MamaHappy Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 (edited) Do you think it would be overkill to do a spelling program, such as R&S, along with dictation? Or should I just pick one? I love dictation, but sometimes I'm not sure it's enough for a stand-alone spelling program. Thanks! :) Edited November 13, 2011 by MamaHappy Typos...I'm anal like that. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Creek Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Well, some levels of R&S spelling actually include dictation, so no, it is not overkill to do both. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Do you think it would be overkill to do a spelling program, such as R&S, along with dictation? Or should I just pick one? I love dictation, but sometimes I'm not sure it's enough for a stand-alone spelling program. Thanks! :) I don't think it's overkill. I do this as well. I feel Spelling has great benefits; proper pronunciation, syllabication, vocabulary work, analogies, using words in different contexts, being able to insert proper words...all that, that I don't feel dictation has on it's own. I use BJU Spelling which contains dictation sentences. I'm in love with the idea of only dictation for context and time purposes, but really, I'm not sold on that. Even though kids may know what a word means in that particular context, it doesn't mean they know it in another. So I think they compliment each other, although having said that, I don't use a spelling program as "lists". You could combine those words into sentences for them to write out, having them remember when and where to cap, use punctuation. I did that for a while with R&S until I found BJU Spelling. Lists on their own I find useless though...no context. But personally I'm still not sold on simply dictation. And a vocabulary program could be good, but a list of difficult words without their use in a book you read, I find useless, as well has just having a large list that are just plain difficult, creating frustration, because there's too many to actually learn. In dictation I wonder if they simply got the word correct because they have a good memory for the moment. Are those words repeated so they would remember them down the road? Or was it by chance that they got that particular word correct? Sometimes my dd didn't understand the dictation paragraph. For me it's simply copywork, which I don't find enough. Spelling provides the why's and how's behind it, which I find useful. IMO a combo is best. I'll be interested in other answers as well as I'm sure others will disagree. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 With my two middle boys I'm using Simply Spelling and AAS, so no, I don't think it's overkill:). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaHappy Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 Well, some levels of R&S spelling actually include dictation, so no, it is not overkill to do both. :001_smile: Now this I did not know! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Now this I did not know! :) Me either. Which levels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaHappy Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 I don't think it's overkill. I do this as well. I feel Spelling has great benefits; proper pronunciation, syllabication, vocabulary work, analogies, using words in different contexts, being able to insert proper words...all that, that I don't feel dictation has on it's own. I use BJU Spelling which contains dictation sentences. I'm in love with the idea of only dictation for context and time purposes, but really, I'm not sold on that. Even though kids may know what a word means in that particular context, it doesn't mean they know it in another. So I think they compliment each other, although having said that, I don't use a spelling program as "lists". You could combine those words into sentences for them to write out, having them remember when and where to cap, use punctuation. I did that for a while with R&S until I found BJU Spelling. Lists on their own I find useless though...no context. But personally I'm still not sold on simply dictation. And a vocabulary program could be good, but a list of difficult words without their use in a book you read, I find useless, as well has just having a large list that are just plain difficult, creating frustration, because there's too many to actually learn. In dictation I wonder if they simply got the word correct because they have a good memory for the moment. Are those words repeated so they would remember them down the road? Or was it by chance that they got that particular word correct? Sometimes my dd didn't understand the dictation paragraph. For me it's simply copywork, which I don't find enough. Spelling provides the why's and how's behind it, which I find useful. IMO a combo is best. I'll be interested in other answers as well as I'm sure others will disagree. :) I agree, I'm not totally sold on it either and it feels a lot like copywork to me too (which we already do a lot of). The more I think about it, the more I feel like the studied dictation my ds does is a great writing exercise, but I'm not sure it is really doing anything to help his spelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I agree, I'm not totally sold on it either and it feels a lot like copywork to me too (which we already do a lot of). The more I think about it, the more I feel like the studied dictation my ds does is a great writing exercise, but I'm not sure it is really doing anything to help his spelling. I use HOD too, Sara... and I used R&S Spelling as well and loved it, love that it's in cursive at a certain level, since it helps with reading it and seeing letters written, but moved on to BJU spelling because it had dictation sentences through the week. I like R&S because it's good on time (and a lot cheaper), but I can't think of a level that has dictation. We used partial of level 4. So I'll (im)patiently wait to see which level it starts in that a) I missed, or b) I didn't hit yet. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Creek Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Me either. Which levels? 1st grade phonics, 3rd grade spelling, and 4th grade spelling. The phonics sentences are in the TM, the 3rd grade sentences are in the TM, and the 4th grade sentences are in the TM as part of the spelling test. We have only used up to the 4th grade level, so I can't speak for the higher levels. It isn't a huge amount of dictation, 2 sentences a day in phonics, 3 sentences a week in 3rd grade, and 2 sentences on the weekly 4th grade test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 1st grade phonics, 3rd grade spelling, and 4th grade spelling. The phonics sentences are in the TM, the 3rd grade sentences are in the TM, and the 4th grade sentences are in the TM as part of the spelling test. We have only used up to the 4th grade level, so I can't speak for the higher levels. It isn't a huge amount of dictation, 2 sentences a day in phonics, 3 sentences a week in 3rd grade, and 2 sentences on the weekly 4th grade test. Really? LOL! I think I thought they were sentences to use for list spelling...you know, instead of saying just the word, to use it in a sentence. BJU does 3 sentences for two days out of the week, with several words in each sentence... usually 3-4 words per sentence. Boy...I must not have had my glasses on. Now I have to go back and re-read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Creek Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Really? LOL! I think I thought they were sentences to use for list spelling...you know, instead of saying just the word, to use it in a sentence. BJU does 3 sentences for two days out of the week, with several words in each sentence... usually 3-4 words per sentence. Boy...I must not have had my glasses on. Now I have to go back and re-read it. Nope, I am not talking about the sentences that use the words during the spelling test (word, this is a word in a sentence, word). The phonics and 3rd grade sentences are in the instructions in the TM, and the 4th grade sentences are the two sentences given after the 16 spelling words on the test. None of them are studied dictation, the student is expected to write the sentence correctly after hearing it twice. Don't feel bad, I did not realize the dictation sentences were there until partway through last year...and I have been using R&S since the beginning of my homeschool journey. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Okay...I'm intrigued. I'm going to go pull it.:001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuovonne Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 (edited) I think it depends on how much dictation you do, what type of dictation, and which spelling program. Many spelling programs also include dictation. I am a firm believer in dictation. I use only dictation for spelling, and it is plenty for my kids. We also don't do copywork. On the other hand, I use a very robust method of doing dictation, and one of my kids is a natural speller. Edited November 14, 2011 by Kuovonne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I use R&S and a vintage dictation book. The vintage book also provides additional words that follow the spelling pattern of the focal words in the passage. I like this. As for vocabulary, we work through a variety of resources, such as Wordly Wise, including prefix, suffix and root study. I do add to the vocabulary by using WOW words. We use bookmarks and an index card box for this application of word study. When we find words worth using in writing, they are added to the WOW box. While reading, WOW (words of worth) are added to the bookmark, looked up in the dictionary, and transferred to the WOW box at the end of the book. Mind you, it is a rather hand-sy system, but I have watched the growth in vocabulary. We still struggle with spelling, but much less. At the least, I can say that we now have more phonetic spellings when words are not correctly spelled. I see the improvement, and I am happy with the methods. ---- I use many of these vintage resources to supplement - here - including Dictation Day by Day by Kate Van Wagenen (Google books). WOW words are enrichment vocabulary. We focus on those words that are not common and boring, but rather descriptive and rich. An index card might look very similar to this. I do not plan our WOW words. We discover WOW words. (Bookmarks) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I didn't notice the dictation sentences in R&S3, but hey, there they are! They're in the instructions for part C of each lesson. Some lessons have questions to answer, but at one point they start throwing in dictation there too. It's just a few sentences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I didn't notice the dictation sentences in R&S3, but hey, there they are! They're in the instructions for part C of each lesson. Some lessons have questions to answer, but at one point they start throwing in dictation there too. It's just a few sentences. Yep, I see it now too. Not enough though, but it is good that they used them for review words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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