Spelling....AAS, Spelling workout, Seton, any ideas....

[golfcartmama]

I need spelling recs. We are using AAS (1/2 way through level 3) and we will continue it as phonics and spelling reinforcement. It IS a great program. BUT, my son is not retaining the spelling at all! He is good with memorization, so I'm thinking the workbook format will work better for him, along with continuing AAS a few times a week as a reminder of the rules.

 

Those who use Spelling workout or Seton (we're not Catholic, but it looks great!)...what are your likes/dislikes? Any other spelling programs you love?? Can be christian or secular. I'd like something that gives the rules, has a list and has a weekly spelling test (which I can make from the words if not included).

 

Thanks!!

[lea1]

Bumping... :bigear:

[MerryAtHope]

When you say he is not retaining, do you mean that when you review the cards he doesn't know them, or that when he writes something he isn't correctly spelling words that he studied in the program? In what ways are you seeing a lack of retention? (You may not need a separate program, you may need to just adjust what you work on during the spelling time but I'll wait to hear where you are seeing struggles). Merry :-)

[golfcartmama]

When you say he is not retaining, do you mean that when you review the cards he doesn't know them, or that when he writes something he isn't correctly spelling words that he studied in the program? In what ways are you seeing a lack of retention? (You may not need a separate program, you may need to just adjust what you work on during the spelling time but I'll wait to hear where you are seeing struggles). Merry :-)

 

 

When we review the cards and do the lesson he gets it all correct (or I wouldn't move on...we'd keep reviewing). Then if a few weeks pass he spells everything wrong in writing, narrations and outlining--even if we just reviewed it during spelling...like cheese, fur, bread, get, fake, etc. I've suggested slowing down. I have him double check his writing after he's done (especially when I know it's wrong). He doesn't catch his own mistakes. All suggestions welcome, thanks!

[MerryAtHope]

When we review the cards and do the lesson he gets it all correct (or I wouldn't move on...we'd keep reviewing). Then if a few weeks pass he spells everything wrong in writing, narrations and outlining--even if we just reviewed it during spelling...like cheese, fur, bread, get, fake, etc. I've suggested slowing down. I have him double check his writing after he's done (especially when I know it's wrong). He doesn't catch his own mistakes. All suggestions welcome, thanks!

 

Maybe something that works well for my son will also work for your son.

 

First, after we do a step, I don't review all 10 words the first day. I do 3 or 4 per day. This way we cover the pattern that was taught another 3 days after the step has been completed (I don't even start the "new words" in daily review until after we've done the dictations--that spreads out how many days the concept is covered also). You can also spread out the dictations if you are doing those mostly in 1-2 days.

 

Then, I added a weekly review. When a card passes out of daily review, I put it into a weekly review for 2 more weeks. I found that by reviewing a card once a week, they seem to stick in his long-term memory much better. Then I do a monthly review of the words--and if they are still mastered, they go into "mastered." If not, they start over back in daily review.

 

Each day I just spend the first 2-5 minutes reviewing cards, and then the other 15 or so minutes in the book. So, I don't add overall time to our schedule.

 

(And no, I don't have a ton of tabs in my box--I put all daily review cards together behind one tab and don't separate my cards out into the colored tabs until they are mastered--just easier for my brain that way, LOL!). Here's a picture of my box--the white tabs up front are my daily & weekly review tabs, they are just the colored tabs turned around. The yellow, red & blue tabs behind are all "mastered," I just ignore the labels on those :D Behind those are my monthly review word cards & then the mastered word cards & then all future cards behnd the last green tab:

 

 

For words misspelled outside of spelling time, take a look at the ideas in this Help With Writing blog entry. Do you have your son try to edit on the same day or a different one? I find unless it's something very short (like the dictation sentences), it's better to make the editing process a separate day & to allot extra time.

 

If it's a pattern that has to be learned visually (like the UR in fur), bring that word bank back out during spelling time and have him read it daily for awhile. You can also use the word cards for reading to help solidify a visual image of the word. AAS teaches 4 main strategies, and it's important to help the child analyze the word & realize which strategy (or strategies) they need to use. You may have to walk him through how to do that for awhile--give him as much help as he needs.

