SWO and Phonics Rules

[Guest CathyK]

My 5 yo son reads very well (Caddie Woodlawn is his latest favorite book), but he's entirely self-taught. My plan is to review the phonics rules through spelling, rather than a reading curriculum, and I went ahead and bought SWO A based on the WTM recommendation. We've gotten to lesson 9 and came to the first word he didn't know how to spell - "duck." I couldn't tell him what the rule was for why it's a ck instead of a k without googling it - and even then it was confusing to explain.

I had hoped the rules would be explained as we go in the workbook, but the spelling tips for the week were on the lines of "D makes the sound at the beginning of duck," and didn't mention the "ck" at all.

Would the teacher's manual help me here? Is there a good easy to explain source of phonics rules I can use as reference? From what I've read on here about AAS, it sounds like that program would be much better with explaining the rules - do I need to switch programs? Is there a workbook based program that goes through the rules? I'm hoping for something less expensive than AAS.

Thanks for your help!

Cathy

[momofabcd]

I can't help you with SWO, but Christian Liberty Press' Building Spelling Skills explains rules at the beginning of each lesson. You can see samples on CBD. If you want secular, I've heard that SRA is good.

the "ck" is used after a single vowel says its short sound, quack, suck, tuck, dock, tick, peck, etc. otherwise you use "k" lake, quake, hike, poke,peek, duke, etc.

[Miss Tick]

I've been having a similar problem (although I was slower to recognize it!). We are nearing the end of SWO A, and with extra review outside the workbook my dc have learned to spell the words, but don't know rules to back them up, or to fall back on when they get stuck.

 

Part of me thinks this will come with time, the more they read, the more comfortable the get - I don't have any memory of learning spelling rules... But then I get nervous :tongue_smilie:

 

A friend just purchased Spelling Power. It is one book that takes you from early elementary (the book seems to expect spelling lessons to start around age 8) to adult. She has a nice survey of the studies she used to set up the program along with 44 spelling "generalizations" that cover 85% of the most common words. Each level has lists of words under the generalizations (not all are covered at each level). The expectation is that you spend 15 minutes every day on spelling. I'm not completely sold, but I'm considering it even if I just use the generalizations to complement SWO.

[ByGrace3]

If you want phonics rules, I would look at AAS or How To Teach Spelling.

[Nikki -TX-]

:bigear: We're in the same boat. Mine are going to wind down SWO (levels C & D) and start AAS in the new year.

[Tracy]

I was in the same situation at the beginning of last school year with a 5yo that learned to read on her own and trying SWO. I have a lot of respect for SWB, but I don't understand this rec at all. There was no explanation in either the student book or the TM for anything except for those things that we all already know (like silent E make the vowel long). I also looked at AAS but couldn't swallow the price. I ended up settling on SWR, a "cousin" to AAS. Over a year into it, I am quite happy with it. In the long run, it is cheaper (though a larger up-front investment), and it is more flexible. There are a few things I would love to change, but we are with SWR for the long haul.

[Joyoflearning]

I'm also in the same boat with my 5 year old but she seems to be a natural speller also. She just "gets" language. I opted for Phonics Rd because I heard that level one was the equivalent of AAS 1-3 so I figured the price about equalled out. I also like that it is laid out for all my language arts. I don't have to worry about buying a separate handwriting or grammar program (more money saved) and I can continue using it in the following years. I'm excited about the Lit study for next year!

[nansk]

You could print out the Spalding/Riggs spelling rules and refer to them when working through the SWO words.

[jer2911mom]

For what it's worth, you could take a look at CLE LA 1. I was just reading the TM this weekend and was surprised at the amount of phonics rules coverage in there. It includes spelling and penmanship. It has 10 light units (workbooks) and is very inexpensive.

 

Kathy

[Annabel Lee]

My 5 yo son reads very well (Caddie Woodlawn is his latest favorite book), but he's entirely self-taught. My plan is to review the phonics rules through spelling, rather than a reading curriculum, and I went ahead and bought SWO A based on the WTM recommendation. We've gotten to lesson 9 and came to the first word he didn't know how to spell - "duck." I couldn't tell him what the rule was for why it's a ck instead of a k without googling it - and even then it was confusing to explain.

I had hoped the rules would be explained as we go in the workbook, but the spelling tips for the week were on the lines of "D makes the sound at the beginning of duck," and didn't mention the "ck" at all.

