joyfulhomeschooler Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 We recently moved from AAS to spelling power and I am loving it. My son on the other hand is not. He is doing really well and getting better at spelling, but he gets upset to the point of tears almost every time he gets a word incorrect. He says it is because the more words he misses the more he has to study and he thinks the studying takes too long. Anyone have this problem and what did you do about it? I don't want to switch because I see the logic behind the program and like I said I like it. I have talked nicely with him to let him know that even though it is labeled a test it really is just to see what words he needs help with and that there is no reason to get upset... I have also told him that he is stuck doing it so he better just get used to it and stop getting upset because then it will take him longer to complete it. Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blessedmom4god Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 If I read the instructions correctly (lots of pages iykwim) you are supposed to stop once they miss 3 words or when you do all the words in a group, whichever comes first. This is how we do it so they never have more then 3 study words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyfulhomeschooler Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 I thought that was just for the placement testing. Is that for all the groups? That could be part of the problem. He is missing usually 3-5 per group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I thought that was just for the placement testing. Is that for all the groups? That could be part of the problem. He is missing usually 3-5 per group. I don't know if it was just for the placement test or for regular usage but if that is what your DS needs, don't hesitate to do it. If he likes the program otherwise, I personally wouldn't bat an eyelash at that adjustment. I'm also not opposed to letting dc study particularly challenging words before the test. I have been known to let them study missed words immediately prior to the next test and then "cold-testing" on those same words the next day. I will also throw words into the test on my own to allow them to easily repeat a spelling they may have been struggling with. For example, if dd had a problem with should, I would repeat should the next day, then could the following day, then would. Does that make sense? I'm pleased with how SP eventually repeats the words, so I'm not too worried about them testing and forgetting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melis Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Good Morning :) My DS10 is a natural speller and a perfectionist, but he also doesn't *love* to do school (big sigh). Anyhoo... we use Spelling Power because I feel that since he is a natural/gifted speller, I'd rather find out what he needs to learn, rather than wasting his and my time on word lists that are just too easy. When we first began the program, I explained this to him to no avail. I told him that the point of his daily tests was to find words that he DIDN'T know so that his time would be best spent working on building his skills rather than on "busy work". He still got upset when he missed words. We started Spelling Power in 2nd grade and this went on until about last year, when he hit 4th grade. I think he just grew out of it (those feelings) more than anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melis Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 (edited) Oh, I forgot to mention that once he had some words to learn, I let him decide "how" he wanted to learn them. I didn't require that he do the sheet where where he checks things off and writes sentences. Many times I would just write his words up on the white board so that he could "see" them spelled correctly throughout the day. When I decided to try this, my thought was "we'll give it a try" and if he doesn't learn the words, we'll go back to using the system as it was written. I think DS10 has a photographic memory of sorts so he just didn't need to go through the exercises and more often than not, would spell the words correctly the next day. At first I was a little concerned about whether or not he would retain the words, but it hasn't been a problem. I like how the words show up in reviews and such. I've also been known to keep a little list of the words he's missed and add them on my own to the daily tests ;) Edited October 28, 2011 by Melis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat in MI Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I only have my dd do one list or 3 words spelled wrong. I do not make her go through the whole study the word thing. She just writes the word out once. The most effective ways I have found were either, I have her write the word in cursive or I have her write the word using a different color pencil for each letter. I re-test the missed words the next day with her list. I also re-test all missed words (from the level) around the time we do a review or delayed recall. Then I know for sure she has the spelling down. HTH Blessings, Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomsintheGarden Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I've used SP with seven children, and have found that no, they do not like to miss words. :) We go until they miss four, or until the end of the group. If the child is misbehaving, I will sometimes have him/her do more. Occasionally a child will get two easy groups in a row, and we'll breeze through them. Since we study for spelling bees, they spell all of their words orally using the spelling sandwich: say the word, spell the word, say the word again. We also study spelling bee word lists, and some of them are quite challenging. I have the children read the lists out loud to me a few days ahead of time. They do this on an ongoing basis. They read ahead a few sections at a time, once a day. I correct any mispronunciations they make right then, and we talk about a few words - their definitions, roots, tricky spellings, etc. I use the Webster's III dictionary on CD for quickly getting the information. This greatly cuts down on words missed and helps them practice the previewing study skill. Another tool we use is Spelling Made Simple, a computer program. It has lists recorded that the children drill. I wish I had recorded the SP lists (someday!). If you use this, the computer is the "bad guy" making the children miss words. HTH, GardenMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyfulhomeschooler Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 Good Morning :) My DS10 is a natural speller and a perfectionist, but he also doesn't *love* to do school (big sigh). Anyhoo... we use Spelling Power because I feel that since he is a natural/gifted speller, I'd rather find out what he needs to learn, rather than wasting his and my time on word lists that are just too easy. When we first began the program, I explained this to him to no avail. I told him that the point of his daily tests was to find words that he DIDN'T know so that his time would be best spent working on building his skills rather than on "busy work". He still got upset when he missed words. We started Spelling Power in 2nd grade and this went on until about last year, when he hit 4th