fairy4tmama Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 (edited) Do you add any activities to it? We are using it mostly in the manner the author suggests. I say the word ds (8) writes the word on his white board and then I show him the word. I don't write in two different colors as that seemed to be time consuming and ds said he didn't like it. We are only on lesson 18 so I realize we are still new to the curriculum. We have had a few weeks with a lot of disruption and so I did some dictation with words from previous lists instead. I was surprised by all of the errors! Words he had been spelling correctly during the "tests" seemed to have escaped him. We have never done spelling before so I don't have any other curriculum to compare it to. Sequential Spelling makes sense to me, but I have dyslexia so I am wondering if I am biased. I am not ready to try something new but I am looking to use SS in a more dynamic fashion. Thus far I have started giving him only half a list and then dictating a sentence made up of words from previous lists. Does any one else have any extra activities they add? Edited August 16, 2011 by fairy4tmama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkateLeft Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I didn't add anything to Sequential Spelling, but my understanding is that the color coding is a key part of the program. We used the DVD, so my son did it completely independently. He would pop in the DVD, do his lesson, then I'd look over his list when he was done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I didn't add anything to Sequential Spelling, but my understanding is that the color coding is a key part of the program. We used the DVD, so my son did it completely independently. He would pop in the DVD, do his lesson, then I'd look over his list when he was done. :iagree: I do the color coding on the whiteboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy4tmama Posted August 17, 2011 Author Share Posted August 17, 2011 Thanks for the advice I will try adding the color coding back in. At what age did you start SS with your children? Do you use any other resources for spelling in tandem with SS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetandSimple Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Did you know that they just revised the student response books this year? The new "Revised Edition" has a workbook page for each day along with the list to write the words. Would that help cement things for your son more? I have ordered the revised set, but I don't know if we will do the workbook pages or not. (Maybe orally?) I was hoping to keep spelling very simple and short! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 We did 160 of the first book. We really gave it a good try. Ds had more and more tears as we went on and had too many errors to correct that he thought he was a failure in spelling. It was too frustrating for both of us. His spelling in real life didn't improve. So in the end we ditched Sequential Spelling and just picked up AAS, which was a fresh air. Now we are happily doing AAS 4 for both ds 8.7 and ds 6.5. So if it doesn't work for you, then you can evaluate and see if this program doesn't work for you or your ds. Not every "great" spelling program out there works for everyone. Sequential Spelling may work for some people and AAS may work for some other people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankcassiesmom Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 Do you teach and remind him of the spelling rules? Oftentimes people talk of struggling with SS on forums and they aren't doing a lot of "teaching" to go with SS, just doing the list (not saying you aren't but I see it a lot with SS threads). If you see him start to struggle with a word he's writing, gently remind him of the RULE associated with that word ("how do we add ING to a word ending in Y?" or if he doesn't double a consonant, "does that es make the vowel before it long?") as he's writing and see if he can't correct it before even turning around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy2BeautifulGirls Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 I give my daughter a word, she tells me how she spelled it, and I tell her if it's correct. If it isn't, she corrects it. We don't do anything extra at this point. I don't give her all of the words, either. Just a couple from each "group." For example, today I gave her clot and blot, but I skipped slot and plot. If she has problems with a specific group, like the wouldn't, shouldn't, and couldn't, I keep giving those to her every time they come up until she has it down. (She remembers the apostrophe, but wants to also add an e, like shoulden't. :001_huh:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy4tmama Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 Thank you so much for all of your perspectives it really does help. Sweetandsimple I did not know that they had revised the response book that is interesting. Is there somewhere I can look at a sample of the worksheet pages? I looked on AVKO but the sample I saw only had the old response pages. Frankcassiesmom-you know I don't,thank you for bringing this up. I haven't yet seen a lot of opportunity to. I'll be honest nd say that phonics rules have never made a whole lot of sense to me so I don't "see" the rules which are gently immersed?. Suffixes and plurals don't seem to hang him up its more like knowing what vowel combinations to use. I did not use a comprehensive phonics program with him (we did tanglewood really reading and spectrum phonics grade one. So I am considering ordering Phonics Pathways. I usually prefer teaching with out a script or manual but I am kind of wishing there was one for ss :001_huh:. Today we tried out Spelling City and ds said it was just ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisak Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 I began my younger daughter with SS a couple of years ago. We tried the workbook approach that worked for big sister, but did not fit younger. So we used just some words for a while found on Jan Brett website. I printed out the pictures and the blends from the website. Then we began SS. She prefers the DVD as she doesn't have to wait for me. Spelling is not her thing. We went through phonics for 4 years and many of the rules did not stick. SS is not rule oriented, so you would have to add them in. I just have her use the DVD, write the words out, and we go on. Some stick with her. I have noticed that she can now tell if a word is misspelled. That is great. I would say just stick with the program as written. Use the whiteboard with color. But overall, it seems to be a good program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miracleone Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Glad to read this thread. I am still confused about SS. We started it this year and had to skip the early lessons bec. it was boring my dd9 to tears. I gave her the diagnostic test and jumped to lesson 81 (where she was tested to begin). She doesn't like me writing on the board, saying that it's too slow and she already knows the spelling of the word. She mostly gets it right with maybe 1 or 2 errors sometimes. How do I know which words to use a color on when I write on the board (I'm usually just guessing by looking at the word pattern). Is there a section there that tells the spelling rules? I think SS doesn't teach spelling rules, right? So if she mispelled a word, I am supposed to have her correct it right then and there, that's it, right? Then we do the next lesson the next day, right? Sorry for the questions, just want to know if I am doing it right...Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisak Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Is there a section there that tells the spelling rules? I think SS doesn't teach spelling rules, right? So if she mispelled a word, I am supposed to have her correct it right then and there, that's it, right? Then we do the next lesson the next day, right? Sorry for the questions, just want to know if I am doing it right...Thanks! I don't have a book handy, as I sold the one we used previously and am using a DVD this year, so I will answer as I best remember. When we began the program, I remember instructions in the front of the book. I think the color coding was in that part. There are no spelling rules in the book or program. If you need these, you will have to add them. I bought a set of rules, but didn't use them last year. If the word is misspelled, yes you have her correct it right away. And, yes you continue onto the next lesson. I believe you are handling it correctly, as far as I understand. The first year we used it, I purchased an AVKO membership and downloaded the book with all of the words and sentences. I think that was overkill. We began with the book and I found the sentences or made up my own. Then we went to the DVD so my daughter didn't have to wait for me. On the DVD they just say the word, use it in a sentence, say the word again, and then the student has a few seconds to write the word. If they pause it, they will have more time. The DVD does contain the book that goes along with the volume, so you can print it from there if you need a printed one. There are some word groupings on Spelling City. I'm not sure what they are called or how you find them. Maybe another poster will post that information. I know we have found them before and used them a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetandSimple Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Sweetandsimple I did not know that they had revised the response book that is interesting. Is there somewhere I can look at a sample of the worksheet pages? I looked on AVKO but the sample I saw only had the old response pages. Unfortunately, there isn't much that I can find. There are a few pages on the christianbook preview: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product_slideshow?sku=943075&actual_sku=943075 And here is a review that timberdoodle did... they think that the extra pages are busywork. though. http://www.timberdoodlecompany.com/doodleblog/2011/05/17/what-has-changed-in-sequential-spelling-version-2/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miracleone Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I don't have a book handy, as I sold the one we used previously and am using a DVD this year, so I will answer as I best remember. When we began the program, I remember instructions in the front of the book. I think the color coding was in that part. There are no spelling rules in the book or program. If you need these, you will have to add them. I bought a set of rules, but didn't use them last year. If the word is misspelled, yes you have her correct it right away. And, yes you continue onto the next lesson. I believe you are handling it correctly, as far as I understand. The first year we used it, I purchased an AVKO membership and downloaded the book with all of the words and sentences. I think that was overkill. We began with the book and I found the sentences or made up my own. Then we went to the DVD so my daughter didn't have to wait for me. On the DVD they just say the word, use it in a sentence, say the word again, and then the student has a few seconds to write the word. If they pause it, they will have more time. The DVD does contain the book that goes along with the volume, so you can print it from there if you need a printed one. There are some word groupings on Spelling City. I'm not sure what they are called or how you find them. Maybe another poster will post that information. I know we have found them before and used them a bit. Thank you for answering my questions. I will research about the word grouping. Sometimes I just guess.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicoleseitler Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 Do you teach and remind him of the spelling rules? Oftentimes people talk of struggling with SS on forums and they aren't doing a lot of "teaching" to go with SS, just doing the list (not saying you aren't but I see it a lot with SS threads). I was searching for a thread like this today. I'm on Day 25 with my daughter and I'm about to give up on this program. This week, out of nowhere, we suddenly had "its" vs. "it's" and "knit." That was the last straw for me. I'm now looking over ASS because just from spending 30 seconds looking at a sample page of the teacher's manual at their site, I'm finding what I want from a spelling program--guided instruction for me, natural progression for her. I might keep my SS book for my son or for extra practice ideas. But this is not working as I had hoped it would--mainly because there is nothing for me to teach! I open my book and I have 180 orderly lists. I need more than that from a spelling program. And let me tell you--I'm so tired of breaking my daughter's heart when she doesn't get a sticker for the day. Sigh... The long and short of it--SS is not giving me enough to work with to help my daughter feel successful. It's not that it's too difficult. It's that it isn't reinforcing helpful Phonics concepts by given me rules to remind her of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 We used SS for almost a whole year. My son did OK with it, but he got frustrated by things like doubled letters and silent e's because he never knew when to use them. I didn't see any improvement in his spelling, so we switched to Phonics Road near the end of the year. We just finished accelerating through PR1 and I've noticed a huge improvement and understanding in his spelling. I was a natural speller and I never learned any spelling rules. We were just given a list, memorized them and had a test. SS doesn't contain any spelling rules and I didn't know how to teach them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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