K Webster's Speller to teach reading, weekly schedule

[ElizabethB]

Week 25

 

My son is starting to get it, we are moving along a bit faster now!!

 

D1. Reminded him that g has a j sound before e, i, and y and c like s before e, i and y. After g syllables, told him that ai together says long a. Before his and has, I did is and as and reminded him that s sometimes has a z sound, and it did in these words. I also told him that L's were often doubled in short words.

GA GE GI GO GU GY; CA CE CI CO CU CY; AGE AIM AID ICE ALE ACE APE HIS HAS HAST HATH ADD ELF PEN RICH HELD GIFT DULL TILL WILL WELL.

 

D2. ASH ESH ISH OSH USH; LESS MESS KISS MISS; HUSH DESK DISK DESK; DUKE RULE TIME; TUNE MUTE MAZE ROBE

 

D3. SHA SHE SHI SHO SHU SHY; LIFE WIFE SAFE MALE SAVE; GLADE GRADE SHAVE WAVE; QUAKE STAGE SNAKE GLAZE; CRAZE PLAT4 SLATE SHAPE; HERE (I thought he might have trouble with here, but he figured it out easily.)

 

D4. Right before the ng words, I explained the ng sound of n in ng and nk. CHA CHE CHI CHO CHU CHY; THA THE THI THO THU THY (we did twice with both sounds of th.) TRACK PACK PLANT; SANG FANG SANG; CLANK CRANK SHANK PLANK; CLUMP THUMP CLAMP CHAMP; SPASM SPLASH CRASH

[BriannaG]

Oh, that is great to hear...as we're getting my dd evaluated for her speech. She is dropping ending constants in sentences, but can say them individually. I've gotten her that far from not using them in individual words, but am struggling to help her with the sentences. Especially when she gets excited!

 

We're back to our schedule on Monday, as we all had the flu here and everyone got sick one after that other. At least that is all over.

[warriormom]

1. Should I teach my son the long vowel and short vowel sound of "ba be bi bo.."? If not, why?

 

2. How do you know whether your child is proficient with the syllabary? Any clues or advice? I review the syllabary with him, and then we play "how do you spell....ba? etc. " Is that what I should be doing?

 

3. Anything I should look out for? Anything I should guard against using the syllabary?

[ElizabethB]

1. Should I teach my son the long vowel and short vowel sound of "ba be bi bo.."? If not, why?

You should not. You will defeat most of the purpose of the syllabary if you do, actually. If you look at the later tables, the words are divided up with syllables, and those ending in a vowel are long, and those ending in a consonant are short, here are some example words:

 

ba-ker, ho-ly, ad-mit, in-sect, ta-per, ban-ter, de-fine, re-li-ance

 

After over-learning that syllables ending in a vowel are long, they can easily sound out words like ba-ker, ho-ly, de-fine, and re-li-ance. Teaching ba as short would add confusion and defeats the whole design of the Speller.

 

2. How do you know whether your child is proficient with the syllabary? Any clues or advice? I review the syllabary with him, and then we play "how do you spell....ba? etc. " Is that what I should be doing?

 

Yes, they should be able to read and spell all the syllables except ca ce ci co cu cy, sca sce sci sco scu scy, ga ge gi go gu gy, before you move on. You can work on these remaining syllables with a mix of hard and soft g and c while moving on to the rest of the Speller.

 

3. Anything I should look out for? Anything I should guard against using the syllabary?

 

Just remember that it is the key to the whole speller. Later, if they have trouble with syllable, refer back the the syllabary. For example, in the word di-plo-ma (which is accented on the 2nd syllable, plo, so will schwa on the syllables di and ma), if they mispronounce plo, saying short o instead, go back to the syllabary and have them read "pla ple pli plo plu ply," then point at plo in the syllabary and have them read it again, then plo in the word, then have them try to read the whole word again.

Edited April 2, 2011 by ElizabethB

[warriormom]

Thank you so much Elizabeth! I appreciate your help!

