Need recommendations for spelling

[PeacefulChaos]

So far we have been using Spelling Workout.

Link does great with it. I do feel like it is a bit of busywork, but I'm ok with that. He does a page of the lesson M-Th and a test on Friday. He seems to be a natural speller, anyway, and it's a breeze for him. We also do spellingcity and after the page is done in SW he plays a game on SC - just one game, one time, and shows me the score. On Thursdays I have him do the pretest.

Astro, however, does not do so great with it. :tongue_smilie: Now, this could be because of where he is reading-wise - he's still in what I guess is considered the 'decoding phase' - he still sounds out a lot of words. He's on lesson 194 of OPG and I have him read a book to me daily, as well. (Short, 'easy' books.) I try to not let him read a book to me more than once because I don't want him to just be reading it from memory. But anyway, he's a terrible speller. We started SW A halfway through last year, and we're nearly through it but his spelling isn't any better. His last test had 8 words - my, sky, play, away, they, cry, and a couple of others. They were ALL wrong on his test. He does one page a day just like Link - he does spellingcity just like Link. But for some reason it just doesn't click with him, even though he looks at/writes/spells the word multiple times over the course of the week... he still gets to the test and writes mi (my), ski (sky), pla (play), uwa (away), tha (they), and cri (cry). I can't remember the others but you get the point. :)

Anyway, what I'm wondering is this - is this something that I can expect to get better as he reads better? Should I just keep plugging along with SW? Or is there something else we could do that might work better?

(Note: I have no intention of changing curriculum for Link, and I did already buy the next couple of books for Astro. I could always save them and use them for Pink, I guess, if I did something else...)

TIA!! :bigear:

Edited September 4, 2012 by PeacefulChaos

[PeacefulChaos]

bumping because I'm sure someone can recommend something... :001_huh:

[curlylocks]

All About Spelling... :)

[PeacefulChaos]

All About Spelling... :)

 

What is the difference? Why do you think it would work better? I'm just wondering. :)

[Mama Anna]

There's always Spelling Power. I'm using it with my dd6 who is just about where your ds is in OPGTR. As a program, the one book covers everything through 12th grade, so the initial expense is offset over time.

 

I would recommend it because the words are arranged in lists that are based on phonics. From your example; sky, my, and cry would be in one list based on y making the long I sound. Play and away would be in a different list because you have ay making the long A sound. It might be less confusing for your ds.

 

Also, the program comes with instructions for lots of spelling exercises and games that a student can use (either on his own or with your help) to work on problem words.

 

It's a very carefully designed program that is supposed to be used in a specific way (although I've tweaked mine and gotten away with it), so if you prefer flying by the seat of your pants it might really get on your nerves. Otherwise, you might want to give it a try!

 

Mama Anna

[Tracy]

I would not expect it to get better as he reads better. It certainly could, but I wouldn't expect it. I used to use SWO, too, and I do not think it is sufficient for any student except for those that are natural spellers. I very much recommend something that teaches explicit phonics. I use Spell to Write and Read. You can also look at Spalding or All about Spelling. All of these programs teach phonics and spelling rules in detail. I like SWR, because it also teaches reading and handwriting at the same time. I also like that I have everything I need for K-12 in one package and don't have to worry about levels or buying more materials.

[PeacefulChaos]

I'll check that stuff out, thanks!

[curlylocks]

What is the difference? Why do you think it would work better? I'm just wondering. :)

 

I would not expect it to get better as he reads better. It certainly could, but I wouldn't expect it. I very much recommend something that teaches explicit phonics.

...

You can also look at Spalding or All about Spelling. All of these programs teach phonics and spelling rules in detail.

 

:iagree:

[PeacefulChaos]

But for teaching explicit phonics, he already has OPG. Do I really need to double up on the phonics stuff? (that's why we never did explode the code - I was under the impression it was more of the same as OPG and SW and therefore just unnecessary.)

[Poke Salad Annie]

Three things which are cheap-----

 

1) an older edition of The Writing Road to Reading (to learn the phonograms)

2) a copy of Webster's Speller, which can be found free online (to use for syllabication exercises)

3) a copy of Megawords Book 1

 

The best and cheapest thing of all is the constant reinforcement through daily work with new words a la Marva Collins.

[Tracy]

But for teaching explicit phonics, he already has OPG. Do I really need to double up on the phonics stuff? (that's why we never did explode the code - I was under the impression it was more of the same as OPG and SW and therefore just unnecessary.)

 

I don't think that OPG is explicit phonics. It certainly teaches some phonics, but it stops short of teaching explicit phonics.

[PeacefulChaos]

I don't think that OPG is explicit phonics. It certainly teaches some phonics, but it stops short of teaching explicit phonics.

