Websters Speller/Word Mastery/Blend Phonics help

[kwickimom]

Ok

I have been reading for days and days. I read Elizabeth's and Don potters and now I am thoroughly confused. I want to use this to teach DS to read next year and I also want to run DD8 through it because she was never taught spelling rules, her spelling stinks, and I think she would benefit.

 

Do I use the Blend Phonics or Word Mastery or Websters Speller?

 

I am totally confused, are these all the same or different? Do you do one before the other? I have a horrible time reading off the computer, if I could afford to print them all out and read them and see them side by side I might be able to understand better.

 

ElizabethB- I was going to send you an email but I think a lot of people have the same questions as I do :D

 

Has anyone besides Elizabeth used this to successfully teach a child to read? Do you have a schedule or can you dumb it all down for me as to how you did it? I really want to use it buy am afraid I cant implement it on my own.

[grace'smom]

I have been following the Webster's Schedule put out by Elizabeth B and I am so happy to say that Grace has finally gotten to the point where she can blend. I've tried a few different things but Grace just did not understand blending for the longest time. Her dad had a lot of difficulty reading so I thought we were in for a rough ride. Well, this week (after only two weeks of daily lessons) Grace finally got the blending! She read all her two letter syllables from the first lessons without difficulty, and she even read a few of the three letter syllables.

 

I am not sure if that's the answer you were looking for, as Grace is not typical in her reading skill due to some auditory issues, but Webster's was the only thing that I threw out there and had stick so I give it a thumbs up! In looking through it, it seems like a very logical way to teach reading. The pronunciation of certain words makes so much sense to me now, even after just a few weeks.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I would go with Webster's Speller and ElizabethB's phonics lessons and spelling lessons. If it is a younger child there was just a thread on Kindergarten and Webster's.

 

My posts on this thread give more info and important links on how to use:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=154227

[kwickimom]

you think I should teach DS to read with just the Speller and all the extras that help reinforce that

 

and DD8 should go through Elizabeths phonics and Spelling lessons?

 

 

I still get confused by the Blend Phonics and Word Mastery...are they parts of the Speller, done before or after the Speller? When would one use these as opposed to the Speller?

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Word Mastery might be a nice book to do before the Speller since it is easier. Here is the thread on Kindergarten and Webster's:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208407

[kwickimom]

Word Mastery might be a nice book to do before the Speller since it is easier. Here is the thread on Kindergarten and Webster's:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208407

 

 

I have seen this thread, and will be watching it like a hawk :001_smile: I guess my main problem is seeing the difference between blend phonics, word mastery, and websters speller. Wondering if one is easier or whatever. I will patiently wait for poor ElizabethB :D

[grace'smom]

We tried Blend Phonics (as I said, I've thrown a few against the wall to see what would stick) and it didn't help Grace as much as Webster's, but I can see where it would be great for kids who are ready to start out with CVC words. Grace just did not get blending so it ended up in frustration for us. But I think Grace is a rare kid. I think most kids are able to start out with three letter words from the beginning- or at least that's what it seems like if you read all these different curriculum manuals.

 

Don Potter has a really informative video on youtube where he demonstrates an actual Blend Phonics lesson. He has a few different videos. Don Potter also has an extensive discussion of the differences in the programs on his website. He says all three are great programs, so it may just be whichever works best for you.... Just don't print any of them until you figure out which one works for your child, LOL! Webster's is a HUGE document! ;)

[Ravin]

We're almost to the end of Word Mastery and have started in on the spelling lists in Webster's.

 

We started Word Mastery last year after it was clear DD wasn't ready to deal with sentences and paragraphs, which HOP and TYCTR100Lessons both were throwing at her. She was happy to read individual words off the lists, or off the dry erase board, and we often made up games with it. Word Mastery is organized to introduce a phonics rule and then back it up with words that use that rule.

 

We're using Webster's for spelling, rather than phonics, so I skipped the phonograms and went straight to the word lists. DD writes the words as I dictate them, and I note which ones she misses to work on later. So far, the only misses she's had involve mixing up b and d, which she only does on paper, not orally.

 

DD is just now ready to move from decoding to encoding, and has started showing some enthusiasm for reading beginning readers (level 1 and 2 readers, some of the 2nd grade HOP readers, etc.).

[nansk]

Hi,

 

I use/have used all 3 with my dd. They are not related in any way, but can be used one after the other to teach reading and spelling. Here my earlier post where I compared the three. Hope it helps you understand the differences.

 

Also, if it helps you plan better, here is the Blend Phonics progress chart, and the Webster's Speller progress chart.

 

Do write back if you have more questions.

[i.love.lucy]

We tried Blend Phonics (as I said' date=' I've thrown a few against the wall to see what would stick) and it didn't help Grace as much as Webster's, but I can see where it would be great for kids who are ready to start out with CVC words. Grace just did not get blending so it ended up in frustration for us. But I think Grace is a rare kid. I think most kids are able to start out with three letter words from the beginning- or at least that's what it seems like if you read all these different curriculum manuals.

 

Don Potter has a really informative video on youtube where he demonstrates an actual Blend Phonics lesson. He has a few different videos. Don Potter also has an extensive discussion of the differences in the programs on his website. He says all three are great programs, so it may just be whichever works best for you.... Just don't print any of them until you figure out which one works for your child, LOL! Webster's is a HUGE document! ;)[/quote']

SO, in some of the other threads that have been linked in this one, back in April you were trying Blend Phonics and liking it, but ultimately it didn't work well? I read Nansk's wonderful comparison of the three. Was the deal with Blend that you think now that Word Mastery is the way to go because of the way it introduces syllables, or should I jump right into Websters?

