ThreeBlessings Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 (edited) I'm batting around the idea of writing our Spelling myself for the rest of this year. I've actually already started writing it, but am not really sure of *using* it yet. The reason why is because I am currently learning the Spelling rules myself and incorporating them into what I am writing. I don't have the confidence in myself *yet* to be sure I am presenting the rules correctly, simply, and in the best way. I'm curious what others writing their own Spelling or not using a curriculum are doing? We were using Sequential Spelling, which gives 25 new words a day. I'm not sure how I want to handle this as I plan for the words to be more challenging than the level of SS we were using. I found a really old Spelling book on google for free and I like the way the lessons are presented. I also have Spelling Made Simple on loan from the library. I'm using the two books to write out our Spelling. Here is a sample week of what I've written. Please let me know if this looks okay! The format is not quite the same, but you get the point. Day 1 Spelling Rule #1.1 Final e is dropped when a suffix beginning with a vowel is added. -ing -al -er -ance -ical -ed -ous -ish -en -ible -y -able -ence Exercise #1 Copy the rule and add the suffixes to the words. -ing and -ed crave issue blame construe shave argue rescue intrigue chase value bake grope grieve fatigue please Day 2 Spelling Rule #1.1 Final e is dropped when a suffix beginning with a vowel is added. Exercise 2 Copy the rule and add the suffixes to the words. -ible fuse sense reduce produce reverse infuse defense -ous nerve grieve trouble desire congrue *fibre *lustre -al spine revise virtue propose arrive revise * I will verbally explain the American Spelling we use for these words are luster and fiber, but they fall under this rule because the British and older spelling of the words. Maybe I should leave them out? Is that confusing? Day 3 Spelling Rule #1.1 Final e is dropped when a suffix beginning with a vowel is added. Exercise 3 Copy the rule and add the suffixes to the words. -y stone sauce sponge ease sensible pebble feeble humble noble -ish slave rogue white blue tickle swine -er race ledge charge vote smoke bale shake trade Day 4 Final e is dropped when a suffix beginning with a vowel is added. Exercise 4 Copy the rule and add suffixes to the words. -able cure pleasure note suppose prove measure mute debate blame despise sue perceive rate advise value repute -ance guide grieve assure contrive pursue observe insure endure Day 5 Spelling Review Rule 1.1 These words I will give orally and I will also add any words that have been misspelled during the week. craved issuing chased rescuing argued blaming valued groping grieved construed pleased intriguing fatigued fusible sensible reducible producible reversible infusible defensible This is to be followed by similar lessons presenting the other parts of Rule 1, such as Rule 1.2 When final e follows c or g it is not dropped if the suffix begins with a, o, or u; Rule 1.3 When final e follows c or g it is dropped if the suffix begins with e, i, or y; Rule 1.4 in verbs ending in ee, ie, oe, and ye final e is not dropped before -ing and -able; Rule 1.5 final e is not dropped when a suffix beginning with a consonant is added; Rule 1.6 When final e follows a vowel or dg it is often (but not always) dropped before a suffix beginning with a consonant. I'm not sure if it would be more confusing to teach the rules that have this much detail and/or rules with several exceptions. Maybe I should just teach the simplest rules, idk? Does this look okay? Anything I should change or negatives to the way the lessons are presented? I'd really appreciate any input. :) Edited November 15, 2011 by ThreeBlessings eta- it didn't keep any formatting at all, lol, geez! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeBlessings Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 (edited) Sorry! I'm editing to fix this, the format totally didn't keep. :) Edited November 15, 2011 by ThreeBlessings ok- I think that's better :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeBlessings Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share Posted November 15, 2011 Anyone? I'd really like some feedback on this before I proceed. Thanks :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuovonne Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 What level of spelling are you planning on writing? It seems to me that many of the words on your list are harder words than found on most beginning spelling lists. BTW, I do my own thing for spelling, but I do something totaly different from you because I have younger kids. I came from using a spelling program with phonograms, syllable types, and spelling rules and I find knowing them backwards and forwards has been essential in teaching spelling on my own. I try to be able to explain every letter and spelling rule in every spelling word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeBlessings Posted November 16, 2011 Author Share Posted November 16, 2011 What level of spelling are you planning on writing? It seems to me that many of the words on your list are harder words than found on most beginning spelling lists. BTW, I do my own thing for spelling, but I do something totaly different from you because I have younger kids. I came from using a spelling program with phonograms, syllable types, and spelling rules and I find knowing them backwards and forwards has been essential in teaching spelling on my own. I try to be able to explain every letter and spelling rule in every spelling word. Sorry! I should have included that information in my original post. The kids are 10 and 11, 4th and 6th grade. With what we were using they rarely missed a word, so I didn't really feel they were *learning* anything. I want the words to be more challenging, but I will be willing to adjust if they are missing too many, maybe 4+ words per review? I wouldn't mind them missing 1-3 words as then they will have words to work on and master and I will think they are actually progressing and learning new words. They are good at spelling and I don't want to confuse them or make spelling harder for them. I figure if I go over the rules even if they don't retain the actual rule I will see if they are mastering the words that fall under the rule. Does that make sense? Can I ask what resource you used to gain your confidence in teaching Spelling? I really don't *want* to have to spend any money on curriculum now, but I will if I really need to spend. I'm hesitating to buy something online that I haven't been able to preview. I do have another book on hold at the library, but it may be a little while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuovonne Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 Sorry! I should have included that information in my original post. The kids are 10 and 11, 4th and 6th grade. With what we were using they rarely missed a word, so I didn't really feel they were *learning* anything. If your kids already spell well, you might not need a spelling curriculum. Instead you might be able to get by just having them study words that they misspell in their writing. After I discovered that my older DD is a natural speller, I dropped spelling as its own subject. Now I just have her do dictation. I did have her memorize the phonograms, spelling rules, and syllable types as part of her general memory work. Can I ask what resource you used to gain your confidence in teaching Spelling? I really don't *want* to have to spend any money on curriculum now, but I will if I really need to spend. You don't have to spend any money. The Orton-Gillingham phonograms and spelling rules are used in many spelling programs. I learned them from Spell to Write and Read, but you could get them by checking out The Writing Road to Reading from your library. I got the syllable types from the All-About-Spelling web site. The Phonics Page web site also has a nice explaination of how to teach sight words phonetically. Once I was able to explain the spelling of (almost) any word on the fly, it was easier to drop formal spelling lessons, and tuck in mini-spelling lessons whenever DD had a spelling question or made a spelling mistake. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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