WRTR-Do I need a guide?

[KJsMom]

I am working my way through the 5th edition after skimming through and trying to pick up the highlights. I know I will need to read it completely at least a couple of times and take notes to understand how to implement the method. My question is, do I need a manual or one of the supplemental programs that have been written to help use this program? I have found conflicting opinions in various places, but when I read the posts on the Spalding forums or the WRTR yahoo group everyone seems to insist you need a manual of some kind. I am a little lost at this point and would appreciate direction!

[plain jane]

I use WRTR and while I'm certainly no expert at it, I *am* going into my 5th year of using it. :) I read the 5th edition several times too, and while I felt I had a decent understanding of the program, I did end up purchasing one of their guides- the one for grade 1. I am so glad I did!! It really helped put everything together for me as well as to help me find a way to schedule WRTR so that it worked for my family.

 

As to your question, do you NEED a guide? No. It's all there in the 5th edition book and you should do fine without one. Would I recommend getting one guide to get a better feel for the program, despite their high cost? Absolutely. It was worth it for me, but obviously YMMV. If you have a child in grade 1, that would be an ideal one to get as it's the beginning of the program (K is a bit on the "light" side) and will help you set the tone for years to come. You don't need to follow the TM's exactly as written out but if you are having difficulties grasping the WRTR text, they are excellent for showing you how everything is meant to fit together.

 

HTH you a bit. :)

[KJsMom]

I will be using it for K and 4th (I think). My oldest has never used the Spalding method and she does read and spell above grade level, but my understanding is that it is never to late to use WRTR and that it is worth the time to try. She learned to read in PS so this will be the first time I teach anyone to read. :eek:

[Ellie]

I am working my way through the 5th edition after skimming through and trying to pick up the highlights. I know I will need to read it completely at least a couple of times and take notes to understand how to implement the method. My question is, do I need a manual or one of the supplemental programs that have been written to help use this program? I have found conflicting opinions in various places, but when I read the posts on the Spalding forums or the WRTR yahoo group everyone seems to insist you need a manual of some kind. I am a little lost at this point and would appreciate direction!

WRTR *is* the manual, for the Spalding Method. So, NO, you don't need another one if you're homeschooling. Everything you need to know is right there in that book.

 

Mrs. Spalding didn't want to write teacher guides or lesson plans because she wanted teachers to be free to adjust their teaching to their students' needs. However, the current Spalding Education International board believed guides/lesson plans really would be helpful, and so they have written guides which faithfully, completely follow the Spalding Method (unlike guides written by other people). If you *want* to, you *could* buy one guide, but you wouldn't need it after that year, because you'd know what you were doing.

 

Remember that a *beginning* Spalding class is almost 40 hours, so you're going to need to study your manual by reading it through several times. It's all in there: what to do first, how to do it, what to do next. There are multiple charts and sample dialogues and everything.

 

I usually recommend that you canabalize your manual by taking it to a printer (Kinko's/FedEx is usually the best) and have the spine cut off and the book drilled with three holes; the you put part one in one notebook and part two in another.

 

You'll want to read your manual through from cover to cover, the way you would read a novel. You'll go back and read it again, making notes in the margins with a pencil. You'll go back at least once more and make a plan...and the plans are simple: teach the first 45 phonograms, with daily written and oral/visual review; begin teaching the words in the Extended Ayres List and the spelling notebook; continue drilling and introducing new phonograms. That's pretty much it.

 

:)

[KJsMom]

Thank you for your help. I know it is fairly simple, I think I'm just a little overwhelmed by the size of the book! I've been looking through the materials again this afternoon and it is beginning to make sense. I just like to know how to do it *now*. I'm a little like a toddler in that respect.

I like the suggestion to seperate the book, that seems like it would make it more user friendly. I do appreciate your help. Don't be surprised if I am back with more questions!

[Ellie]

Thank you for your help. I know it is fairly simple, I think I'm just a little overwhelmed by the size of the book! I've been looking through the materials again this afternoon and it is beginning to make sense. I just like to know how to do it *now*. I'm a little like a toddler in that respect.

