Spelling/Phonics - what is this?

[Embassy]

My 7 year old was working in his 2nd grade phonics book today and he was to write "spoon" as the answer to one of the questions. It wasn't a word to copy. The page was working on the "oo" sounds. He wrote "soone." I went through the word with him having him listen to the sounds in the word. He rewrote it as "soopne." I pronounced what he had spelled and had him listen to the word again and he wrote it correctly at that point.

 

I'm still trying to figure this kid out. He usually completes his phonics without much difficulty, but from time to time he will give answers that really show a lack of understanding and can be way out in left field (as referenced above). He reads well (about 4th to 5th grade level) although he tends to rush through oral reading and skip over little words and will sometimes read a word incorrectly that doesn't make sense and not stop. He reads very fast silently. He is also working on spelling (2nd grade level) and doesn't have much difficulty with the words in his spelling book. Handwriting is a work in progress and we are working hard at that this school year. Reversals are much less than they used to be. He enjoys writing creatively and will do so in his free time, but instruction on mechanics has yet to stick (i.e. capitals/punctuation).

[MerryAtHope]

You're using the exact right approach by showing him to sound out exactly what he wrote in order to hear the mistake. Sometimes ask him and see if he can sound out what he wrote--gradually transfer this process to him so he can own it.

 

Kids with dyslexia, visual, or auditory processing issues will sometimes do things like this, so it's something you could keep an eye on.

 

Merry :-)

[Mandamom]

Phonemic awareness weakness. You can and should work on that starting with easy words (cat, hit, etc.) and doing more complex exercises -- say "mit" without the <m>; say leaf without the <f.; say crab without the <r> sound. do not use letter names only letter sounds.

[Embassy]

You're using the exact right approach by showing him to sound out exactly what he wrote in order to hear the mistake. Sometimes ask him and see if he can sound out what he wrote--gradually transfer this process to him so he can own it.

 

Kids with dyslexia, visual, or auditory processing issues will sometimes do things like this, so it's something you could keep an eye on.

 

Merry :-)

 

Thanks. I've been keeping a close eye and he has made much progress in the past year. I have suspected dyslexia and auditory processing issues, but upon close investigation he doesn't really seem to fit either profile. I did take him to a developmental ophthalmologist and he had slight tracking issues for which she gave us exercises to do at home.

[Embassy]

Phonemic awareness weakness. You can and should work on that starting with easy words (cat, hit, etc.) and doing more complex exercises -- say "mit" without the <m>; say leaf without the <f.; say crab without the <r> sound. do not use letter names only letter sounds.

 

Good idea. I have explored phonemic awareness activities, but without the complexity that you mentioned. I'll give that a try tomorrow and see if it trips him up.

[Mandamom]

Good idea. I have explored phonemic awareness activities, but without the complexity that you mentioned. I'll give that a try tomorrow and see if it trips him up.

 

Here is a sequence similar to the one I follow with more depth. Make sure that he can do one level pretty thoroughly before moving onto the next.

 

http://www.ontrackreading.com/dyslexia-puzzle/oral-auditory-processing

[Embassy]

Here is a sequence similar to the one I follow with more depth. Make sure that he can do one level pretty thoroughly before moving onto the next.

 

http://www.ontrackreading.com/dyslexia-puzzle/oral-auditory-processing

 

Thanks so much!

[didadeewiththree]

My daughter does this occasionaly, but I dont think its a lack of understanding, I just think she is trying to read between the lines too quick and throws stuff out, thinking there must be more to the job thats actually there. I know she must know it, but at the time, she is trying just to get through it quickly and isnt all there mentally. She reads through material quickly, once in a while skipping a line or not trying very hard when she gets to a word she doesnt know right away. She doesnt like to sound them out, although she knows how to. Shes somewhat a perfectionist, so if your child is anything like mine, maybe this is just their style and we can just work on it without overly worrying abt it. I think review and even drill of certain phonics rules helps; I really like the rule tunes in the Phonics Road; they are catchy and it really helps to remember them. Is your child good at memorization?