[ElizabethB]

There are reprints, it seems: http://www.amazon.com/New-Guide-English-Tongue/dp/1148349502/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2O7H0NC11B8AS&colid=2LE2RDPS10Z04

 

Rosie

 

Well, I got a copy and was disappointed. I would not waste your money. The scanned document on Google books is a higher quality scan than the reprint you linked.

 

It is good enough to read for an adult, but not a young child. I would just print out the online one if you are going to use Dilworth and want a hard copy. (Although personally, I would just write them out on a whiteboard from the computer, you will only be teaching a few syllables and words every day.) There should be some more recent British Spellers, though, I'll ask around and see what I can find. Some of the words in Dilworth are pretty archaic, even for me, and I like old words.

[Rosie_0801]

Well, I got a copy and was disappointed. I would not waste your money. The scanned document on Google books is a higher quality scan than the reprint you linked.

 

It is good enough to read for an adult, but not a young child. I would just print out the online one if you are going to use Dilworth and want a hard copy. (Although personally, I would just write them out on a whiteboard from the computer, you will only be teaching a few syllables and words every day.) There should be some more recent British Spellers, though, I'll ask around and see what I can find. Some of the words in Dilworth are pretty archaic, even for me, and I like old words.

 

 

I'm sorry you were disappointed! Man, if they are going to reprint books, why not do a good job? Thank you so much for asking around. That's very good of you.

 

What archaic words? I like archaic words. I get to feel smart if I know them, and if I don't, there's no loss of self esteem because there's no reason I ought to know them. :lol:

 

Rosie

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I am wondering if it's possible to estimate how long it would take to go through Webster's reader. I see it is divided into lessons, but each lesson looks like it might be closer to a week of work, depending on the kid. If anyone has gone through it all the way before, how long did it take?

 

Thanks!

Monica

[ElizabethB]

I am wondering if it's possible to estimate how long it would take to go through Webster's reader. I see it is divided into lessons, but each lesson looks like it might be closer to a week of work, depending on the kid. If anyone has gone through it all the way before, how long did it take?

 

Thanks!

Monica

 

My daughter did about twice as many words per day as my son, she completed the Speller in a few months less than a school year.

 

My son will probably take 1 1/2 school years on the pace he is at now, he has speeded up the last few weeks. At the pace he was at earlier, it would take 2 years.

[happyhappyjoyjoy]

Thank you Elizabeth. I was very intrigued by the speller last year when I saw your website. We've had a lot of success with AAS, but I am noticing that DS1 sometimes stumbles on multisyllable (3 or more) words when reading. I am thinking about taking a break from AAS, and using this for a while. I think he'd go through it quickly, because he is an excellent reader for his age. I like the post where you wrote about the difference of being on a 4th grade reading level and a 12th grade reading level. That is what I want for him.

[happyhappyjoyjoy]

In the case of syllables that have a consonant for the purpose of keeping the vowel short, how does the student memorize it?

 

For example: let ters

 

The t is only said once, not twice.

*************************************

 

which th sound do you use for

tha the thi tho thu

Edited April 12, 2011 by happyhappyjoyjoy

[ElizabethB]

In the case of syllables that have a consonant for the purpose of keeping the vowel short, how does the student memorize it?

 

For example: let ters

 

The t is only said once, not twice.

*************************************

 

which th sound do you use for

tha the thi tho thu

 

They are just divided to help you figure out if the vowel is short or long, so it will be divided up let-ters. The students figure out the word fine. In one of his books, Webster talks about this and explains his decision to go for ease of learning to read over exact pronunciation. (It's not one I own, Don Potter sent the quote to me, I would have to scour hundreds of e-mails to find it.)

 

You do the th row twice, once with each sound of th.

[ElizabethB]

Yesterday we finally got to 2 syllable words! Here are the last two weeks. He is coming along.

 

Week 26.

