AAS users - What rule am I missing?

[praisefor3]

We are near the beginning of Level 2. When I give the spelling words, dd is struggling with knowing what vowels to use. For instance, she would spell "item" with a u instead of an e which, of course, can be how it sounds. I don't remember a "rule" that would tell her that it is an e instead of a u. Another example would be "broken". She would spell it with an i. I could emphasize "ken" instead of "kin" but that isn't how anyone says it, not that I overemphasize an i sound. So...when this happens, do I just give her the correct vowel? Sometimes if I tell her that letter isn't right then she will try another incorrect letter and at that point I wish I had just told her how to properly spell it. I don't think she has spelling "issues" - I'm just not sure if I am missing something that I should have told her or these are just words you have to memorize. She "gets" the rules - such as pronouncing long vowels, etc. but on these spelling words I'm not sure what the correct way to direct her is. Any help?

[Carrie12345]

We differentiate (and I believe AAS recommends it) between pronouncing for spelling and our regular speech. It's especially important when accents are involved!

[lanabug]

Not sure how to help on spelling words like "item" other than exaggerating the pronunciation.

 

For words like "broken" I would remind her to spell the root word first.

 

Lana

[Ellie]

There isn't a rule, other than pronouncing words properly so that you hear the "e" instead of the "i." Spalding and its spin-offs really emphsize the importance of correct pronunciation; I don't know if AAS does or not.

[ByGrace3]

We differentiate (and I believe AAS recommends it) between pronouncing for spelling and our regular speech. It's especially important when accents are involved!

 

:iagree: AAS encourages you to differentiate between writing it how you say it and how you spell it. I just say, remember sometimes how to spell it is not always how you say it. This word is spelled i tEm. I emphasize the correct vowel if they need it.

[nukeswife]

AAS just recommends to "say it for spelling" just like many others are mentioning.

 

Depending on accents that e and i can be tough for kids to really hear the difference.

[dancingmama]

We were just here a couple weeks ago and yes, if you look at the sidebars, it'll remind you to pronounce for spelling. I tell my kids that it is the way the word is said in England. "Proper English". Not completely correct but it helps them here it in a different accent in their heads when they here me say "idim"(I'm from the midwest), they say "itEm" in a british accent. It's really funny.

[craftyerin]

Yep. Most vowels in unaccented syllables are going to sound like a short u (called schwa) unless you specifically pronounce them for spelling.

[kdownie]

We differentiate (and I believe AAS recommends it) between pronouncing for spelling and our regular speech. It's especially important when accents are involved!

 

:iagree: AAS does recommend "pronouncing for spelling" on such words, because regional pronunciations vary widely on many words. We live in the south, and there are certainly words that dd tries to spell with the "southern" accent.

[MerryAtHope]

Here's a way to take pronouncing for spelling a step further (as others have mentioned, AAS recommends this, starting in Step 4 of Level 2):

 

When I would teach words with a schwa vowel to my kids, I told them I would say the word how we normally say it, and then pronounce it for spelling. Then they were to repeat the pronunciation for spelling before trying to spell the word.

 

After the lesson of course, all of the word cards go into daily review. When we reviewed these words, I would only say the word normally. I asked them to pronounce for spelling and then spell the word. If they give the wrong pronunciation, I correct it before they spell the word. I kept these words in daily review until my kids could give BOTH the pronunciation AND the spelling easily, with no tips from me.

 

Words like this will take extra practice and review, hang in there! Merry :-)

[Kathryn]

I agree with everyone else. AAS reminds you often to pronounce for spelling.

[PollyOR]

Here's a way to take pronouncing for spelling a step further (as others have mentioned, AAS recommends this, starting in Step 4 of Level 2):

 

When I would teach words with a schwa vowel to my kids, I told them I would say the word how we normally say it, and then pronounce it for spelling. Then they were to repeat the pronunciation for spelling before trying to spell the word.

 

After the lesson of course, all of the word cards go into daily review. When we reviewed these words, I would only say the word normally. I asked them to pronounce for spelling and then spell the word. If they give the wrong pronunciation, I correct it before they spell the word. I kept these words in daily review until my kids could give BOTH the pronunciation AND the spelling easily, with no tips from me.

 

Words like this will take extra practice and review, hang in there! Merry :-)

 

Merry, thank you!

[suzielou]

My DS6 picked it up very quickly, but DD8 struggles. We pronounce for spelling and and I have to really exaggerate the sounds. Listening the the pronunciation CD was huge, because I grew up with a backwoods TN accent and we live in TX. Between the drawl and the hillbilly, my poor daughter didn't have a chance. :) We just got to Lesson 6 on AAS2. :)

[jetted4]

For younger kids who haven't yet developed an extensive list of rules that they recognize and can apply outside of spelling lessons, I am a big fan of copywork. When my ds9 was younger, he would dictate anything he wanted to write to me, I would write it down, and he would copy it. With a perfectionist (which he is), it saves a lot of anguish and frustration over not knowing how to spell a word you are trying to write.

 

I also found that with focusing on learning spelling rules, we didn't need to spend a whole lot of time on memorizing how to spell words that don't fit neatly into any rules...gradually they fell into place on their own.

Learning rules gives the brain enough structure that any remaining idiosyncrasies to English spelling can be memorized much more easily just through independent reading. At least, I am finding that to be true for my son; since he has gone through 2 yrs of structured spelling lessons, his spelling not just on words that fit the rules, but also on words that don't fit into any of the guidelines/rules that we've covered so far has developed quite a lot. Your brain thrives on organization, so the more order you give it, the less energy that information takes to process and the more energy the brain has left over that it can invest in absorbing all the other stuff that can't be organized as well.