[Embassy]

My daughter does this occasionaly, but I dont think its a lack of understanding, I just think she is trying to read between the lines too quick and throws stuff out, thinking there must be more to the job thats actually there. I know she must know it, but at the time, she is trying just to get through it quickly and isnt all there mentally. She reads through material quickly, once in a while skipping a line or not trying very hard when she gets to a word she doesnt know right away. She doesnt like to sound them out, although she knows how to. Shes somewhat a perfectionist, so if your child is anything like mine, maybe this is just their style and we can just work on it without overly worrying abt it. I think review and even drill of certain phonics rules helps; I really like the rule tunes in the Phonics Road; they are catchy and it really helps to remember them. Is your child good at memorization?

 

Thanks for the tip about the Phonics Road. I'll have a look. I think he would like tunes.

 

My son is definitely not a perfectionist. My two other kids are, but he is rather carefree. Creative and carefree. No, memorization is not his strength. I used to think he had some difficulties with memory and started working with him on those skills. I did further examining and his memory skills were fine as long as he was interested in the topic.

[didadeewiththree]

Well, maybe thats the boy in him. Its good to be carefree and creative. Maybe he is just taking a stab at the word and not thinking carefully about it. Or does he seem to be really trying hard?

 

If you email me, I can send over a few examples of the phonics tunes to help them remember thr rules.

 

My wiggly willy 5 yr old was caught humming to the tune of London Bridges today....

"base words do not end in I, end in I, end in I,

base words do not end in I, sub-sti-tute Y"

 

I was just telling my husband that he is the last one of the three I would have expected to be singing this song.

 

Now, whether he can apply it or not, might take me this year to find out.

[Embassy]

Well, maybe thats the boy in him. Its good to be carefree and creative. Maybe he is just taking a stab at the word and not thinking carefully about it. Or does he seem to be really trying hard?

 

 

 

Maybe. His mind is usually in several places at once so that could have something to do with it :)

[Embassy]

Here is a sequence similar to the one I follow with more depth. Make sure that he can do one level pretty thoroughly before moving onto the next.

 

http://www.ontrackreading.com/dyslexia-puzzle/oral-auditory-processing

 

This proved to be very helpful. I tried out the different levels with him this morning to see where he might have difficulty. He was able to do category 1 and 2 successfully. Category 3 and 4 were difficult. He tended to treat the blends as one unit instead of 2 separate sounds. Category 5 was probably the easiest for him. Category 6 was the most difficult. He was only able to complete one successfully when I sounded out the word for him explaining that he had to change the ending sound only. Previous to that he was putting the new sound at the beginning of the word. make-mail change the /k/ to an /l/ - he said "lake."

 

I can see practicing these skills would be very helpful for him. Thanks so much!

 

I did quickly check my 4th grade son too. He was a good reader at that age and had difficulty with phonics/spelling. He doesn't have spelling difficulties anymore, but I wanted to see if he was able to handle manipulating the phonemes. He did it with ease.

[Mandamom]

This proved to be very helpful. I tried out the different levels with him this morning to see where he might have difficulty. He was able to do category 1 and 2 successfully. Category 3 and 4 were difficult. He tended to treat the blends as one unit instead of 2 separate sounds. Category 5 was probably the easiest for him. Category 6 was the most difficult. He was only able to complete one successfully when I sounded out the word for him explaining that he had to change the ending sound only. Previous to that he was putting the new sound at the beginning of the word. make-mail change the /k/ to an /l/ - he said "lake."

 

I can see practicing these skills would be very helpful for him. Thanks so much!

 

I did quickly check my 4th grade son too. He was a good reader at that age and had difficulty with phonics/spelling. He doesn't have spelling difficulties anymore, but I wanted to see if he was able to handle manipulating the phonemes. He did it with ease.

 

I'm really glad it helped. If you practice the skills you'll find a nice improvement over time.

[Embassy]

I'm really glad it helped. If you practice the skills you'll find a nice improvement over time.

 

Thanks! I started today with category 3 and we did about 20 words. With a little practice he started getting most of them right :001_smile: