In need of Spelling/How to use Mcguffey's

[thowell]

I need to add a spelling program for my girls. My budget is just about tapped and so I have McGuffey's The Eclectic Progressive Spelling Book on my shelf. However, I have no idea how to use it. Can anyone help?

[Whereneverever]

We use this for spelling right now. At this point I just test over the lesson, we list the words that were spelled incorrectly, work with them, then retest over all the words.

[thowell]

Did you use this to teach the spelling rules before you begin or do they just memorize the list?

[ElizabethB]

Here's how some people here are using Webster's, they are very similar:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70153

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97408

 

It is grouped by pattern, not rule.

 

Here's a good link to lists of rules:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77560

 

Also, I have most of the rules except the suffix rules in the links at the end of my how to tutor page, the suffix rules are in my phonics lesson 22.

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/howtotutor.html

[thowell]

Hi Elizabeth, so glad you responded I just finished watching your video on the Webster's Speller a little earlier. So let me ask you this. If I teach the syllabary do I need to teach the rules? Should I do this at the same time or at a later date. I am needing to strengthen dd9 in her spelling, she is a good natural speller but could use some improvement. Also dd6 is finishing up her phonics so should I also start her on the syllabary?

[Whereneverever]

Did you use this to teach the spelling rules before you begin or do they just memorize the list?

 

We covered a lot of the spelling rules through phonics, and the McGuffey's seems to be more by pattern, and similar sound. We talk about the rules if DD misses a lot of words, otherwise it's memorization.

[ElizabethB]

I teach the rules anyway, but they really just bounced off my daughter's head in K and 1st, she gets them this year, in K and 1st, she got the spellings of the words, but just by pattern. All my older students can learn the rules and find them helpful.

 

So, for an older child, rules are helpful. For a younger child, you don't have to bother, I couldn't help myself and I knew them all without looking them up, so it was easy for me to add them in even though they weren't sticking. For a younger child, they won't hurt. If it's taking a lot of extra time and effort, you don't have to do them.

 

Yes, I'd start DD 6 on the syllabary.

[AngelBee]

:lurk5:

[abreakfromlife]

I have the whole McGuffey's set but haven't really looked at them, and then I read the Webster's threads this afternoon and looked at all of the links, and realized McGuffey's is so similar. I also have AAS but it isn't everything I'm needing for dd, so I pulled out the McGuffey's and I'm going to try using that with dd, but using AAS to explain the rules; I was a natural speller so I've never learned the rules, so having it explained so clearly is very helpful.

[thowell]

I have also decided to use The Spelling Book for Primary Grades by William Draper Swan, this looks great and includes the rules, I found it from one of ElizabethB's post. You can find it on googlebooks