Soror Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) I know this seems a bit ironic. I'm wondering for those that use the speller do you use a spelling program as well and if so what. Also, how do your lessons go? I switched ds over to the Speller a few weeks ago after doing Blend Phonics. After reading a few threads I just do lessons very plainly- I set the timer for 15 min and we read through the tables, I make him spell every 10th word, that is it. Oh, I just found more detailed info from Elizabeth on teaching perhaps I need to go deeper: With a young 1st or K student, I write the words out larger on a white board. My older students read from the book, the uppercase version for students who have guessing problems due to too many sight words. An older student with no guessing problems could use the lowercase version. With the 2+ syllable words, I say a syllable at a time and have them spell each syllable at first, then work up to having them try to whole word at once. If they have trouble, I'll say each syllable at a time. I don't have them spell every word, they spell 10% to 100% of the words depending on how much trouble they're having with that concept. A concept they have down, we just spell a few words. A concept they're having a bit of trouble with, we'll spell more. Something they're really struggling with, we'll spell every word in the table. I work on each table until it's learned to mastery. With my daughter, I went on with the rest of the words but kept working on the syllables ca, ce, ci, co, cu, cy and sca, sce, sci, sco, scu, scy for 2 to 3 months until she learned those to mastery. We also did a few random syllables and one or two rows of syllables across each day. When they get to the table of 2+ syllable words, if they have trouble with a syllable, point them back to the proper line in the syllabary, then have them read the line across, then just the syllable they had trouble with. Eventually, they should be able to look up syllables on their own without your help, just remind them occasionally to go back to the syllabary to find out how to pronounce that syllable. I keep a one page copy of the syllabary handy while teaching the 2+ syllable tables. He just finished Table 5. I'm thinking of changing things up a bit though. I was thinking of doing one day of games and syllable review to lighten it up a bit. We love the nonsense word game by Elizabeth but haven't played it lately so I thought it would be good to schedule it in, plus it is hard work to do the syllabry. He is also reads to me as well from regular books. Right now I've started again with AAS as I have it on hand but I don't think I want to use it long term. I find it annoying with all the tiles so right now I'm just using the book orally and with a white board. It has generally been easy for him but I figure that it is good practice for him and also for me in learning to teach spelling with the phonograms. I was thinking of HTTS, Wheeler's or Spelling Plus for a spelling program after we go through AAS. I think we'll take that slow but still yet we should finish AAS in 2 months or so. Any opinions, thoughts or otherwise. Btw fwiw ds' reading ability has went through the roof after doing Blend Phonics and starting Webster's. It is amazing to see such progress in just 3 months time. I would however like to add in more work with the phonograms and rules with spelling. I think that would only enhance the learning(but hey I could be wrong!). Edited December 22, 2011 by soror Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 My oldest two kids use Webster's Speller and their spelling went through the roof, too. I must've spent 100 bucks on spelling workbooks for those two kids and what worked was free. :glare: I'm not an expert, but what I've done is have them read through the syllable sections in the beginning. Then, I dictate some syllables while they write on a dry erase board. Then, we start going through the word lists. I also printed out the 1,000 most commonly written words in the English language. We also go down the list and I have them write the words on a dry erase board. If they don't know how to spell something, we go over that word and it becomes one of their spelling words for the week. When they can't spell 5 words, we stop for the week. IMO, they need to understand why those words are spelled that way. I make them write the words several times a week and then I quiz them on the spelling. That's how we use Webster's Speller. That's funny. My oldest kids' spelling has improved drastically since we started doing this. Even my husband mentioned it (and he never notices anything like that)! :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) Thanks for the input. How long did it take you to go through the syllabry? I was thinking I read somewhere that she said about 1 yr but I cannot see us getting through that fast. Ds is generally spelling fairly well also but I'd like to have something with the rules myself, perhaps it isn't needed. My understanding is that Webster's teaches more by pattern but for my brain I like rules!it It is my understanding that the Spelling Plus is a program of the most common 1000 words and I was thinking I had read it is Elizabeth approved :) I was considering HTTS as it is supposed to OG but do harder words faster and without all the extra AAS stuff. I also like the idea of not having grade level programs but just going through it as we are able. Edited December 22, 2011 by soror Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I think HTTS might be a good choice for you. You can study the rules yourself, and also use the dictation in the book. It's all in the TM. Can't help on using Webster's for spelling. I'm just using it with DS2 for reading right now (and it's fabulous for that!). DS1 currently uses R&S Spelling, and I'm gradually adding in some HTTS as well, to get some dictation back in there (R&S doesn't have it often at this level). