Spelling Wisdom ? and handwriting ?

[woolybear]

I just saw this on the SCM website and it looks like it might be good for us. I have read some reviews, but still looking for more opinions. I saw a couple of people said they wouldn't recommend this for someone who is not naturally a good speller. I am not sure, but I think ds 8 is a natural speller and ds 10 is not. We have never done a spelling program.

 

Also, when you move into dictation and spelling are the dc no longer doing regular copywork?

 

Oh yes, another direction, but ds 10 never did a handwriting program, does it make sense to do one at this point or just let it go? I have been pushing a lot of copywork this year and it has helped, but he still struggles with writing. He doesn't like it and it is not neat.

[Amy Jo]

First I highly recommend these blog posts: Charlotte Mason Help

 

Hopefully Elizabeth will chime in on your 10 year old. She has some online spelling lessons.

 

I am/will still require copywork, partly because it is something the DC can do without me, and I think it's a good reinforcement. See the above page for an article on the difference between dictation and copywork. As to handwriting, you could try another CM guideline: require less overall, but VERY high quality. So if he writes one sentence, fine; but it needs to be very well written. You might allow him to type more so he doesn't practice poor penmanship.

 

I personally wouldn't do a handwriting program unless he is forming the letters incorrectly enough to interfere with writing. Donna Young has a method for turning a composition book into your own handwriting program.

[woolybear]

thank you for that link. I've been to her website, but not recently. I really enjoyed reading over there.

 

So, it seems to me, at this point copywork can be to practice handwriting. I think he makes his letters correctly (unlike his brother, who does not, but still has much neater handwriting:001_huh:).

 

And I think at this point, copywork and dictation make sense.

 

I would still like to hear some views on Spelling Wisdom.:bigear:

[Homemama2]

I use this with my 8 year old (NOT a natural speller) and I really like it. I actually already had a spelling program (ALL About Spelling) and I got it for studied dictation. I was scared that it wouldn't work that great for spelling by itself and wanted to cover my bases. However, I have found that it has worked really well. My ds studies the passage for 5-10 minutes/day (we decide before he starts which words he really needs to study.) Usually he studies the passage 2 or 3 times before he feels ready to write it for me. I've been really pleased with how well he remembers the words from dictation. We only do dictation 2 times per week.

 

We still do copywork once a week (his bible verse for Awana). The rest of the week, I pick a subject per day (usually spelling or writing) and it has to be done 'his very best' or he has to erase it (or start over.) Next year I'm having him do all of his writing in cursive so we may continue w/ copywork or not....not sure.

Edited April 3, 2011 by Homemama2

[Tardis Girl]

I used Spelling Wisdom for several years with my kids when they were probably in the 9-12yo range -- some copywork, but then moving into more prepared dictation. I was happy with the product. We very much followed a CM philosophy with that, and there was definitely a focus on good handwriting for that (much of their other written schoolwork was typed at that point). Just this year I started using the first level with my K and 1st graders for copywork

 

On the hand, I felt like maybe it wasn't going to be worth it because I could just find my own lit passages, quotes, etc. But it was great for the convenience and being completely ready to go. Particularly if you are applying a CM approach to copywork and spelling and dictation, I think it's a good resource.