Would the teacher's manual help me here? Is there a good easy to explain source of phonics rules I can use as reference? From what I've read on here about AAS, it sounds like that program would be much better with explaining the rules - do I need to switch programs? Is there a workbook based program that goes through the rules? I'm hoping for something less expensive than AAS.

Thanks for your help!

Cathy

 

There is this wee little easily missed blurb in TWTM about using a phonics program along with spelling in those early years. If you're using SWO, the TM might help somewhat, but there is an easy to use phonics program made to go along lesson-by-lesson with SWO. It's "Plaid Phonics", also by Modern Curriculum Press. If you don't like the looks of that, there is also OPGtTR (I highly recommend this) or the Explode the Code series. Based on your desire for something simple to use, I'd start with those. No need to get bogged down in a cumbersome program unless your child shows you he needs it. On the other hand, I wish I'd used AAS from the start because starting it mid-elementary has made us feel like we had to back-track a lot.

[jplain]

There is this wee little easily missed blurb in TWTM about using a phonics program along with spelling in those early years.

:iagree:

 

SWB assumes the child has already studied phonics before starting SWO.

 

I'm in the same boat with DD5, who is a self-taught reader. We're going through Explode the Code, for both phonics and handwriting practice. After finishing ETC, I'll evaluate her spelling "instincts." Though I've switched DD8 to SWO, I may use AAS or HTTS with DD5, because I think she'll have a harder time with spelling. (I already have a couple levels of AAS, but it was overkill for DD8.)

 

If you just need to look up a rule now and then, this book may fit the bill: The ABC's and All Their Tricks. I'm oddly fond of this one. I pick it up to look up one thing, and then I end up flipping through it for 15 minutes, just for fun. It would be a reference for you, not a book to hand to your child.

Edited November 8, 2011 by jplain

[Guest CathyK]

Thanks for all your help! I've got a list of resources to consider now. I was glad to hear I'm not the only one not thrilled with it. I think I'll keep going and try to use the rules on the side, and maybe after Christmas try something different.

 

And I really appreciate the simple explanation on short/long vowels for the ck/k question - I did a quick lesson on that this morning, and I think it made sense to him. We'll see if it sticks.

[Tracy]

There is this wee little easily missed blurb in TWTM about using a phonics program along with spelling in those early years. If you're using SWO, the TM might help somewhat, but there is an easy to use phonics program made to go along lesson-by-lesson with SWO. It's "Plaid Phonics", also by Modern Curriculum Press. If you don't like the looks of that, there is also OPGtTR (I highly recommend this) or the Explode the Code series. Based on your desire for something simple to use, I'd start with those. No need to get bogged down in a cumbersome program unless your child shows you he needs it. On the other hand, I wish I'd used AAS from the start because starting it mid-elementary has made us feel like we had to back-track a lot.

 

I actually used that combination per WTM recommendations. Plaid Phonics was way too much writing, and I thought that my dd was advanced in her writing skills. At the same time, it really did not teach phonics the way the OP was asking about it (and the way I wanted it). There were just so many phonics questions/issues not covered (like the spelling of duck).

[Guest]

SWO is not intended to teach phonics rules or it would be called Phonics Workout. I agree with the others who said it sounds like you need to go through a simple phonics program and maybe put SWO aside for a time. I also concur on Ordinary parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. It is very simple and easy to get done. Have your child start after the lessons on basic letter sounds even if he knows how to read everything on the page. Make them listen to the rules. I am doing this with my 2 younger boys who are mostly self-taught. Having 2 older sons, one of whom taught himself to read at 3, I assure you it is worth doing this. My older two cannot spell to save their lives even after just about every program on the market. I am convinced it is because they were never taught phonics. The book (OPGTR) is not that much money and it does not take too much time each day. You can skip the cards, CD, and magnetic letters.

[Mommy22alyns]

I've used several levels of SWO and it's not great with phonics rules. I'd recommend some sort of phonics workbook for that (perhaps MCP Plaid).

 

 

:iagree: My girls are early, self-taught readers and I'm having them use MCP Phonics. They use it a year ahead, so Sylvia is in B and Rebecca is in D.

[ElizabethB]

Here is a good thread with some links to spelling rules:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77560

 

Also, I have a list of most of the rules and also syllable division rules on my how to tutor page, the numbered links at the end of the page:

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/howtotutor.html