WRTR, SWR and Grammar instruction

[lamamaloca]

I am using WRTR and like much of it, and also occasionally want to throw the book out the window. I have been looking at Spell to Write and Read. I have some questions about how this differs to WRTR, or questions for people who use WRTR as a complete language arts program.

 

I have recently looked at expanding the use of WRTR from spelling only to incorporating the writing and reading instruction. Does SWR integrate all of these together as WRTR does? One of my current frustrations with WRTR is that it includes concepts in the scope and sequence but doesn't include information in the text on those concepts. For instance, it lists when to teach prefixes and suffixes and various elements of them in the scope and sequence, but doesn't even have a simple list of prefixes and suffixes and their meanings. It lists at what grade to introduce, practice, master and review the concept of the principal parts of a verb, but doesn't define that anywhere in the book. I understand how I would use the prescribed procedures to plan lessons to teach this, but I really need some kind of source for the information itself. If you use WRTR as a complete language program, do you have a source book for the grammar and parts of speech information? Is some of this information included in the grade by grade Teacher's Guides? My husband says I can just look it up on the internet. I'm not keen on that idea. ;)

 

If you use SWR, does it cover these same kinds of concepts? Does it include all the information you'd need to teach them? Does SWR change or modify the WRTR phonograms and methodology for spelling? In what way? Hmmm, I can't think what else to ask.

Edited October 1, 2010 by lamamaloca

[Ellie]

If you use Spalding's Teacher Guides, you won't need anything else for teaching grammar and writing. It's all there. You might also want to add Spalding's graded readers.

 

Do you have the word builder cards? That's where more explicit instruction and practice in adding prefixes and suffixes is. Also, Rule Page 9 teaches how to add suffixes which begin with vowels. Pages 54 through 68 of the manual have the charts and sample dialogues for teaching how to add suffixes.

[ArizonaGirl]

You can use the Teacher's Guide, but if you are looking for a less expensive option, you may want to be aware that the 1969 version of The Writing Road to Reading (written and edited by Mrs. Spalding herself) actually recommended using whatever competent grammar text you like.

 

Just work your way through the book using Spalding methods to introduce the material. Incorporate your child's spelling words into the example sentences you use to teach whatever concept you are introducing or enforcing in your lesson.

 

To teach writing, you can have your child practice writing sentences with their spelling words and require him to include adjectives, or adverbs, or direct objects, or whatever else you may be studying. I have found that with Spalding, grammar and writing are taught closely together as one lesson.

 

Of course, you could pull from some other writing text as well.

 

I like to use Easy Grammar, Growing With Grammar, Writing Strands (although this doesn't break down the writing process as much as Spalding), Writing With Ease, and sometimes I like to use Evan Moor's Six Trait Writing.

 

I have seen Easy Grammar and Six Trait Writing used in a public school system that used Spalding and was known for its well-educated students.

 

I will say that I believe the Teacher's Guides are great, but they are new and expensive. I pull in other resources because my time is limited. Although I combine my kids where I can, I just can't put in the time to teach four different grade levels of Spalding every day. The other resources are less time consuming for me but still allow my children to progress.

 

Although I haven't found the Spalding forum very helpful because they mostly quote back to you out of The Writing Road to Reading, someone from Spalding Education International may be able to clarify some of this for you.

 

I've found that (for me) I have to remember to simplify or I go nuts trying to do everything the Spalding way. I have to remember that it really isn't as complicated as the book makes it sound.

 

Best Wishes!

[lamamaloca]

If you use Spalding's Teacher Guides, you won't need anything else for teaching grammar and writing. It's all there. You might also want to add Spalding's graded readers.

 

Do you have the word builder cards? That's where more explicit instruction and practice in adding prefixes and suffixes is. Also, Rule Page 9 teaches how to add suffixes which begin with vowels. Pages 54 through 68 of the manual have the charts and sample dialogues for teaching how to add suffixes.

 

I don't have a Teacher's Guide or the word builder cards, but I see if I can afford to add them. I was hoping for perhaps a one volume grammar and language resource. I know that the manual does have the information on spelling rules for prefixes and suffixes, but then it says things like "talk about how these change the meaning" and, in the scope and sequence, talks about children learning which suffixes form verbs, adjectives, etc. I could wing a lot of this, but it would be nice to have a reference.

[lamamaloca]

You can use the Teacher's Guide, but if you are looking for a less expensive option, you may want to be aware that the 1969 version of The Writing Road to Reading (written and edited by Mrs. Spalding herself) actually recommended using whatever competent grammar text you like.

 

Just work your way through the book using Spalding methods to introduce the material. Incorporate your child's spelling words into the example sentences you use to teach whatever concept you are introducing or enforcing in your lesson.

 

Thank you! I will have to look at the things you suggested.

