switching from reading to spelling?

[MeganW]

Not completely switching, but I have one child who is just not really catching on to the reading. At this point, to be honest, it seems like more of a confidence thing than anything. She LOVES to draw, and wants to label her drawings, so is eager to "encode", it's just the "decoding" part (reading) that she has a mental block about.

 

I was thinking of starting AAS in hopes that by working on spelling, her reading would improve.

 

Thoughts on that? Am I crazy for even thinking about this? I would go back to OPGTR later, this would be just be a temporary break and a new approach. (It's not OPGTR that she dislikes - it's reading in general.)

[Sara in WA]

I wouldn't entirely drop reading lessons. Perhaps take a small break from the reading lessons, increase reading out loud and happily spell out words as requested. Then start reading lessons again. I guess that's probably what you are saying, just a different way (not a formal spelling lesson).

[asmall]

There are lots of programs that teach how to read through spelling. Off the top, I can think of, Spalding and their manual The Writing Road to Reading, then there is a newer program called The Logic of Reading. There are other program as well that teach reading with spelling. With my oldest, she did not want to learn to read, and it was ending up with tears everyday, so we stopped for awhile. I still read to her daily, but no reading lessons. Then after about six months we tried again and she finally started reading. If I was to do it again, I would of used a program that teaches spelling to read. Now my daughter can read, but her spelling is horrid. :glare:

AL

[Jay3fer]

I'd recommend Explode the Code. My dd was a lazy reader and writer, and I'm very impressed with how these books have shaped up her skills in both areas. I know a lot would have happened naturally, but over the last year, I've seen how she has become more careful about sounding out, both in reading and writing.

 

(ETA: I used the word "lazy" carelessly above. I know she wasn't doing anything intentionally, but she was just in such a big hurry to not be doing either activity that she didn't encode or decode particularly well. :-))

 

ETC integrates the two seamlessly, which makes it (in my opinion), nearly a complete reading AND spelling curriculum - with a bit of handwriting practice thrown in (not too much; in the early levels, there are lots of checkboxes and X'ing things out!).

[Amy Jo]

I'd try AAS (they have AAR too). I wouldn't think of it as temporary or worse than OPGTR - it's another path to the same goal. Have you seen Elizabeth's post on using Webster's to teach her Kindergarten son? That would be free and you could start almost instantly.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

Not completely switching, but I have one child who is just not really catching on to the reading. At this point, to be honest, it seems like more of a confidence thing than anything. She LOVES to draw, and wants to label her drawings, so is eager to "encode", it's just the "decoding" part (reading) that she has a mental block about.

 

I was thinking of starting AAS in hopes that by working on spelling, her reading would improve.

 

Thoughts on that? Am I crazy for even thinking about this? I would go back to OPGTR later, this would be just be a temporary break and a new approach. (It's not OPGTR that she dislikes - it's reading in general.)

 

This is what I did with my oldest until reading clicked. She went from slowly sounding out one word at a time to reading a whole book by herself overnight. I'm currently using the word building approach with my 5yo ds and waiting for reading to click for him.

[MerryAtHope]

AAS is a complete phonics program, so it certainly might help her get over this hump of reading difficulty. My kids were older when we started, but both of them went up 2 grade levels in reading after our first year of using it, so it definitely helped reading here.

 

Merry :-)

[Walking-Iris]

I agree with pp's that a program that includes writing or spelling as well as phonics will be best. Children learn so much through their hands (it's amazing how important our hands are---my ds has been in Ot for some years and the info I've learned about our fine motor development and how it relates to brain development is staggering).

 

I always make sure my kids are confident writers (as in handwriting) before starting any phonics, and then I have them write some of the words as well. Explode the Code is great for this. Sequential Spelling is great for phonics reinforcement as well.

 

This is sort of the theory behind copywork too.

[FO4UR]

There are lots of programs that teach how to read through spelling. Off the top, I can think of, Spalding and their manual The Writing Road to Reading,

 

 

:iagree: These programs can be intense for little ones though...so modify as needed. (Use magnet letters, whiteboard, and such to minimize writing.)

 

 

 

Also, if the spelling to read does not help her reading significantly even though she's spelling OK, get her eyes checked - thoroughly - by a developmental opt. My oldest went through SWR levels A-I several times, waiting for that glorious "click." He could spell grade levels above his reading. He has visual perception issues going on so he couldn't SEE the words on the page. The upside is that he learned a ton of phonics even though he couldn't read.

 

 

Recipe for Reading is a great little manual that is more OG (slower paced and more "mastery" rather than "spiral").

 

Dancing Bears Reading by Prometheaum Trust is excellent in methodology, though I am not a fan of the content of the little stories in the Fast Track book. We just use a different reader instead. (10min of Dancing Bears/15 min of a McGuffey or Elson or Nature Reader)

 

 

McGuffey Readers are well designed too. Use them for copywork/spelling/reading - all of it. Mine get bored with it after a while, but it certainly drives some progress.