 

Here are blank word cards too--I keep a stock of those in my box, sometimes it's easier just to jot down the word than to look it up again, or sometimes I have a new but related word I want to work on.

 

Here's an article Marie has on the site for helping to make the concepts stick.

 

Well, hopefully that gives you some ideas! Merry :-)

Edited September 19, 2011 by MerryAtHope

[serendipitous journey]

First, after we do a step, I don't review all 10 words the first day. I do 3 or 4 per day. This way we cover the pattern that was taught another 3 days after the step has been completed (I don't even start the "new words" in daily review until after we've done the dictations--that spreads out how many days the concept is covered also). You can also spread out the dictations if you are doing those mostly in 1-2 days.

 

Then, I added a weekly review. When a card passes out of daily review, I put it into a weekly review for 2 more weeks. I found that by reviewing a card once a week, they seem to stick in his long-term memory much better. Then I do a monthly review of the words--and if they are still mastered, they go into "mastered." If not, they start over back in daily review.

 

Each day I just spend the first 2-5 minutes reviewing cards, and then the other 15 or so minutes in the book. So, I don't add overall time to our schedule.

 

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree: As a former learning & memory research person, I have to say this is an excellent strategy for upping retention.

[golfcartmama]

Maybe something that works well for my son will also work for your son.

 

First, after we do a step, I don't review all 10 words the first day. I do 3 or 4 per day. This way we cover the pattern that was taught another 3 days after the step has been completed (I don't even start the "new words" in daily review until after we've done the dictations--that spreads out how many days the concept is covered also). You can also spread out the dictations if you are doing those mostly in 1-2 days.

 

Then, I added a weekly review. When a card passes out of daily review, I put it into a weekly review for 2 more weeks. I found that by reviewing a card once a week, they seem to stick in his long-term memory much better. Then I do a monthly review of the words--and if they are still mastered, they go into "mastered." If not, they start over back in daily review.

 

Each day I just spend the first 2-5 minutes reviewing cards, and then the other 15 or so minutes in the book. So, I don't add overall time to our schedule.

 

(And no, I don't have a ton of tabs in my box--I put all daily review cards together behind one tab and don't separate my cards out into the colored tabs until they are mastered--just easier for my brain that way, LOL!). Here's a picture of my box--the white tabs up front are my daily & weekly review tabs, they are just the colored tabs turned around. The yellow, red & blue tabs behind are all "mastered," I just ignore the labels on those :D Behind those are my monthly review word cards & then the mastered word cards & then all future cards behnd the last green tab:

 

[ATTACH]6440[/ATTACH]

 

For words misspelled outside of spelling time, take a look at the ideas in this Help With Writing blog entry. Do you have your son try to edit on the same day or a different one? I find unless it's something very short (like the dictation sentences), it's better to make the editing process a separate day & to allot extra time.

 

If it's a pattern that has to be learned visually (like the UR in fur), bring that word bank back out during spelling time and have him read it daily for awhile. You can also use the word cards for reading to help solidify a visual image of the word. AAS teaches 4 main strategies, and it's important to help the child analyze the word & realize which strategy (or strategies) they need to use. You may have to walk him through how to do that for awhile--give him as much help as he needs.

 

Here are blank word cards too--I keep a stock of those in my box, sometimes it's easier just to jot down the word than to look it up again, or sometimes I have a new but related word I want to work on.

 

Here's an article Marie has on the site for helping to make the concepts stick.

 

Well, hopefully that gives you some ideas! Merry :-)

 

Thanks! I'll give it a try!

[happy-hs]

We use SWR. It's similar to AAS (teaches all phonograms and spelling rules), but it's cheaper and I can set the pace for each child. My 4th grader, 3rd grader, and 1st grader are all working out of it this year. My kids have great understanding and retention with SWR.

 

Melissa :)