 

I tried 100EZ with ds when he was young 5 and he wasn't ready. He now knows all the letter names and sounds but in looking at OPGTR and using SSRW, I just feel like we are spinning our wheels. Maybe we are spending valuable time right now and I'll be glad later that I confirmed the letter sounds before moving on. I just wonder if I should continue with SSRW or drop it, or just add on something like Word Mastery or Websters.

 

I will continue to watch this thread! ElizabethB is sure to see it soon!:D

[kwickimom]

Hi,

 

I use/have used all 3 with my dd. They are not related in any way, but can be used one after the other to teach reading and spelling. Here my earlier post where I compared the three. Hope it helps you understand the differences.

 

Also, if it helps you plan better, here is the Blend Phonics progress chart, and the Webster's Speller progress chart.

 

Do write back if you have more questions.

 

Ok to teach my DS to read you suggest doing Word Mastery and then onto Speller? BTW- love your comparison. I couldnt quite tell if they were all 3 the same or parts were or what.

 

I think I will go that route and then use the Speller for my DD8.

[grace'smom]

SO, in some of the other threads that have been linked in this one, back in April you were trying Blend Phonics and liking it, but ultimately it didn't work well? I read Nansk's wonderful comparison of the three. Was the deal with Blend that you think now that Word Mastery is the way to go because of the way it introduces syllables, or should I jump right into Websters?

 

I tried 100EZ with ds when he was young 5 and he wasn't ready. He now knows all the letter names and sounds but in looking at OPGTR and using SSRW, I just feel like we are spinning our wheels. Maybe we are spending valuable time right now and I'll be glad later that I confirmed the letter sounds before moving on. I just wonder if I should continue with SSRW or drop it, or just add on something like Word Mastery or Websters.

 

I will continue to watch this thread! ElizabethB is sure to see it soon!:D

 

Yeah, I did try Blend Phonics and the first couple of days it seemed like it was working. But then I realized she only knew how to blend if I said the blend first. She wasn't getting it. I liked the way it was set up but she didn't get it, so we just stopped for a while. I researched some other things and tried out several in a light manner over the summer (OPGTR, 100EZ), but trying to get her to blend was pushing her too hard. The thing that helped about the Webster's is that it started with two letter syllables. She is really, really understanding it. I was worried when we switched from open to closed vowels she would falter, but she handled it very well. Now, I'm continuing to check out Elizabeth's thread on Webster's Kindy and I just plan to follow that for a while. I have a choice to make when it comes to next year, but I plan to stick with the Webster's this year since it's the only thing that has worked so far. I actually hope I don't get too attached to it because I spent money on the other one (used copy of Phonics Road), but I do see the whole "learning by syllables" philosophy as a pretty logical way to learn reading. It makes sense to me, so it will be a very hard choice next year.

 

But again, I have been doing this by trial and error, and I guess that's how it is for all of us. We just have to try out a few things before we find what works, and what works for one child might not work for another. That would just be too easy!

[i.love.lucy]

Thanks for that. I just really need some quiet time to think! Tonight when the kids are tucked in and DH is busy watching football I hope to get some time on the computer to really look at Word Mastery and Websters.

 

To be fair though, I haven't given SSRW a true trial. I could just hurry on through the letter names and sounds since I feel like little guy knows them. I guess I go slow because she expects them to write a whole page of the letter, and cut out shapes, and color. All of which is important to the eventual writing, but it might be slowing us down with moving on to reading. I might just need to read some threads about not slowing down the reading progress to wait for fine motor skill of writing...I'm sure more people have experienced it. He can do the work, and doesn't complain (much) but it takes a long time and lots of 'tongue sticking out concentration' so that when he's done with all that I can't bear to have him move on to another letter.

 

I also am intrigued by this thread because of some challenges I have with my 5th grader and her struggling spelling. I wonder if there are parts of Webster I could use to help her. We have Megawords but are both a little baffled by it.

[ElizabethB]

Don and I do have a lot of information on our websites, it can be confusing! Between the two of us, we have been tutoring and collecting phonics books, real and virtual, for over 30 years....

 

Anyway, they are all good programs that meet different needs.

 

Webster's Speller teaches mainly by pattern and is best for a young student or ESL student, but is also helpful for remedial older students. It starts with 2 letter syllables that later help even young students be able to sound out very long words because they are broken up into syllables that they have learned to decode. It also helps students get a feel for the accent pattern of English, enabling them to correctly pronounce almost any word, even words they have not seen. (Excepting weird foreign words! These are the only ones that throw my students once they have completed Webster.)

 

Blend Phonics is meant for beginning students, but it is laid out in a simple manner with words organized by sound/spelling pattern, so it's easy to use for remedial students as well. On my how to tutor page, linked at the end, I have added in spelling rules correlated to the Blend Phonics units. With my remedial students who need more work with spelling than phonics, we just read and spell a few words from each Blend Phonics unit while going over the spelling rules.

 

Word Mastery is also meant for beginning students. It starts with the easier letters to blend and is well designed. (Although someone with more difficulty blending will do better with the 2 letter syllables of Webster's Speller, but it starts with easier letters for blending than Blend Phonics, ironically!)

 

My online Phonics Lessons include even more spelling rules than are on the how to tutor page. (I do not have the ones from Lesson 22, suffixes, written out on my how to tutor page. There are a ton, and they are more advanced, many students may not be ready for them until upper elementary.) They also teach many of the syllables found in Webster.

 

So, your best bet for your daughter would be to watch the online lessons with her, that will give you a head start for teaching Webster as well as teaching her some spelling rules.

 

Then, you can do a quick review of the rules and do the syllable division exercises on my how to tutor page.