Webster's Speller or Phonetic Zoo

[anabelneri]

Hello! I'm hoping to make a decision in the near future about spelling, but I feel like I'm still missing that last bit of input to get it figured out.

 

Sweetie is 7 and spells like a 7yo, but she's an extremely strong reader. She's also very aural, and can memorize poems (we're using IEW's memorization material) quickly and easily. I had picked out Phonetic Zoo as being a good match for her for spelling, and planned to take this year (2nd grade) off and begin PZ in 3rd grade.

 

But in another conversation elsewhere on these hallowed boards, I asked about increasing Sweetie's reading ability to come closer to matching her comprehension, and Webster's Speller came up. I find it to be compelling, partly because it looks like it'll pick up where OPGTR left off, but also because she'll learn to spell at the same time. Oh, and it's SO much cheaper.

 

So now I'm having to choose between the two -- should I go with the one that matches her learning style? Or should I choose the one that will move her along in reading skills at the same time?

 

Phonetic Zoo folks -- can you tell me how PZ has impacted your kids' reading ability? How far into "Spelling Land" can it take a kid? It doesn't seem to have a huge vocabulary list: is that accurate & if it is, how do you deal with that?

 

Webster's Speller folks -- I've seen some of ElizabethB's links, and I'll go back there to figure out more. But would you start at the very beginning and work through the whole book if you were in my shoes? And does it really work? It seems unbelievable that learning some syllables would teach Sweetie to spell. How do you make it work with kids with different learning styles?

 

Anyone else -- I'm all ears for ideas. FWIW we've also used AAS and SWO in the past but they weren't good fits -- too easy, too slow, and AAS was too tactile. :001_huh:

 

Thank you so much!

[grace'smom]

:lurk5: I'm interested in hearing this because I bought Phonics Road for DD but I've actually been USING Webster's, and I'm not sure if I should switch now that she's picked up the basics of reading... I love Webster's, but I spent money on Phonics Road, LOL.

[lisabees]

I am using Webster's with my 7 year old dd. It's only been a few weeks and I'm afterschooling her, so my concerns may be different. I am battling a school that doesn't teach reading this year. The kids are expected to memorize their sight words and learn the more difficult words through osmosis.

 

So, we went through the syllables, the syllable division exercises and now are going through the book. DD reads the words and she spells some on her white board. It is really eye opening for her. Spelling is not our focus, though. Wesbter's is training her to read left to write, one syllable at a time.

 

What I love about Webster's is it can be as flexible or as structured as you need it to be. It is also a very interactive; we just snuggle up and do it for about 10 minutes a day.

 

I cannot say how good Webster's is for spelling; I know the spelling rules fairly well, so it's easy for me to insert them as needed. Hopefully, someone else will be able to help more.

Edited December 20, 2010 by lisabees

[BatmansWife]

I haven't even heard of Websters Speller. But, I did have PZ for a little while. I can't give you a very fair review, because we never used it. I hated it so much that I turned right around and resold it. I mean....I really, really hated it. I didn't like the voices, I didn't like the price, I didn't like the spelling words, I didn't like the artwork (uuuugly!), and I don't like the name (Phonetic Zoo sounds like it should be fun, colorful, and cute. Not!). So, take this as just my .02 for that program. Maybe others here love it. Now I'm off to look at Websters.

Edited December 18, 2010 by ~AprilMay~

[Goldilocks]

I had a similar experience with PZ as April-May. The words were too difficult for my children and the lessons didn't teach them anything. I was spending so much time trying to teach them the words and the associated spelling rules--and this program is supposed to be independent--but I don't even know all the rules, so it was a disaster.

My son needs a lot more guidance with spelling--not just memorizing words. My daughter can spell anything, but I want her to learn spelling rules. Most of the "jingles" really aren't rules--or maybe they are but I couldn't recognize them and teach the children when to apply them.

 

(I switched by son back to All About Spelling and my daughter and I are slowly reading through The ABC's and All Their Tricks.)

[BatmansWife]

Most of the "jingles" really aren't rules--or maybe they are but I couldn't recognize them and teach the children when to apply them.

 

 

Oh yes....I forgot about the "jingles" for the rules. Some are very long and complicated. If you can't understand them I don't know how your child could. That's another thing to add to my long lists of dislikes with the program. Here's an example of one of the jingles. Other ones are more complicated:

 

When a-i says “a†as in claim and chain,

It comes in the middle as in train and pain.

 

But when a-y says “a†as in jay and portray,

It comes at the end. See decay and delay.

 

Don’t let suffixes betray you as in decayed,

 

 

The root never changes. See playful and played.

 

:confused:

[Woodland_Mom]

We own Phonetic Zoo and used it for a few weeks, but stopped. At the time, my oldest was a 3rd grader. I liked the idea of PZ and didn't mind the voices on the CD -- my son liked it and especially enjoyed listening to the spelling rules/list using headphones.