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) I think HTTS might be a good choice for you. You can study the rules yourself, and also use the dictation in the book. It's all in the TM. Can't help on using Webster's for spelling. I'm just using it with DS2 for reading right now (and it's fabulous for that!). DS1 currently uses R&S Spelling, and I'm gradually adding in some HTTS as well, to get some dictation back in there (R&S doesn't have it often at this level). The Spelling Plus also has a dictation book as well though, which is a reason am interested in it as well. However, after some reviews, posts etc I'm concerned maybe it doesn't go far enough. I've been having spell words in the speller and he usually does fairly well. Of course I could just have him spell more in there. I want the rules though and I think cross teaching the phonograms would be really good. I looked again at Wheeler's and I like the idea but I don't think it is exactly what I want. On the HTTS I'm guessing that you adminster a test from the book to determine level before picking a workbook. I'm thinking at least for the first level of it we do that the workbook would be good for guidance and they are pretty cheap(around $10 it seems). Edited December 22, 2011 by soror Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) On the HTTS I'm guessing that you adminster a test from the book to determine level before picking a workbook. I'm thinking at least for the first level of it we do that the workbook would be good for guidance and they are pretty cheap(around $10 it seems). No, HTTS is laid out differently from a lot of programs. You basically go through the contents of the TM multiple times, each time adding more difficult words/sentences. In the early grades, you don't hit some topics, but in the later grades, you do. The workbooks are for a range of grade levels: Book 1 - grade 1 Book 2 - Grades 2-3 Book 3 - Grades 4-6 Book 4 - Grades 7+ Most of the information is in the TM though, and you can use just the TM without the workbooks (though the workbooks are helpful if you don't know where to start or what to do). Unfortunately, it is difficult to find good samples for the workbooks. I put up samples of book 3 on my blog, and I'm going to slowly use it with my advanced 2nd grader, but I think book 2 probably would have been a better fit. Some of the words at the end of the workbook are well above a 2nd grade level of spelling. :) The early parts of the book aren't so bad though, and I can choose whatever words I want from the TM, since all the words for a rule or phonogram are in one section. They are not broken into grades in the TM, except that some sections will say to teach for grades 6-12 or something like that, so you know to ignore that section entirely if you have a 2nd grader. ETA: I haven't seen Spelling Plus in person, so it may be a good choice for you too. I just don't know! :) Edited December 22, 2011 by boscopup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 Thanks for the details. I've read the HTTS threads but I guess I've missed or forgot the details. Do you have a link to your blog to see a sample? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Here ya go: http://kinderbauernhofacademy.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-to-spell-book-3-samples.html Sorry, they're a bit fuzzy, but you can at least tell what is going on. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted December 23, 2011 Author Share Posted December 23, 2011 Thanks for that~ I decided to go ahead and order HTTS. I'm going to wait until I get it to decide if I want to use workbooks with it and which one I need. I have a good post from 8FillsTheHeart about how to teach it bookmarked and I'm hoping with that and AAS manual I can figure it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 I just received HTTS and I think I really like it. I was planning on finishing out AAS1 but I think we'll just jump to HTTS. I really like the lay out and I *think* I understand how to teach it. I like that all the levels are there at once. Very nice!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amie Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Interesting thread... (And boscopup, how did I not know you had a blog??) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 I just received HTTS and I think I really like it. I was planning on finishing out AAS1 but I think we'll just jump to HTTS. I really like the lay out and I *think* I understand how to teach it. I like that all the levels are there at once. Very nice!!! Yeah, I think after using AAS, it's easier to understand. :) Interesting thread...(And boscopup, how did I not know you had a blog??) You'd only know if you read the weekly update threads, and even there, I haven't been updating as well the last couple months. :tongue_smilie: Perhaps I should stick it in my sig. It's mostly boring weekly updates. The HTTS samples are the first interesting thing in a long time. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amie Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 You'd only know if you read the weekly update threads, and even there, I haven't been updating as well the last couple months. :tongue_smilie: Perhaps I should stick it in my sig. It's mostly boring weekly updates. The HTTS samples are the first interesting thing in a long time. :lol: Yeah, I usually find blogs if they are in a siggy. I like a lot of what you use/do, so I for one would be interested in your boring blog! ;) This thread has me wondering if I should revisit Webster's... or maybe HTTS... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Thanks for that~ I decided to go ahead and order HTTS. I'm going to wait until I get it to decide if I want to use workbooks with it and which one I need. I have a good post from 8FillsTheHeart about how to teach it bookmarked and I'm hoping with that and AAS manual I can figure it out. I know this is an old thread, but I'm trying to find 8FillsTheHeart's thread on HTTS. I've been trying various search terms and can't find it. Anyone have a link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Did you see this schedule to combine Blend Phonics and Webster's? http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/Resources/BlendPhonicsWesterProgression.pdf All the resources are at the bottom of this webpage. http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/howtotutor.html Spelling rules are integrated into this schedule, but not phonogram flashcards. Blend Phonics follows a similar scope and sequence to Blumenfeld and Flesch's books, so it's pretty easy to add the phongrams designed for these books. Flesch resources http://www.donpotter.net/education_pages/flesch_audio.html Flesch phonograms http://www.donpotter.net/pdf/flesch_phonograms.pdf Blumenfeld resources http://www.donpotter.net/reading_clinic.html Blumenfeld phonograms http://www.donpotter.net/pdf/alpha-phonics_phonograms.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 I know this is an old thread, but I'm trying to find 8FillsTheHeart's thread on HTTS. I've been trying various search terms and can't find it. Anyone have a link? Oops. Sorry. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 I know this is an old thread, but I'm trying to find 8FillsTheHeart's thread on HTTS. I've been trying various search terms and can't find it. Anyone have a link? Maybe you mean this post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Maybe you mean this post. That looks like the one. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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