do you use a spelling book?

[birdiesbows]

I recently picked up Spelling Workout level E for my now 4th grader who will be homeschooled next year. She has always been an excellent speller. My concern is that the book seems very easy as far as spelling goes. I do like the little puzzles to teach vocabulary but if the book is meant for spelling, it seems below her level now let alone next year. Her current 4th grade Abeka spelling book is much more challenging.

 

So.. do you use a spelling curriculum? Or do you think that children learn spelling by reading, reading and reading more? Do you find as children get older, that they benefit more from a vocabulary book rather than spelling?

 

If you believe in a spelling book, I would appreciate any recommendations of rigorous spelling books or should I just move up a book or two within Spelling Workout?

[Hedgehog]

We started HSing WTM style when my older girls were nearly 10 and nearly 8. We had been unschoolers before that, and they were very behind. FWIW, I bought SWO Books A, B, C, and D and gave them a huge spelling test, simply going through the word lists in each lesson until I came to a point where they were unable to spell 20% or more of the words in each lesson. I'd made a note of the ones they'd misspelled, and I had them learn those that week. We then just started from that place and they have continued on.

 

SWO is good, because it not only teaches the child the spellings, but also the rules. I plan on using it all the way through to Book H. I learned to spell, and have reasonable grammar, simply by reading and reading and reading, but that doesn't teach you specific rules and structure. I think learning phonics/spelling rules IS important, as the nuts and bolts of language. SWO isn't the only program you can use of course, but it is the one that SWB recommends.

 

HTH!

[wapiti]

I recently picked up Spelling Workout level E for my now 4th grader who will be homeschooled next year. She has always been an excellent speller. My concern is that the book seems very easy as far as spelling goes. I do like the little puzzles to teach vocabulary but if the book is meant for spelling, it seems below her level now let alone next year. Her current 4th grade Abeka spelling book is much more challenging.

 

So.. do you use a spelling curriculum? Or do you think that children learn spelling by reading, reading and reading more? Do you find as children get older, that they benefit more from a vocabulary book rather than spelling?

 

If you believe in a spelling book, I would appreciate any recommendations of rigorous spelling books or should I just move up a book or two within Spelling Workout?

 

I could have written this post - dd9, 4th grader, excellent speller, except that we're starting in January (yikes!! I'm lost in language arts choices!!! :eek: ). My guess is that most of her spelling so far has come from reading a lot. I have never seen her study spelling, and she consistently gets 90-100% correct on her tests at school.

 

Do I even need a spelling program at this age?? I'd rather spend the time on vocabulary (I admit I'm intrigued by the MCT vocabulary books I looked at today, except that I have no idea what level to start with. My mind is spinning :blink:)

 

:bigear:

[TheAutumnOak]

We are planning to use a spelling book...We are starting in January with WTM and are only doing remedial math and phonics now, but will use a spelling book in January when we start our entire workload...

[redsquirrel]

I use spelling workout. It's not exactly challenging, lol. That is fine with me. We have used it since 1st grade. My son, now 5th grade, is a fine speller. I have never done more than have him do an exercise a day. We complete a chapter a week. I don't do tests or anything.

 

We review the rule every week and he does the exercises. I halfway regard it as handwriting practice. If he mispells a word in the book, I make him fix it and that is it.

 

I can't quite let go of the idea that he should study spelling..I would feel weird not doing it. Next year will be our last. It's a handy subject to have around that he can do on his own while I work with my little one.

 

If it is too easy then just go up a level. It's not a big deal. I like it easy because I just want it to get done with no fuss or muss. It's spelling, not math.

[MSNative]

We tried SWO and Abeka and Megawords and.... you get the idea. Then someone told me about Spelling Power. One book k-12. There are no fancy puzzles, just word lists. My kids love it because spelling is SHORT! They write the rule then try to write the words as I read them. Any words they miss they have to rewrite. They get tested on their missed words (and any from previous weeks) at the end of the week. We also review rules a few times a month. I'm now adding typing into their spelling by having them type their words into spelling city and then doing some of the activities there. Love Spelling Power!

[MaMa2005]

We use Megawords and A Reason for Spelling. Megawords is almost too easy as DS can spell really LOOOONG words, but I love the rules. ARFS is to give DS help with the short words that he sometimes stumbles across.

[ondreeuh]

Whether your child picks up spelling naturally just depends on their learning style. My husband and I were both voracious readers as children but I picked up spelling naturally and he is a terrible speller. I could have done without any spelling curriculum, but my dh could have really benefited from a phonics-based spelling program (and still could if he would agree to try it!).

 

My oldest is just like me and my middle child is like my husband - so he's the one I work intensively with. If your dd is spelling everything right on the pretests, then just work your way through a list of commonly misspelled words and practice any she misses.

[mcconnellboys]

We used level F for fourth grade, then G for fifth and H for sixth, to complete the series and be ready to start vocab study in junior high.