 

I like the suggestion to seperate the book, that seems like it would make it more user friendly. I do appreciate your help. Don't be surprised if I am back with more questions!

I'm a Spalding geek, so I don't mind your questions (even if I can't answer all of them).:D

[Colleen in NS]

I think I'm just a little overwhelmed by the size of the book!

 

What skills do you want to use WRTR for? The reason I ask is because if you just want to teach how to read, spelling, printing, and cursive, (like I do) then you don't need some of the book parts.

[PeterPan]

I threw WRTR (5th edition, since sold) at the wall a few times and let it rot in a corner for about 6 months before I finally determined I WAS gonna beat the beast and figure it out. Then I moved on to SWR, since even with understanding the method I still didn't know what I wanted to do day-to-day and wanted more hand-holding. :)

 

I say if that's your price point, take the plunge and start doing it. Do it imperfectly, then go back and read the sections that apply. If what you're perceiving is that it has a bit of theory, some word lists, and not much MORE, no you're not imagining things. It was written to teachers, professional teachers who get paid to dream up the rest of the stuff you need to flesh it out. So you either do without, make do using another resource for fun practice ideas (Spelling Power resource box, spelling games book, etc.) or you jump ship. AAS wasn't around when I started, but in looking it over at the convention this past weekend, I can SEE why so many people like it. It's idiot-proof, well-done, with dictation sentences and the things that ought to be there, and just plain open and go. Phonics Road tries to be open and go, but it's a bit more cumbersome and still doesn't have all the enrichments and things some kids need.

 

Don't make it harder than it needs to be. If you're determined to use it, decide you are. Open the book up and start imperfectly TOMORROW! The best way to learn is by doing it. You're not gonna screw it up. It's just some spelling words after all, lol. Work through the first 10 tonight on your own. I'll bet you get the hang of it very quickly. Did you buy the phonogram cards from the Spalding Foundation? I happen to like them a lot (great quality) and used them with our SWR that we used for years.

[KJsMom]

I am planning to use it with both children next year. One will be in 4th grade, the other starting K. Obviously with the younger I want to teach her to read. My older child is a pretty good speller, but she is making what I think are silly mistakes recently. I want to give her a stronger foundation to know how and why we spell the way we do. She could also use some help with her handwriting.

I love the theory behind this program and that it has been proven to work for decades. I was feeling somewhat confident about teaching it until I read all the opinions saying the average mom has trouble without the Spalding lesson plans. I think I can do it. I have all summer to figure it out.

[Ellie]

I was feeling somewhat confident about teaching it until I read all the opinions saying the average mom has trouble without the Spalding lesson plans. I think I can do it. I have all summer to figure it out.

Well, but "average moms" have been doing Spalding at home for a long, long time, long before the teacher guides came out.

 

Everything you need to know is in the manual (WRTR). With that in your hand, and some advice from those of us who are more experienced, you can do it without the teacher guides.

 

I have to say that I *like* the teacher guides; I just don't think they are *necessary* for a homeschooling parent.

[Colleen in NS]

Obviously with the younger I want to teach her to read. My older child is a pretty good speller, but she is making what I think are silly mistakes recently. I want to give her a stronger foundation to know how and why we spell the way we do. She could also use some help with her handwriting.

 

I think I can do it. I have all summer to figure it out.

 

I think you can safely skip huge portions of the book, and that if you have the confidence, then you'll be able to figure out the rest. Start a spelling notebook for yourself, as soon as you start to figure out how to do that. Take yourself through the spelling process - it'll help things fall into place.