 

D1. AD ED ID OD UD; DA DE DI DO DU DY; BLACK CRACK MATCH PATCH FETCH VETCH; MIRE SPINE VINE GRIPE SNIPE STRIPE; SIRE QUIRE SPIRE MIRE SMITE SPITE

 

D2. STRIFE FIFE TRITE QUITE SQUIRE SPIKE BRIDE CHIDE GLIDE PRIDE VICE TRICE BRICK KICK CHICK CLICK LICK STICK STRIVE SPIKE SPLICE STRIKE RIDE WIDE

 

D3. NAME, NAMES; DAME, DAMES; GALE, GALES; SCALE, SCALES; CAPE, CAPES; CAMP, CAMPS; CLAMP, CLAMPS; LAMP, LAMPS; SCALP, SCALPS; MAP, MAPS; SLAVE, SLAVES; BRAVE, BRAVES

 

D4. STAVE, STAVES; MATE, MATES; STATE, STATES; GRAPE, GRAPES; CRANE, CRANES; SHADE, SHADES; GRADE, GRADES; PLANT, PLANTS; PLANK, PLANKS; FLAG, FLAGS; BANK, BANKS

 

Week 27

 

D1. SNARE, SNARES; SNAKE, SNAKES; CAKE, CAKES; FLAKE, FLAKES; HOPE, HOPES; NOTE, NOTES; CHAP, CHAPS; FLANK, FLANKS; SHINE, SHINES; SLOPE, SLOPES; FOLD, FOLDS

 

D2. MIND, MINDS; BIND, BINDS; CUBE, CUBES; BLOT, BLOTS; GRAVE, GRAVES; STREET, STREETS; SHEET, SHEETS; CLUB, CLUBS; VOTE, VOTES; CONE, CONES; BONE, BONES

 

D3. SHAKE, SHAKES; PIPE, PIPES; WIRE, WIRES; HIVE, HIVES; PINE, PINES; FADE, FADES; MILL, MILLS; HILL, HILLS; SIDE, SIDES; VALE, VALES; ADD, ADDS

 

D4. WIFE, WIVES; LIFE, LIVES; HIVE, HIVES; DRIVE, DRIVES; GO, GOES; WO, WOES; DO, DOES; BLANK, BLANKS; CHOKE, CHOKES; CLOKE, CLOKES; SMOKE, SMOKES (Explained that DOES is an exception. Also, told him that "f and v are cousins." Had him say both sounds to compare, told him that F sometimes changes to V when the word is plural.)

Edited April 20, 2011 by ElizabethB

[ElizabethB]

We got to 2-syllable words this week! He spells them better than he can read them. My daughter couldn't spell more than one or two per day at that age, he can spell almost as many as he can read and has an easier time spelling them than reading them. However, she could read more of them than he can, she could read 20 at a time. (Co-op ended, so we are now on a 5 day week.)

 

Week 28.

 

D1. FLAME, FLAMES; FRAME, FRAMES; STAND, STANDS; DROVE, DROVES; ROBE, ROBES; FLAG, FLAGS; MARE, MARES; TARE, TARES; GRATE, GRATES; SMITE, SMITES; BRICK, BRICKS

 

D2. ACK ECK ICK OCK UCK; ASH ESH ISH OSH USH

SHA SHE SHI SHO SHU SHY; CHA CHE CHI CHO CHU CHY

KICK, KICKS; STICK, STICKS; BRIDLE, BRIDLES; FIRE, FIRES; SWIM, SWIMS

BA-KER, BRI-ER, CI-DER, CRA-ZY, CRI-ER, CRU-EL

 

D3. Spelled PILOT, SPIDER, PAPER, HUMAN

 

D4. Read DA-AL, DI-ET, DU-TY, DRA-PER, FA-TAL, FE-VER, FI-NAL, FLA-GRANT, FLU-ENT, FO-CUS, FRU-GAL (Skipped DY-ER because it is archaic.)

 

D5. iPod app "abc Pocket Phonics" for a fun break after all those 2-syllable words

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

So, do I just provide an explanation of the phonics rule relevant to the list of words being introduced and then use the list as examples and practice for that rule?