[prairie rose]

As a child, I went to school in a school district that used WRTR. I currently use SWR with my children.

 

The differences between the two programs are very very few when talking about the methodology. Most changes are small and easily adaptable if you wanted to stay true to the original WRTR. I don't remember having rule cards in WRTR when I was in school but SWR has them and I find them a great help for internalizing the rules. If you didn't want to use the rule cards, you don't have to. The markings are just a little different. If you prefer the pure Spalding WRTR way, you could still do that. I remember in school writing "r.19" or "r.7" after words that followed a particular rule. SWR doesn't do that but I have my kids do it anyways.

 

SWR does have grammar and writing included but unless you are good at fleshing out the suggestions, I find it to be rather bare bones. I'd say the amount of grammar included is fine for young children but by about 3rd or 4th grade you probably will need to have a separate grammar program. The writing doesn't give a lot of direction. If you don't mind fleshing out your writing plan and just do writing assignments across the curriculum, you would be fine but I find I need a separate writing program to ensure we are getting proper and enough writing instruction. We still do the grammar and writing exercises in SWR but I use a grammar and writing program as well. If I feel anything is too doubled up (too many writing assignments or the grammar book covers something that SWR already covered nicely) then I don't feel bad skipping something in either curriculum.

 

I tried to use WRTR with my children but I soon found SWR and stuck with it. I like that it is more user friendly, open and go than WRTR. It does require some work from the teacher, especially if you do not already know Spalding inside and out, but since SWR is marketed to homeschoolers I find it's lay out and approach much easier than WRTR which is marketed to schools. Now, there are things I don't like about SWR. I don't like the main manual's ump-teen million pages on methodology and the reasons behind Spalding and all the author's personal anecdotes about using the program. It just spends too much time telling you why you should use the Spalding approach. Obviously if I've purchased the program I already believe in the method, just tell me the easiest way to implement it but maybe that's just me. I just really think there is a ton a extraneous material in the red book titled Spell To Write and Read. I only reference that book when I need clarification on a program "step"or when I need a refresher on how to make a rule page or when we do our monthly spelling assessments (the red book contains the assessment tests). The brown W.I.S.E. Guide for Spelling contains the lists and activities. It tells you any ideas or concepts you need to introduce or review before dictating the list, lists the words, their markings, any special things to note about a word, an example sentence for each word and lists 6 - 8 enrichment activities for the list. These enrichment activities are where the grammar and writing suggestions are. My biggest gripe with the WISE Guide is the sentences. Most are very good, well chosen quotes and sentences. Generally, at least one sentence in each list is explicitly Christian. We are not Christians and I fail to see why this program needs all the references to Christianity. Good spelling is a skill anyone needs regardless of faith. They do have a "public school version" with all the Christian references removed but it only gives the words and sentences and nothing else. You would still need the regular WISE guide if you wanted all the other helps. It's easy enough for me to think of another sentence on the fly to use as a replacement so I just deal with it.

 

Overall, I find SWR an easy to use program based on WRTR. The program suggests that the teacher make her own spelling log and stay a few list ahead of her students so that she can more easily teach and understand the program. This is quite easy to do and once you know and understand the program (or if like myself you come to the program with knowledge of WRTR already) it's pretty much open and go. ;) HTH

Edited October 1, 2010 by prairie rose

[Colleen in NS]

I am using WRTR and like much of it, and also occasionally want to throw the book out the window.

 

I have recently looked at expanding the use of WRTR from spelling only to incorporating the writing and reading instruction.

 

I use WRTR just for teaching how to read, how to draw letters and numbers, how to do cursive, and how to spell. I can't stand the grammar and writing instruction in the 5th edition (can't remember if it's in the older editions - my older copy is loaned out). It's way too complicated and edu-speakish for me. I don't think that's how Mrs. Spalding originally intended it to be....

 

the 1969 version of The Writing Road to Reading (written and edited by Mrs. Spalding herself) actually recommended using whatever competent grammar text you like.

 

Interesting! I didn't know this. It sounds like something she would say - her older books seemed much more common-sense-like. This 5th ed. is too much for me, lol! Too complicated, teacher guide or not. I think the teacher guides are pretty pricey, too, which is out of my league.

 

I was hoping for perhaps a one volume grammar and language resource.

 

For grammar instruction I use R&S. It's excellent, thorough, inexpensive, easy to understand. And when you've learned grammar, there is also the R&S Handbook to refer to for the rest of your life. Hmm...I'm wondering if the Handbook would be useful to you even now....

 

For writing, I like SWB's methods as laid out on her audio CDs. There are four - one each for each of the WTM learning stages, and one on lit. analysis and response-paper writing. She gives the reasons behind the methods and teaches you how to do them, so that you can make up your own program at home. There is also WWE for grades 1-4 (or older if older kids need beginning skills still), in case you want help in fleshing out the first CD's information.