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switching to The Writing Road to Reading or All About Spelling


CLMmom
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I saw there was a recent post about All About Spelling & The Writing Road to Reading. I wondered if I could get some more thoughts on them. I've been talking with some friends recently about language arts and these are two things they've recommended. Have you used it? What have you thought of it? How long does it take you every day? (The intro says 2-3 hours/day in a classroom setting!) If you've considered it but not used it, why not? Have you found your child able to do the writing portion? My 2 kids were ready to learn to read long before they were comfortable writing.

 

Similarly, any thoughts on "All About Spelling"?

 

If it helps you to know my situation, I have a second grader who is reading well, but he struggles to decode longer words and he's abysmal at spelling! We've been using Spelling Workout A & B, as recommended by The Well-Trained Mind, but I find myself continually wanting to be able to tell him a rule, and that curriculum doesn't take that approach. (By the way, if you know why TWTM recommends Spelling Workout, let me know, as right now I'm seeing more of its weaknesses than its strengths!) I'm feeling the need for spelling rules and also decoding practice. Hearing about The Writing Road to Reading's emphasis on spelling rules, phonograms, roots, etc. intrigued me. That said, it seems like a pretty intense program, so I'm wondering if All About Spelling would be a good compromise (another friend who gave up on Spelling Workout likes it), particularly given that my child's already reading.

 

Thanks.

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I've never used AAS, but the three main differences in the two programs are:

 

#1 - Price! AAS adds up quickly with multiple levels to purchase.

 

#2 - Pace. WRTR lays out the phonograms and rules in quick fashion, and repeatedly reviews as you learn words. AAS is more true to Orton-Gillngham, going slow and steady. If you have a good reader, and in 2nd grade...I'd lean towards a faster pace if this were the only consideration.

 

#3 - Learning Curve. WRTR has a steep learning curve. You will need to invest T.I.M.E. into understanding what you are doing. AAS is scripted out for you; you can learn as you teach.

 

 

 

 

There are several other "Spalding Spin-Offs" and Orton-Gillingham inspired currics to consider, if you haven't already.

 

Phonics Road

Spell to Write and Read

Logic of English

Recipe for Reading (O-G)

 

 

(And - I can't think of more at the moment, but I'm sure there are more.)

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I used WRTR to teach my oldest to read because I had ZERO budget and it was the option at the library that I liked best. My DD wasn't writing so I used fridge magnets (similar to how AAS uses letter tiles). I found WRTR not very user-friendly for me, but it was effective.

 

I'm using AAS with my 2nd child (he is finishing up Level 3 and will start 4 soon). It is WAAAAAAAY easier to use because of the scripted lessons, totally open-and-go.

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I saw there was a recent post about All About Spelling & The Writing Road to Reading. I wondered if I could get some more thoughts on them. I've been talking with some friends recently about language arts and these are two things they've recommended. Have you used it? What have you thought of it? How long does it take you every day? (The intro says 2-3 hours/day in a classroom setting!) If you've considered it but not used it, why not? Have you found your child able to do the writing portion? My 2 kids were ready to learn to read long before they were comfortable writing.

WRTR is the manual for the Spalding Method. Spalding is the most comprehensive reading/spelling method I've seen (children learn to read by learning to spell, so you can use it with children who aren't reading yet, or are not reading as well as they might, as well as with children who need to improve their spelling skills); it does handwriting, capitalization and punctuation, and simple writing.

 

In classroom situations, Spalding is often the whole language arts; that's why it takes 2-3 hours a day. At home, even if you did use it for everything, it won't take that long. Most hsers only do the spelling/reading, so we're looking at an hour, maybe, and you don't have to do that in one fell swoop.

 

Spalding definitely has a learning curve, but it really is simple once you get started, and the manual has a ton o' scripts and sample dialogues and more to help you along.

 

I used it in a small, one-room school, with children first grade through high school. All of the children's spelling grade-levels improved by at least one grade level by Christmas, and two or more by the end of the year. This included a sweet little 7yo who came to me convinced that he had a learning disability--which he definitely did not. He just wasn't learning well with the whole language/sight-reading stuff going on at his school. :glare:

 

That a child is already reading is irrelevant. :)

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