 

I've been reading around to try to figure this out and it's only left me feeling pretty dense. I'm certain this is far more simple than I am making it. :lol:

[Joyful]

I just stumbled onto this thread. This is great!

Thank you, Elizabeth!

[ElizabethB]

So, do I just provide an explanation of the phonics rule relevant to the list of words being introduced and then use the list as examples and practice for that rule?

 

I've been reading around to try to figure this out and it's only left me feeling pretty dense. I'm certain this is far more simple than I am making it. :lol:

 

It depends on the age. I always give the rules anyway, I can't help myself, but for 5 and 6 year olds, they tend to learn more by pattern than by rule. For older students, the rules are very helpful.

 

There are not that many rules in the speller, although the old dictionaries were filled with rules. I have some rules on my how to tutor page and also explanations into how to add syllables and spelling rules to Blend Phonics, and how to explicitly explain syllables. The explicit instructions are in #4, the Blend Phonics guide.

 

But, yes, with my son, I just give a brief explanation why and then have him read and spell some words that follow that pattern/rule.

 

With my older remedial students, I have longer explanations and spend more time on the rules. I also do a bit more spelling with my older students. (And, I do more spelling with my son than I did with my daughter because he can handle more spelling than she could. I also read more words per day with my daughter because she could handle more reading than he could at that age.)

 

I just stumbled onto this thread. This is great!

Thank you, Elizabeth!

 

You're welcome!

[Guest RecumbentHeart]

Thanks, Elizabeth. I just printed out Blend Phonics recently. I will check the link you gave, also.

 

I find it interesting to read of the differences in your children as my son can do a lot more spelling than reading before interest and attention are lost. He's also shown far more excitement over realizing he could write a word than he ever has over reading words. Seems to have a lot more insecurity over reading, also.

[warriormom]

Ok, I am in the "throws" of Webster's Blue Backed Speller. DS has the syllabary down except for G and C which we review. We are going to start Table 4....I hope I am doing this right. He gets about 75-80% right except some of the exceptions (c with a sound of s and doubling an e or doubling an s). Somehow I feel like I need to be teaching him some rules to go along with the spelling. Advice? Am I going too fast?

 

Am I on the right track? Elizabeth, do you consider 80-85% mastery? I saw on your site the spelling rules for Blend Phonics. Do you suggest I use that? He is 5.5. Tips?

[RobinM]

ElizabethB, you are such a sweetie and a treasure to all of us here! (hope I spelled sweetie correctly)

 

Thank you for all of your hard work and for sharing it with us.

 

Ditto

 

I have seen such amazing results by going through your lessons. Thank you for your time and knowledge. May God bless you for being a blessing to others!

[Soror]

Here I am looking at this for the umpteenth time. Trying to wrap my brain around it. We are using I See Sam and it has worked well I guess, especially considering where we started, I think it was great for both of us. It took the pressure off of me to understand and him. Now though I find myself questioning if it is still the best. I am frustrated by the lack of rules. When we come up to new words there is no explanation as to why it makes that sound in a particular word, there are no rules or patterns discussed ever for that matter. That drives me batty. Just reading the first few lessons here are eye opening. I am also frustrated with the guessing, which still happens. I pulled out AAS this week hoping to find out some more but I thinking now looking ahead that it will not be enough fast enough.

 

Does someone just follow your lessons? Use them along with the Don Potter Version of the Syllabry? Looking at the lessons it seems so fast paced but maybe I am just used to it being so much slower. My 4 yo knows about half the letters I was thinking of starting her after she knows all the letters, that is the only thing needed to start if I understand correctly. We are doing the leap frog video and have been for awhile. I tried her a few months ago on the I See Sam(at her request) and she was not understanding at all. I tried her again today as she was asking and she seems to be understanding more the concept of blending- or at least it seems anyway. So, that makes me hopeful that perhaps it will be easier for her.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I am by no means an expert, but here is how we are using it...

 

My son can currently read CVC words, but seems to have completely forgotten everything else we learned after three weeks visiting family on vacation, so I have switched over to the syllabary completely now to remediate, what we already learned as well as add new skills..