 

We stopped using PZ because the words were just too difficult. I did't like the word selection either. At the time, my son needed help learning to to spell words such as there, their, and they're. The words in PZ seem terrific for a child who has a good graps of the basics, and can easily spell commonly used words.

 

I like the idea of the rules, but agree with other posters that they are long and probably a little difficult to memorize.

 

I've kept it because we may try it again.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I would use Webster's hands down:D I prefer the 1908 edition:)

[anabelneri]

When a-i says “a

” as in claim and chain,

It comes in the middle as in train and pain.

 

But when a-y says “a” as in jay and portray,

It comes at the end. See decay and delay.

 

Don’t let suffixes betray you as in decayed,

The root never changes. See playful and played.

 

That does seem long and drawn out. Or at least a lot at once. I don't think Sweetie would have trouble memorizing it, but I can see that it's a little complicated and probably tough to remember outside of immediate application during spelling time.

 

I've spent a lot of time looking at using Webster's Speller for spelling... it seems like it's doable, but it's not an out-of-the-box program like the others. This thread was helpful, as was this post. The bottom of this page on ElizabethB's site has a lot of the helpful links. I'm still working through this thread for helpful hints. Oh, and this post talks about ElizabethB's use of "ABCs and All Their Tricks".

 

Sometimes I feel like the best thing to do is learn everything I can and make my own workbooks. But then I remember that I don't have time! But if I did I could make something for Sweetie like Phonetic Zoo with the audio component, but using the Webster's Speller and build her reading skills at the same time.

 

I'm still hoping to hear from others who have used Webster's Speller. There was a post by ElizabethB somewhere about what she's currently using with her daughter, and that was compelling & useful to see. I think there's definitely a level of comfort with using the Speller that develops over time... maybe if I can work through this with Sweetie I'll use the Speller to teach Lil'un to read in a couple years. Hmmm...

 

:)

Edited December 20, 2010 by anabelneri

[anabelneri]

I would use Webster's hands down:D I prefer the 1908 edition:)

 

Oh, now I'm totally curious. Why that edition? And how did/do/would you use it for spelling?

 

:)

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Oh, now I'm totally curious. Why that edition? And how did/do/would you use it for spelling?

 

:)

 

I have both the 1824 edition and the 1908 editions thanks to Don Potter and ElizabethB:D I think both are good but the 1908 edition seems to have more sentences for the spelling words to use as copywork and/or dictation depending on the age of your child.

 

For a younger child (like yours I think), I would consider using a whiteboard to write out the words and sentences. You could do one word family so to speak or about 10 words a week or more depending on your child. On day 1, you could review the words, sounds, markings and have your child write them out. She could practice again the next day. You could try sentences the 3rd day via copywork for some or all of the words depending on your child. You could do some dictation the 4th day. Test the 5th day. I tailor it to my ds's abilities. If he catches on easy, then you could do more words in one day. If they write easily, you could do more copywork within reason. Now that ds is almost 9, I made a copybook for ds in a composition notebook lined for 3rd grade for him to copy my model of the words and sentences in cursive. Some kids will not need 5 days of practice before moving on. ElizabethB has great suggestions for using Webster's. Lastly, I keep it short and sweet:)

 

http://www.donpotter.net/PDF/How%20To%20USE%20NOAH%20WEBSTER.pdf

[cherylw]

I have both the 1824 edition and the 1908 editions thanks to Don Potter and ElizabethB:D I think both are good but the 1908 edition seems to have more sentences for the spelling words to use as copywork and/or dictation depending on the age of your child.

 

 

I'm really curious about this too. I looked into it a couple of weeks ago on their website but I don't know if I should change midstream from what we have been using. Do you have hard copies of the Webster?

[anabelneri]

I managed to pick up a hard copy of the 1908 version... the print is pretty good, but I have absolutely no idea who published it; it doesn't seem to have any extra pages with the modern printer's info on it.

 

I've been wavering on using it, though, especially since Don Potter recommends the 1824 edition, but I see that he's working on the 1908 edition with students, at least in 2009. But it doesn't seem to line up in the same way with ElizabethB's spelling rules list.

 

So I haven't heard much positive about Phonetic Zoo this time around, even though there are past posts that are very positive.

 

And Webster's seems great except that it will require more work from me. I'll have to keep working on this one.

 

:)

[grace'smom]

You can print out a copy of Webster's at Don Potters website and get it bound at office max, or just put it in a 3 ring binder (that's what I did).

[lisabees]

You can print out a copy of Webster's at Don Potters website and get it bound at office max' date=' or just put it in a 3 ring binder (that's what I did).[/quote']

 

:iagree: Yup. I have a binder with the syllabary, Elizabeth's info on how to use Webster's, Webster's, and several copies of spelling rules.

Edited December 21, 2010 by lisabees