/c I know my workbook hating oldest son would absolutely revolt if I put it in front of him.  I also didn't like the reviews I was reading about it from this forum. Last year we did our own spelling, using Phonics Pathways as a loose guildeline.  It worked ok for him, but it was a bit of work for me.  I have tried AAS with both of my 2 older boys and it was a flunk w/ them both.  Too many manipulatives and distractions, however, I am using it w/ a SN girl that I tutor and it is working very well for her.  I am using R&S this year and I like it a lot.  It doesn't seem like there is much to it but it has them working w/ the words and I'm seeing retention.  Best part of all is that it is a workbook that my ds will tolerate.  I think he doesn't mind it b/c he can get it done in under 10 minutes ;)

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We started with homemade spelling (not great), went to AAS (loved it, but a lot of time with 4 kiddos), moved to SWO to save some time.  Kids HATED it.  Went back to AAS and haven't looked back.  I have one "graduate".  It's been the best even though it is completely parent driven.  We just work about 15 min/day per child.

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I  have pulled up several of the spelling programs mentioned to look at lessons, format, scope and sequence and keep getting drawn back to AAS.  I have learned that I want something that uses a mixture of phonics AND spelling rules, not just a list of words to memorize each week.  I am still debating between AAS and maybe SWR or R&S. I think R&S looks similar to AAS in that they both teach using phonics and spelling rules but one is hands on, teacher intensive and one is workbook style.  I could be way off but that is what I am led to believe from the samples and reviews I've read.  I would prefer to avoid a workbook and I only have 1 in the program next year so I think AAS might be the right fit. 

 

If you have experience that contradicts anything I've concluded, let me know as I am always open to hearing other's opinions.  Thanks!

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I started with SWR, used several other Spalding/Orton-Gillingham resources, and still struggled.  My oldest is dyslexic and we just kept hitting a wall.

 

 

Apples & Pears is a great spelling program, but I would wait to start it until 2nd or 3rd grade for a typical child.  I've been using A&P straight through with my dd.  My oldest ds has see-sawed between Spalding/O-G and A&P.  He basically hits a wall and I shift gears, and then he hits another wall and we do it again.  I recently started him back in book A (AGAIN!!!) and this time he's doing very well with it. 

 

 

If you can get your hands on the programs in a homeschool store (Mardel's maybe?), I highly suggest it.  There truly isn't a better/worse program.  There are programs that fit an individual child better/worse.  Try the simplest thing first if you just aren't sure.  Most children will do just fine with any spelling program.

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I  have pulled up several of the spelling programs mentioned to look at lessons, format, scope and sequence and keep getting drawn back to AAS.  I have learned that I want something that uses a mixture of phonics AND spelling rules, not just a list of words to memorize each week.  I am still debating between AAS and maybe SWR or R&S. I think R&S looks similar to AAS in that they both teach using phonics and spelling rules but one is hands on, teacher intensive and one is workbook style.  I could be way off but that is what I am led to believe from the samples and reviews I've read.  I would prefer to avoid a workbook and I only have 1 in the program next year so I think AAS might be the right fit. 

 

If you have experience that contradicts anything I've concluded, let me know as I am always open to hearing other's opinions.  Thanks!

 

Yup, you've got it right.  R&S is like AAS but in a workbook format (especially from gr. 4+, we're using grade 3 and it isn't teaching the rules explicitly yet). 

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  • 1 month later...

Yup, you've got it right.  R&S is like AAS but in a workbook format (especially from gr. 4+, we're using grade 3 and it isn't teaching the rules explicitly yet). 

So is grade 4 better than 3? I'm using 3 right now (we like workbooks) and I'm not too thilled with it. My son isn't really learning the words.

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  • 1 month later...

So is grade 4 better than 3? I'm using 3 right now (we like workbooks) and I'm not too thilled with it. My son isn't really learning the words.

This is me also. Anyone have an anwer to this? Is 4 better than 3? I'm looking at other spelling because I'm not too thrilled with it but so many people on her highly recommend it.

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We've used SWO for the natural spellers here. For DD who is an average speller (or maybe weak) we tried phonetic zoo (IEW) and it was a little better but the whole auditory thing did not work for her. We've gone back to SWO and she is happier although she doesn't like that the spelling words are in cursive LOL

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