 

I spent last week (our first week after coming home from vacation) working on just the first piece of the syllabary B, C, D, F, K+ long vowels.

 

If he didn't already know his sounds well, this might have taken even longer. I might have started just by writing the vowels and then having him give their short and long sounds, then saying one of the vowel sounds and having him oinpt to the right vowel, etc. We do this as a warm-up anyway.

 

2. After we do the first section of the syllabary in order, mixed up, as a game, etc, then we read a few rows of the words from the first table of words, lesson 1. We are doing this because he's already proficient at CVC words, otherwise this would be too early for this lesson.

 

3. I then have him spell orally 4-5 words from the same lesson, as he doesn't write yet.

 

The thing that I think will get harder over time with Webster's is that rules are not really given, and reading is not taught in the same "order" as other programs. F.ex. multisyllable words are taught before vowel combos. Also, "Rules" are not presented, only patterns. It is the teacher's job to present the appropriate rule. This means I'm going to have to get a book like How To Teach Spelling or something so that I know all my rules!

 

Anyway, that's just my opinion. If you want a book that more clearly lays out the rules, maybe try Phonics Pathways?

[Soror]

Thanks for your input, ds is certainly able to read CVC and some more but dd is just learning her letters. Some sounds she knows but mostly the short ones, so I see that it will be certainly something to go over with her.

 

 

I think I might just start at the beginning though with ds. I worry about making sure his foundation is good. As I said I am concerned there is still guessing and I know at times he tries to figure out by context. His confidence is not the best either, maybe that is a time issue but he won't much try with words, even if he knows their sounds. I think he could take off a lot more than he has so far and I want to make sure he has the tools to do so. I really trust Elizabeth's opinion here in regards to the phonics though and would like to try this program if she says it gets her the best results. I really think ISS was what we needed to start and it has been great for him and me to do together. It gave him some confidence and he just blossomed when we started it he didn't even know all the letters and I think just drilling them with Webster's or such wouldn't have worked at that point. But I know wonder if we need some changes to find what is best for him.

 

I just wish I had a white board now, I plan to get one but that will be a few months until the basement is done!

 

Oh, and on another thread Elizabeth mentioned a book titled 'The ABCs and all their Tricks' so perhaps that would be the one to get to help with that.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Yeah, that's why we switched back to Webster's too- the guessing was getting ridiculous! We did 100EZ lessons, and were on book 3 of Explode the Code, but guessing was getting worse, not better.

 

You can't guess with a word list!

[Soror]

Yep, and there is no trying(let's hope anyway). Although, sometimes I think he just half-way looks at a word and what he thinks it might be.

[Soror]

I have another question for Elizabeth- whenever you happen to have time. I see on your site lessons using Blend Phonics. I am wondering now I understand you prefer the Webster's, is that correct and is it always your choice? I also see you mix the lessons with the games, which it seems that just happens whenever you feel it is needed.

 

Also, I was thinking I was reading one of your quotes about reading that said more instruction is better. Would you think a 6, almost 7 yr old should receive more frequent instruction. I think the time is still right for him, 10-15 min, as he gets tired of the phonics much quicker but I wonder as well about maybe doing a phonics sesssion in the am and perhaps a game in the pm. I don't want to hold him back by me being lazy but don't want to push too hard either. He absolutely loves books, loves listening to them and I would love him to be able to do that on his own, of course that has to be on his own time though.

[ElizabethB]

Does someone just follow your lessons? Use them along with the Don Potter Version of the Syllabry? Looking at the lessons it seems so fast paced but maybe I am just used to it being so much slower.

 

Yes, you can just follow my lessons. I am basically working through the 1824 Speller from Don Potter's page, but when my son has trouble with something, we go back and review that section, so some things are out of order.

 

I go at the student's pace--my daughter actually went much faster! But, I would go even slower if need be, you keep working on things until they get it and then move on.

