Doing our own spelling?

[linguistmama]

We dropped PR1 this year and I still can't decide on a spelling program for next year. I've read WRTR and am waiting on ILL for SWR. I'm sure I could teach those after having watched the PR videos. Dd usually spells words correctly in her writing. When she doesn't I teach the word similar to PR, discussing which letter or phonogram we use instead and which sound it makes in that word. This seems to be working well so I'm wondering if we should just stick with this instead of a formal program. It makes so much sense to incorporate spelling when she needs to use it. Comments? My oldest is only 7 so I'm open to hearing opinions while I'm deciding. :)

[MinivanMom]

I do this with dd8. We don't use a spelling program at all. She was taught to read phonetically, then we spent a year teaching basic spelling rules, and then she learned to spell the 300 most common words. She is what people on these boards would refer to as a "natural speller". She spells nearly everything correctly and it seems like a waste of time to toil through a spelling program at this point. When she does misspell a word in her writing, I point out the error and we analyze it together to see how it ought to be spelled. That is generally enough for her to spell the word correctly going forward.

[Heidi]

:bigear:

I dropped PR as well and was trying to decide what to do; just go over misspelled words or finish the Spalding list with WRTR with my natural spellers. Hopefully some wise, well-trained homeschooler will show us the right way! ;)

[myfatherslily]

LOL, I am also a PR dropout making the same decision. We've been selecting our own spelling words and learning them ala PR. Maybe we need a PR dropouts Social group! :lol:

 

I think we will continue casually through the list in WRTR, maybe also adding our own for fun (she had been choosing words from fairy poems). I'm interested in hearing what you all settle on. I'll be browsing some books tomorrow at the Hartford convention.

[linguistmama]

I do this with dd8. We don't use a spelling program at all. She was taught to read phonetically, then we spent a year teaching basic spelling rules, and then she learned to spell the 300 most common words. She is what people on these boards would refer to as a "natural speller". She spells nearly everything correctly and it seems like a waste of time to toil through a spelling program at this point. When she does misspell a word in her writing, I point out the error and we analyze it together to see how it ought to be spelled. That is generally enough for her to spell the word correctly going forward.

 

Yep, I'm planning on teaching the rest of the Spalding spelling rules with WRTR and then just applying as needed. I knew I couldn't be alone here. :)