grade. I think he just grew out of it (those feelings) more than anything. This is exactly the case here as well. Glad to know my son isn't the only one doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyfulhomeschooler Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 I've used SP with seven children, and have found that no, they do not like to miss words. :) We go until they miss four, or until the end of the group. If the child is misbehaving, I will sometimes have him/her do more. Occasionally a child will get two easy groups in a row, and we'll breeze through them. Since we study for spelling bees, they spell all of their words orally using the spelling sandwich: say the word, spell the word, say the word again. We also study spelling bee word lists, and some of them are quite challenging. I have the children read the lists out loud to me a few days ahead of time. They do this on an ongoing basis. They read ahead a few sections at a time, once a day. I correct any mispronunciations they make right then, and we talk about a few words - their definitions, roots, tricky spellings, etc. I use the Webster's III dictionary on CD for quickly getting the information. This greatly cuts down on words missed and helps them practice the previewing study skill. Another tool we use is Spelling Made Simple, a computer program. It has lists recorded that the children drill. I wish I had recorded the SP lists (someday!). If you use this, the computer is the "bad guy" making the children miss words. HTH, GardenMom Great advice! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeteranMom Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I had the same problem with both of my perfectionist boys. There were a lot of tears around here for a while. I had been immediately letting them know when they got a word wrong. I stopped doing that and now wait until we are at the end of the test to tell them we are finished and what words they missed. Also, I only let them get 3 wrong before I stop the test. These modifications are helping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monalisa Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 We just switched from AAS 3 to SP this fall. I love it, much more than AAS which had tiles falling on the floor and driving us crazy and too many pieces to mess with. I have found that dd8 does best with just 3-4 words to study. More than that becomes too overwhelming and unproductive for her. I do use the 10 step processs(she likes checking off), and I'm using the preprinted book which I'm really glad I bought. Because she's only 8, she dictates her sentence(s) to me, and I write them and leave spaces for the words. She does the writing in sand (in a big rubbermaid container I bought) which is her favorite part. At first she would get upset about missing words, but I keep reminding her that it is so she only studies words she doesn't know. That seems to help. Also, I try to keep those 5 minutes (and I do set the timer so it isn't longer than that) lighthearted so she doesn't stress out about missing words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 We recently moved from AAS to spelling power and I am loving it. My son on the other hand is not. He is doing really well and getting better at spelling, but he gets upset to the point of tears almost every time he gets a word incorrect. He says it is because the more words he misses the more he has to study and he thinks the studying takes too long. Anyone have this problem and what did you do about it? I don't want to switch because I see the logic behind the program and like I said I like it. I have talked nicely with him to let him know that even though it is labeled a test it really is just to see what words he needs help with and that there is no reason to get upset... I have also told him that he is stuck doing it so he better just get used to it and stop getting upset because then it will take him longer to complete it. Any advice? My dc were the same way when we did Spelling Power. Keep emphasizing that it's NOT a test. It's a dictation. I called it dictation when talked about it. It's time for spelling dictation. And keep emphasizing that the point of the dictation is to discover which words they don't already know how to spell so you can learn how to spell them. Getting words wrong is good. If they aren't getting any words wrong then tell them you have to move them to a harder list where they can get some words wrong. :D They are *supposed* to get words wrong. And just make sure you communicate that in your body language. I know I get frustrated when I'm grading math papers and we get x problem wrong *again* and I know it shows. Just remind yourself not to carry that over to Spelling Power. And lastly, always, always, always stop at 5 words or less if you've got a pre-determined number. With one of my dc we stopped at 3 because studying more than 3 words per day was not effective. So even if time is not up once they hit 5 (or whatever you've determined not to exceed 5) then stop. And encourage them with once we x number we'll stop. It would totally stink to have to study 10 words each day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyfulhomeschooler Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 My dc were the same way when we did Spelling Power. Keep emphasizing that it's NOT a test. It's a dictation. I called it dictation when talked about it. It's time for spelling dictation. And keep emphasizing that the point of the dictation is to discover which words they don't already know how to spell so you can learn how to spell them. Getting words wrong is good. If they aren't getting any words wrong then tell them you have to move them to a harder list where they can get some words wrong. :D They are *supposed* to get words wrong. And just make sure you communicate that in your body language. I know I get frustrated when I'm grading math papers and we get x problem wrong *again* and I know it shows. Just remind yourself not to carry that over to Spelling Power. And lastly, always, always, always stop at 5 words or less if you've got a pre-determined number. With one of my dc we stopped at 3 because studying more than 3 words per day was not effective. So even if time is not up once they hit 5 (or whatever you've determined not to exceed 5) then stop. And encourage them with once we x number we'll stop. It would totally stink to have to study 10 words each day. It went much better today. He only missed one though, so that could be the reason. He hasn't missed more than 5 in a group so far. So I set the limit for four today and he seemed happy to hear that. I did explain it to him the way you said... MANY times... but he still was getting upset. I am going to just keep plugging away at it and hopefully he just gets used to it. Thanks everyone for all the pointers. I think with spelling power it is easy to get caught up in doing it EXACTLY like the author suggests and it's good to hear from others that you tweak it to match your individual child and still have success. So, thanks :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 What is with our kids? Becca hates to miss words too and starts saying she's a bad speller. And she never misses more than about 3. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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