 

I have another question for Elizabeth- whenever you happen to have time. I see on your site lessons using Blend Phonics. I am wondering now I understand you prefer the Webster's, is that correct and is it always your choice? I also see you mix the lessons with the games, which it seems that just happens whenever you feel it is needed.

 

Also, I was thinking I was reading one of your quotes about reading that said more instruction is better. Would you think a 6, almost 7 yr old should receive more frequent instruction. I think the time is still right for him, 10-15 min, as he gets tired of the phonics much quicker but I wonder as well about maybe doing a phonics sesssion in the am and perhaps a game in the pm. I don't want to hold him back by me being lazy but don't want to push too hard either. He absolutely loves books, loves listening to them and I would love him to be able to do that on his own, of course that has to be on his own time though.

 

You can also use syllables combined with Blend Phonics, my how to tutor page shows how to add in syllables to Blend Phonics, the #4 link at the end. Either is fine, whatever is less confusing for you. As long as you are working on things from L to R and eventually get some syllable work in, you are good! I do think it is a bit better to start with the syllables, though.

 

Yes, with an older child I would do 2 short sessions a day. The second can be 5 minutes of instruction and then games. At some point next year I may have to start doing that with my son. We actually did 3 more weeks worth of work that I didn't add to the thread--we took a week off end then had to spend a few weeks reviewing!! Then, we just did phonics games for his last week of school. We had 3 weeks off for summer after that, last week we had our first day of light summer school, I'm doing 2X a week phonics for him and 2X a week math for my daughter. He was a bit rusty but not as bad off as I feared.

[ElizabethB]

This means I'm going to have to get a book like How To Teach Spelling or something so that I know all my rules!

 

I have most of the rules on my how to tutor page, links #5 and #6 at the end of the page. The ones I don't have are the suffix rules, I didn't write them out because there are so many and they are not needed for a beginning student. The are all in my phonics lesson #22. You can also see some good lists of rules here in this thread, the David Appleyard one has the best suffix rules.

 

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

 

Yeah, that's why we switched back to Webster's too- the guessing was getting ridiculous! We did 100EZ lessons, and were on book 3 of Explode the Code, but guessing was getting worse, not better.

 

You can't guess with a word list!

 

I've found nonsense words to be very helpful for fixing the guessing problem, use my phonics concentration game for a fun way to get in some nonsense words.

 

You'd be surprised--I do have students who try to guess from word lists! But, up until 2 years ago, I didn't have a single student who tried to guess at lists of nonsense words. (I have some nonsense word lists for my tough remedial cases.) He had such a bad guessing habit that he couldn't help himself, even though he was good at math and appreciated the statistical probability of guessing a nonsense word!! We had to make him sound out every sound of every single word before he was allowed to say a word. After a few weeks of this, he was much better.

 

Are you teaching French, too? If or when you do, there is a free French syllabic phonics book available, it's nice to compare syllables across languages. I taught my daughter Spanish with syllables. Spanish lends itself nicely to syllables.

Edited July 11, 2011 by ElizabethB

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Elizabeth- I would LOVE to see the free French Syllabary. I do have a beginning French reading book based on the French syllabary, but I'd love to also be able to teach it in a more Webster-ish way, if I could get just the syllabary! and take a look at it.

 

Our basic plan is not to start French reading skills until he's had a year or a bit more of English reading, which will be sometime this fall. I may actually give him two years of English first... we'll see.

[Rosie_0801]

Hi Elizabeth,

Did you ever find a British speller worthy of recommending?

 

If not, I'll ask again next year. :tongue_smilie:

 

:)

Rosie

[Critterfixer]

Can I ask about the free French syllabary too? Pretty please?:D

 

I also have added some work from Word Mastery to our Webster's, sometimes as a bit of a break now and then, mostly because the words are so huge that it seems restful for the boys. They seem to pair nicely with Webster's. The boys are doing great. Yesterday my youngest, hFA, who hates all reading, actually felt confident enough to take a stab at important, diamonds and snowflakes. Prior to Webster's he would have given up. He's now confident enough to try, and that's a major improvement. (And yes, he broke all the words up into syllables, read them and was very pleased with himself.)

