Plateau Mama Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 (edited) My son is in 5th grade. I think he needs to go back and do phonics or something. But what? He doesn't understand basic things like blends. Part of the problem is he refuses to put anything to memory and prefers to relearn it every. single. day. I am so frustrated. We use Sequential Spelling, which he loves and he had improved his spelling alot. The problem is on the 4th day he's still spelling the same words wrong. Every day I explain to him what the rule or pattern is and the next day he can't remember. I know he's just throwing things on paper because the words that he misspells are spelled totally different each day. What should I do with him? ETA: He's a very good reader with good comprehension. I really think it's partly a processing problem and partly an attitude problem. When he sees the word he knows what it is, but have him spell it, and he can't output the information. He has difficulty copying words with correct spelling. Edited October 30, 2012 by nicolepa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Spalding. I think you need something more than Sequential Spelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plateau Mama Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 (edited) Spalding. I think you need something more than Sequential Spelling. Would I start him in with the 5th grade level or should I start earlier? Do have have to use all the components? He loves and has done very, very well with IEW. If I also used this with his littler brother (K) would I just need to get K level book for him? The website doesn't do a good job of explaining the program. I'm confused. - Thanks. Edited October 31, 2012 by nicolepa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelsi Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Have you ever considered having him evaluated? When you say blends you mean sounds like "spl" correct? Or do you mean sounds like "sh?" I would have concerns regarding a possible LD in a 5th grader who cannot yet do blends. Many LDs have a direct effect on the the ability to memorize things. My ds, 3rd grade, will be evaluated soon for dyslexia. He can read and spell quite well but he's got plenty of the other signs including a hard time with rote memorization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plateau Mama Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 Have you ever considered having him evaluated? When you say blends you mean sounds like "spl" correct? Or do you mean sounds like "sh?" I would have concerns regarding a possible LD in a 5th grader who cannot yet do blends. Many LDs have a direct effect on the the ability to memorize things. My ds, 3rd grade, will be evaluated soon for dyslexia. He can read and spell quite well but he's got plenty of the other signs including a hard time with rote memorization. Evaluated for what? When he was in speech therapy the first thing they worked on was phonological processing disorder, but they say he tests fine now. I had had him evaluated for Auditory Processing last winter. He has some of that but not as bad as I was thinking. He's also got a hearing loss so he does have difficulties with minor nuances and I'm sympathetic to that. But he really doesn't have a clue what blends make what sounds and the ones he does know he doesn't know the rules behind when to use them. I tell him the rules when needed. The next (100) times we do the same. His response is always "Oh yeah, we've talked about this before." Tomorrow is the same conversation. :banghead: He struggles with memorization but only because he doesn't think it's important. When it's something he wants to learn he has no problem. I feel it's an attitude problem there. For example with his CC work he memorizes all the science in no time flat, but the prepositions (which I've been asking him to do for 4 years) he has to drill, drill, drill. Another example is math facts. We've been working on them for years. He flat out told me he shouldnt have to "waste his time" drilling them because he can just figure them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Jo Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 (edited) I'd go with Spalding or a spin-off. I *think* for Spalding you need one book, and you'll have to test him to see what level to start with. So economical, but you'll have to do some prep to learn the method. (I use SWR, which is not Spalding, but a spin-off. It has 2 books to cover K-12th.) OR you could go with visualization skills via studied dictation. http://www.charlottemasonhelp.com/2009/07/teaching-spelling-cm-way.html Neither method is 'below' a 5th grader. But if you suspect a learning issue, you might want to pursue that first. ETA: Since it might be attitude, and he isn't listening to you, can someone else (Dad, grandparent, someone he admires) talk to him? Can you offer him a reward for long term mastery? It's going to be rather hard to teach him if he doesn't want to learn. Edited October 31, 2012 by mtcougar832 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Saxon Phonics Intervention is for students 4th grade to adult who read (decode) below grade level. My son is 11 and we are almost halfway through the 100 lessons. While he was an adequate reader, his lack of phonics mastery was holding him back, and his spelling was atrocious. SPI is whole to parts, and you learn to mark up words according to the rules. It includes spelling (according to rules as well as sight words) and vocabulary. I am very pleased with my son's progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plateau Mama Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 ETA: Since it might be attitude, and he isn't listening to you, can someone else (Dad, grandparent, someone he admires) talk to him? Can you offer him a reward for long term mastery? It's going to be rather hard to teach him if he doesn't want to learn. We've all had a talk to him. Multiple times. And yes, with the exception of the subjects he likes it is very frustrating to teach him. :glare: My pediatrican (who is a personal friend) laughed once when someone asked if he was strong willed. She told them "Stong willed is an understatement." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Would I start him in with the 5th grade level or should I start earlier? Do have have to use all the components? He loves and has done very, very well with IEW. If I also used this with his littler brother (K) would I just need to get K level book for him? The website doesn't do a good job of explaining the program. I'm confused. - Thanks. Spalding doesn't really have "levels." The Web site isn't supposed to explain the program. The manual (Writing Road to Reading) explains it. :) You get one manual (WRTR), and one set of phonogram cards. Your older dc would need a composition book (used to write his own spelling notebook); your 5yo would not. The teacher guides are NOT necessary for us homeschoolers. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Dancing Bears FastTrack is designed for older students. It seems to be working very well here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paintedlady Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 We're using Logic of English to remediate my 12 year old, who is dyslexic, and we're both enjoying it. There are rules to remember, but the program is set up to review them constantly. It's been a great fit for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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