[~Amanda~]

Can I ressurect an old thread and ask, because this was a question I have for myself (about whether or not I needed a guide, although I haven't seen the 5th edition, I borrowed the second edition from my library to see it before committing to buy) would the How to Start a Spelling Notebook book be recommended as a good "hand holding" book that didn't cost over $50? or would you still recommend sticking with the "manual" and just working it out yourself? (thank Ellie for all your expertise)

[Colleen in NS]

would the How to Start a Spelling Notebook book be recommended as a good "hand holding" book that didn't cost over $50? or would you still recommend sticking with the "manual" and just working it out yourself? (thank Ellie for all your expertise)

 

I recommend sticking with any edition of the manual and working it out yourself. If you can find a used copy of the 4th edition, IMO it's a much friendlier version than the 5th. But I'm the person who will take just the WWE textbook and figure out my own schedule/readings, etc.. I did the same thing with the 4th ed. of WRTR - read it and figured out how it all worked. The 5th ed. drags me down, :lol:.

[Cabertmom]

Well, just like the original poster on this thread, I read the Writing Road to Reading. Then I read it again. Then I read it a 3rd time taking notes all the way through and finally got it. The problem is that I'd be reading chapter 16 (or whatever chapter it was), and Romalda Spalding would refer to something you had to make sure to do way back in chapter 3. The method is brilliant, but I would contend that the book is poorly organized. I believe I had the 2nd edition, so perhaps these problems have been ironed out in the latest editions.

 

That said, I used it with a fair degree of success with my eldest daughter (now 14), but I thought I could reasonably omit the letter symbols. Looking back, that was a mistake. Moreover, my second child just never really got it using that. I've posted about this elsewhere, but I finally broke down and got All about Spelling, which is based on the Spalding method. The one major change is that the words are in order by word groups rather than by frequency. Some would disagree, but I think that's a big improvement. Also, the system in All about Spelling makes it hard to miss the rules that have finally made spelling make sense to my boys.

 

It took me a long time to get a supplement of any kind (albeit not the official Spalding one) after all the time I put into WRTR, but I'm so, so glad I did.

[Ellie]

Can I ressurect an old thread and ask, because this was a question I have for myself (about whether or not I needed a guide, although I haven't seen the 5th edition, I borrowed the second edition from my library to see it before committing to buy) would the How to Start a Spelling Notebook book be recommended as a good "hand holding" book that didn't cost over $50? or would you still recommend sticking with the "manual" and just working it out yourself? (thank Ellie for all your expertise)

My recommendation is to stick with the manual. Everything you need to know is in it.

 

You need to read the manual, cover to cover, like a novel. Then you go back and read it again and make notes to yourself. Then you go back ad read it again and make more notes. Seems like a lot of work :tongue_smilie:but Spalding is such an exellent method that it's worth it. All parts of the book are necessary, because all the parts work together, kwim?

 

Here's how to make the manual itself more manageable: take it to Kinko's-FedEx and have the spine cut off, then the book drilled for three holes. Put each of the two parts in its own notebook--two notebooks, IOW. The first part has all the instruction and charts and how-tos; the second part has the word lists and sample spelling notebook pages and whatnot. Initially, you'll refer to the first part often; eventually, you'll use mostly the second part.

[Guest]

WRTR *is* the manual, for the Spalding Method. So, NO, you don't need another one if you're homeschooling. Everything you need to know is right there in that book.

 

Mrs. Spalding didn't want to write teacher guides or lesson plans because she wanted teachers to be free to adjust their teaching to their students' needs. However, the current Spalding Education International board believed guides/lesson plans really would be helpful, and so they have written guides which faithfully, completely follow the Spalding Method (unlike guides written by other people). If you *want* to, you *could* buy one guide, but you wouldn't need it after that year, because you'd know what you were doing.

 

Remember that a *beginning* Spalding class is almost 40 hours, so you're going to need to study your manual by reading it through several times. It's all in there: what to do first, how to do it, what to do next. There are multiple charts and sample dialogues and everything.

 

I usually recommend that you canabalize your manual by taking it to a printer (Kinko's/FedEx is usually the best) and have the spine cut off and the book drilled with three holes; the you put part one in one notebook and part two in another.

 

You'll want to read your manual through from cover to cover, the way you would read a novel. You'll go back and read it again, making notes in the margins with a pencil. You'll go back at least once more and make a plan...and the plans are simple: teach the first 45 phonograms, with daily written and oral/visual review; begin teaching the words in the Extended Ayres List and the spelling notebook; continue drilling and introducing new phonograms. That's pretty much it.