 

Oh. :leaving:

I guess I don't know what explicit phonics means then.

I feel so incredibly frazzled right now I just want to lay my head down on the desk and cry. :o

[Tracy]

Oh. :leaving:

I guess I don't know what explicit phonics means then.

I feel so incredibly frazzled right now I just want to lay my head down on the desk and cry. :o

 

In explicit phonics, the student learns all of the sounds that a phonogram makes. So, for example, the letter "A" makes three sounds--the short vowel, the long vowel, and /ah/. Most programs leave off that last sound. Another example, many phonics programs teach the rule that "when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking." But that is not always true. In explicit phonics, the student will learn that the phongram "EA" makes three sounds--the long and short E sounds and the long A sound (as in bean, bread and great). Most traditional phonics programs teach that there are many exceptions to the English language and therefore teach a number of sight words. But explicit phonics teaches that the English language is very consistent and that there are very few exceptions. Denise Eide, who wrote the Logic of English, gives a good presentation in

. Edited September 5, 2012 by tracymirko

[Jeeves]

... he still gets to the test and writes mi (my), ski (sky), pla (play), uwa (away), tha (they), and cri (cry). I can't remember the others but you get the point. :)

Anyway, what I'm wondering is this - is this something that I can expect to get better as he reads better? Should I just keep plugging along with SW? Or is there something else we could do that might work better?

(Note: I have no intention of changing curriculum for Link, and I did already buy the next couple of books for Astro. I could always save them and use them for Pink, I guess, if I did something else...)

TIA!! :bigear:

 

This is exactly the way my oldest did SW--and why we switched to AAS. He was not a natural speller and he could.not.get.the.rules. So we switched to AAS--with the explicit phonics--and, while he's still not a great speller, he can spell--which is more than I could say before we started AAS! And the best part about using explicit phonics is that when he gets to that sound in a word that he's not sure of, you can remind him with the question "what phonograms make the ________ sound?" And then he can roll through them in his mind (or on the magnetic board, as the case may be) and choose the one he thinks/knows will work.

 

And I would agree with Tracy--it may get better just doing what you're doing, but I wouldn't expect it. SW is great for natural spellers, but otherwise, it can be a real struggle.

[Tracy]

Here are a couple of videos of how explicit phonics is taught in Spell to Write and Read with different aged kids:

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2012 by tracymirko

[PeacefulChaos]

In explicit phonics, the student learns all of the sounds that a phonogram makes. So, for example, the letter "A" makes three sounds--the short vowel, the long vowel, and /ah/. Most programs leave off that last sounds. Another example, many phonics programs teach the rule that "when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking." But that is not always true. In explicit phonics, the student will learn that the phongram "EA" makes three sounds--the long and short E sounds and the long A sound (as in bean, bread and great). Most traditional phonics programs teach that there are many exceptions to the English language and therefore teach a number of sight words. But explicit phonics teaches that the English language is very consistent and that there are very few exceptions. Denise Eide, who wrote the Logic of English, gives a good presentation in

.

 

Wow! Thanks! :thumbup:

[MerryAtHope]

But for teaching explicit phonics, he already has OPG. Do I really need to double up on the phonics stuff? (that's why we never did explode the code - I was under the impression it was more of the same as OPG and SW and therefore just unnecessary.)

 

Phonics for reading means that when students see EE, they know to say the long E sound.

 

Phonics for spelling means that when students hear the long E sound, they know which of 9 basic phonograms to choose from to correctly spell the word. Spelling is harder than reading because a variety of skills are needed. AAS is the program that really helped my kids be able to understand and organize their phonics knowledge for spelling purposes. It takes you through step by step, incrementally, and everything is laid out for you. I wrote more about it here on my blog.

 

I hope you find something that will help you & your dc! Merry :-)

[SJ.]

I vote checking to see if your library has a copy of WRTR and see if it is something you think you can implement. It seems very overwhelming at first but once you get into it you will find it is pretty easy. The spelling in WRTR reinforces the phonics lessons and reading will come naturally.

[...................]

I am also doing a full one year remedial phonics course With her, because although she reads two years above grade level, she cannot sound out new words.

 

With that said, phonics as the foundation is extremely important. My dd has forgotten her foundation. To ensure that your son does not, be sure to look at a very phonics based spelling.

 

AAS is the first thing that comes to mind.

[blessed3x]

All About Spelling... :)

 

:iagree:

[PeacefulChaos]

Thanks so much!

Since I don't have the budget right now for a whole new program, we are just going to try to work hard at it for the remainder of the year - lots and lots of repetition and review. I'll see how that goes and look further into aas for next yr. :)