[ElizabethB]

Well, it's not a full syllabary, it's a row of syllables, then some words based on those syllables. But, it's free and you could make your own syllabary from it! There used to be French syllabaries, someone who speaks more French than I do might be able to find one on Google books.

 

I found it on the website Lire-ecrire, which seems to be an advocate for syllabic phonics and non-fuzzy math. (My French is poor to non-existant.)

 

Here is the link on Lire-ecrire explaining it:

 

http://www.lire-ecrire.org/conseils-pratiques/manuels-scolaires/methodes-de-lectures-et-decriture.html'>http://www.lire-ecrire.org/conseils-pratiques/manuels-scolaires/methodes-de-lectures-et-decriture.html

 

And, here is the website where you can get a free pdf versions of the books if you click something! (They then send you e-mails in French once a month. They only one I understood was when they said that they now carried Singapore Math in French.)

 

http://www.lalibrairiedesecoles.com/librairie/lecture,1

 

The Lire-ecrire website also lists some other French phonics suggestions:

 

http://www.lire-ecrire.org/conseils-pratiques/manuels-scolaires/methodes-de-lectures-et-decriture.html

 

(Again, take my French translations with a large grain of salt! :lol::lol::lol:)

[Soror]

Yes, you can just follow my lessons. I am basically working through the 1824 Speller from Don Potter's page, but when my son has trouble with something, we go back and review that section, so some things are out of order.

 

I go at the student's pace--my daughter actually went much faster! But, I would go even slower if need be, you keep working on things until they get it and then move on.

 

 

 

You can also use syllables combined with Blend Phonics, my how to tutor page shows how to add in syllables to Blend Phonics, the #4 link at the end. Either is fine, whatever is less confusing for you. As long as you are working on things from L to R and eventually get some syllable work in, you are good! I do think it is a bit better to start with the syllables, though.

 

Yes, with an older child I would do 2 short sessions a day. The second can be 5 minutes of instruction and then games. At some point next year I may have to start doing that with my son. We actually did 3 more weeks worth of work that I didn't add to the thread--we took a week off end then had to spend a few weeks reviewing!! Then, we just did phonics games for his last week of school. We had 3 weeks off for summer after that, last week we had our first day of light summer school, I'm doing 2X a week phonics for him and 2X a week math for my daughter. He was a bit rusty but not as bad off as I feared.

Thanks so much for your information, that link to the blend phonics was the one I was reading. I think I will go through it again and see what I think will work best for us. I will do it twice a day as well.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Thanks! I am glad to see Leo et Lea on the list, as that is the book that I (randomly) chose for my son, and it is "syllabique"

Edited July 12, 2011 by Monica_in_Switzerland

[ElizabethB]

Thanks! I am glad to see Leo et Lea on the list, as that is the book that I (randomly) chose for my son, and it is "syllabique"

 

:001_smile:

 

I'm glad to head that you're "syllabique." That's a fun word, too!

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Just for fun, here's a video of my son spelling CVC words from Table 2, lesson 2.

[ElizabethB]

Just for fun, here's a video of my son spelling CVC words from Table 2, lesson 2.

 

They are very cute!

 

Great job, I love it!! Also, I like the embedded vocabulary lesson--I find that's a great fringe benefit of Webster, he uses a lot of words that a regular phonics program doesn't generally include, so you can add in some vocabulary on occasion. (Although I do skip the really archaic words and some of the very uncommon 2+ syllable words for a younger child, you don't want to be doing so much vocabulary that you are defining every other word.)

[Joyful]

ElizabethB:

 

I'm thinking of using the Webster's Speller to teach my soon to be

5 y.o. to read - (and maybe spell?) He knows all his letters and their

sounds. Might it work? Or is he too young?

 

Thanks!

[ElizabethB]

ElizabethB:

 

I'm thinking of using the Webster's Speller to teach my soon to be

5 y.o. to read - (and maybe spell?) He knows all his letters and their

sounds. Might it work? Or is he too young?

