AAS - practicing spelling strategies?

[FairProspects]

Has anyone modified this strategy for their dyslexics? We love AAS and it has been very successful for us but this is one concept where ds just stares at the words and freezes. He has no idea even with the cheat sheet in front of him. I'm not sure this strategy is at all helpful for him. Has anyone done something different? Should I just skip those sections? Typed dictation, tile work, and correction of errors have been the most useful tools for us.

[MerryAtHope]

Are you talking about when the student goes through the stack of word cards and identifies which strategies to use for each word?

[FairProspects]

Are you talking about when the student goes through the stack of word cards and identifies which strategies to use for each word?

 

Yes, this part. Ds never identifies the part of the word that is odd or needs reviewing. I think this is because he is dyslexic and doesn't see word units or anomalies in words well. If I explain what it is from the TM he nods and gets it, but he doesn't see any without prompting so I don't think he is getting much out of the exercise. I'm not sure whether I should just have him look/visualize the words and tell him the unique features or just skip this section altogether. I mean realistically, the way he learns to spell is by working phonetically, getting pretty close, seeing the word spell checked by a predictor, and repeating that process until the correct spelling has been seen enough times to register in his brain. 

[MerryAtHope]

Yes, this part. Ds never identifies the part of the word that is odd or needs reviewing. I think this is because he is dyslexic and doesn't see word units or anomalies in words well. If I explain what it is from the TM he nods and gets it, but he doesn't see any without prompting so I don't think he is getting much out of the exercise. I'm not sure whether I should just have him look/visualize the words and tell him the unique features or just skip this section altogether. I mean realistically, the way he learns to spell is by working phonetically, getting pretty close, seeing the word spell checked by a predictor, and repeating that process until the correct spelling has been seen enough times to register in his brain. 

 

That's what I figured. My oldest struggled with this too, but I think it's really important to make them do it. This is what helps them transition from needing to be spoon fed (here's the word to learn, here's how to learn it) to being able to spell independently (I take responsibility for my writing, what words to learn and how to learn them). Some kids need a lot more hand-holding though. So I modified the exercise. First, I had him go through, identify parts he thought were tricky and tell me how he would address spelling them. They weren't always parts I would identify, but the point is for the student to see what help they need and what would help them--so it's important for them to try. In some cases I added a strategy to what he said, to show how more than one strategy could be helpful, or to show a strategy I thought was more helpful--without saying it that way of course! Then I went back through the stack and specifically asked questions--how would you know how to spell the /er/ sound here? Why is there a silent E here? What phonogram makes ___ sound? How do you know to choose that phonogram?

 

So...don't go through and explain it unless he can't answer the question. 

 

Sometimes we would go through the Spelling Strategies chart first--read it together, and then sort words into piles. IE:

 

Make a pile of words that have rules that apply. 

 

After he does that, have him tell you what rules apply to the words he chose. If rules apply to any other words, pull that card aside and see if he can identify a rule that would apply. If he's not sure, point out the phonogram or pattern, and then see if he knows. 

 

Sometimes it's a matter of finding balance between what's pushing too much and is frustrating, versus what's encouraging them to step out and learn a new skill. Word analysis is an important skill though, and it's good to encourage them to try, even if they don't get every last part of a word. 

 

Make a pile of words where pronouncing for spelling would help.

 

Make a pile of words where syllable division helps.

 

Make a pile of words where we have to use visual strategies to learn part of the word.

 

ETC...

 

So, there are different ways you can approach this with a child who balks, doesn't want to do it, or finds it very difficult to do.

 

Help him as much as he needs until he can take over the process himself. 

 

One of mine definitely finds this easier than the other, but both grew through the process of having to do it. 

 

Does this help?