 

:)

 

Thank you for this and many of your other posts in other older threads I have been hunting down lately. You make it sound so easy! It's just what I want to hear. Thank you for the encouragement :). I never cut TM's, unless they have things I need to copy, like WWE, so I never even thought of cutting the book. Your idea makes much sense. I think I will be doing that soon and working on setting this up. Spalding's approach just makes so much sense to me, and has the structure I want for teaching my second child to read when the time comes while approaching phonics in a more structured way with my 7 year old who is already an advanced reader and good speller. We have been using lots of good programs that we have been happy with but I just wanted a more organized approach as the others have felt a little scattered. I have been wanting to do this but have felt a need for planning/ scheduling help and had been looking at PR or SWR instead. I think I will give the WRTR a go since this is what I have wanted to do all along and make it work :D. Anyway, I just resurrected this thread to say thank you :).

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

Elli makes WRTR sound SO easy. :) That was encouraging to read. lol I've repeatedly been tempted to buy the 4th edition after first borrowing from the library. I'm waiting for it to become available at the library so I can check it out a 3rd time before I go and buy it. There has always been something that seemed so simple about it but since I've heard about how difficult it is I figured I must be missing something. We'll see.

[Gooblink]

I can't praise WRTR enough and, though they might be of some help, you do not need the guides. I bought the 1st and 3rd grade guides some years ago but didn't use them.

 

:)

[Guest]

I can't praise WRTR enough and, though they might be of some help, you do not need the guides. I bought the 1st and 3rd grade guides some years ago but didn't use them.

 

:)

 

Thank you for posting this. I have been considering one of the guides if my attempt to go it with just the book is a flop. I have the 5th edition.

[Jen the RD]

and the success that I have had with it. In one of the threads, I give an example of my schedule. I think some of the others may mention about the use of a teacher's guide, too.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135406&highlight=WRTR

 

In quick summary, the book really is all you need, but you do have to study it to understand the flow of the lessons. I did buy the guides for K & 4th to help myself the first year, but I only used them about 3 months. I tweaked things a lot and decided I was only going to use WRTR for teaching reading and spelling, not grammar or writing (as in writing paragraphs, reports, essays). I did teach my ds to write in both manuscript and cursive using WRTR--which was very effective BTW.

 

I still have both teacher's guides and I'll be happy to sell them. If you decide you're interested, just PM me.

 

HTH,

Jennifer

[Guest]

and the success that I have had with it. In one of the threads, I give an example of my schedule. I think some of the others may mention about the use of a teacher's guide, too.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135406&highlight=WRTR

 

In quick summary, the book really is all you need, but you do have to study it to understand the flow of the lessons. I did buy the guides for K & 4th to help myself the first year, but I only used them about 3 months. I tweaked things a lot and decided I was only going to use WRTR for teaching reading and spelling, not grammar or writing (as in writing paragraphs, reports, essays). I did teach my ds to write in both manuscript and cursive using WRTR--which was very effective BTW.

 

I still have both teacher's guides and I'll be happy to sell them. If you decide you're interested, just PM me.

 

HTH,

Jennifer

 

Thank you so much for the link... and the links within the link :D. I am going over them now. Lots of great info.

[Guest]

I tweaked things a lot and decided I was only going to use WRTR for teaching reading and spelling, not grammar or writing (as in writing paragraphs, reports, essays). I did teach my ds to write in both manuscript and cursive using WRTR--which was very effective BTW.

 

I still have both teacher's guides and I'll be happy to sell them. If you decide you're interested, just PM me.

 

HTH,

Jennifer

 

My main focus is on reading and spelling also. I want to start my little guy with it from the start and also go through it with my older son to give him a better foundation in those areas. Grammar and writing, I don't know if I want to go that route because I already have or have planned what I want to use. This is another reason holding me back from buying the Teacher's guides (I was considering at least one but we shall see).

 

I will keep you posted if I decide to go with the teacher's guides. Thanks :).