 

Thanks!

 

That is the perfect age, that is when I started my son! Some 3 and 4 year olds may be ready, but some will not be.

 

Both of my children were actually able to spell before they could blend.

[Joyful]

Thank you, Elizabeth B!

I'm so glad to know that I will be able to use this will my child! He's so eager to learn to read and spell. I'm looking forward to this adventure. :001_smile:

[Guest 9smiths]

So when do students learn the phonograms (i.e. the sound of "sh," etc.)? I'm also wondering if there is a more extensive syllabus somewhere. It seems to me it would be beneficial to include ace, ice, age, etc.

 

TIA!

[Gentlemommy]

Ok. I am trying to understand how to do this, but I am really confused.:confused: Do I just say the two letter 'words' and she writes them? Does she spell them? Do I show her what they look like first and then test her? Is there a part that tells us when to use long vowel sounds/short vowel sounds? I've been looking at the Websters speller for two days, and I still do not understand what to do. For example, the word Find uses a long I sound, but the word Fill uses a short I sound...how do I explain why? I can not find where in Websters it tells us that kind of thing... I feel so stupid! I'm a good reader and speller, reading is my favorite pastime. However, I was not taught phonics or spelling rules at all. I think I can see when a word looks 'off' because I read a lot, but I can't explain WHY it's wrong, kwim? sorry for such dumb questions...:tongue_smilie:

[Soror]

Well, we did the syllabry for a while and then we went on break and I'm just now actually printing it off to make it easier.

 

Elizabeth- We did your concentration game last night and I was worried ds wouldn't do well but he knew them all but one- which is great news that he does know the sounds. We have used I See Sam as our primary and I've worried about him applying the sounds into different words. He only missed one, I didn't use all the cards though as we haven't learned them all, when I tested him last week he was at a 1.2 reading level, which is what his last ISeeSam BR3 book was labeled. I think next time I'll add in more and see how he does, and the better news was that he found it fun.

 

Oh, and the nonsense words link on your site goes to a dead site- I had to comeback and search your posts here for nonsense words to find the right link.

 

So, we are starting the syllabry again. I have a daughter 4.5 yo who will be along for the ride. I don't *think* she is ready to learn but we shall see I guess.

[Soror]

I just made a google doc of the Webster's Lessons in the order you listed them:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KKZYUuRw9cUi-pzV3BkMW97Yj0ljvgqSeC5JPvFeyMc/edit?hl=en_US

[Guest 9smiths]

I just made a google doc of the Webster's Lessons in the order you listed them:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KKZYUuRw9cUi-pzV3BkMW97Yj0ljvgqSeC5JPvFeyMc/edit?hl=en_US

 

Wow, this is great! Thank you so much! :-D

[lorisuewho]

I just made a google doc of the Webster's Lessons in the order you listed them:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KKZYUuRw9cUi-pzV3BkMW97Yj0ljvgqSeC5JPvFeyMc/edit?hl=en_US

 

 

Thank you!

[Guest 9smiths]

I saw a video recently of Elizabeth and her daughter (I think) going through a lesson together, but now I can't find it anywhere! Does anyone know what I'm talking about or where I might find it? It's not the concentration game; it was an actual reading lesson. TIA!

[Soror]

I've only seen the phonics lessons on the phonics pages and we've only previewed the first one, it was just audio for the part we watched though.

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/Phonics%20Lsns/phonicslsnslinks.html

 

There is a link on there to spelling lessons as well, but I haven't looked at them.

[Guest 9smiths]

I've only seen the phonics lessons on the phonics pages and we've only previewed the first one, it was just audio for the part we watched though.

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/Phonics%20Lsns/phonicslsnslinks.html

 

There is a link on there to spelling lessons as well, but I haven't looked at them.

 

Yeah, I've seen those, but this was actual dialogue between her and her 4yo daughter going through a lesson together. It may have been just audio now that you mention it, but it was very helpful.

[Soror]

If you figure it out I'd like to see/hear that as well!