PentecostalMom Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I actually own SWO A and R&S 2. Having a difficult time seeing a significant difference. Opinions please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I actually own SWO A and R&S 2. Having a difficult time seeing a significant difference. Opinions please! I think you'll see more of a difference between the two in the higher level books (starting with B and 3). I've used both and the R&S books have impressed me as really making the kids think through why certain spellings are used. I've always tried to use more analysis types of spelling programs (AAS, WRTR, etc.) but with my kids, it's too time-consuming. R&S has impressed me as the closest I can get in a workbook form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Well, the R&S 2 book assumes you're still getting solid phonics instruction elsewhere (like their phonics and reading set). That's the only level that does. Here's a c/p of a post I made in an older thread on these two curricula. SWO:-puzzle like activities -kid could complete the entire lesson without once even reading the spelling rule/tip box -proofreading section/small writing assignment -child sorts the words by the way the sound is spelled, and there's a bit of vocab work -upper levels are more vocabulary focused -all workbooks, all the way through -teacher guides have more practice pages, the answer key, and sentences for the quizzes SSS: -no puzzles, fluff or flashy objects -strength lies in the exercises themselves -kid has to work with the spelling rules directly to complete the exercises -no proofreading, but in 6+ they're occasionally told to write a few sentences -covers syllabication -turns into root based vocabulary study in the upper levels -workbooks in grades 2-5, textbooks in grades 6-8 (The textbook levels don't require much more writing than the workbooks.) -teacher guides have extra ideas for teaching the concepts, answer keys, and sentences for the quizzes I prefer Spelling by Sound and Structure. Hands down. I used SWO with my oldest two kids. DS's spelling didn't improve a lick, and he'd rather poke a spork in his eye than do a puzzle for schoolwork. My second child loved the puzzles, then grumbled at me when I switched her to R&S. Half a year into R&S she ate her words and declared it helped her learn how to spell, even if it wasn't as "fun" to complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I haven't tried SWO, and every time I reread WTM, I feel like I should. But R&S works. It works for my good speller. She works the books a year ahead. She is in 6 now and the vocab work is challenging for her. It works for my child that stuggles w/spelling. The easier words and working with the rules is exactly what she needs. I do add using spelling tiles once a week from banagrams because she needs a kinesthetic application and always has. But it seems to work just fine for us to do it that way then to invest in a whole new program that includes that element. She still never gets a 100 on her tests at the end of the week. But she is really improving this year in level 3. I think we will stick with it for her for awhile too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Rod & Staff. I won't admit how many spelling programs we've done over the years, but I will say that I've purchased all the R&S levels and will not use anything else from now on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 R&S starts the phonics instruction in level 3 because in level 2, the kids are supposedly doing R&S Phonics 2 still. SWO is light on phonics every year. So yeah, at that level, you won't notice much difference. In level 3 and up, R&S is much better, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I like that the R&S books don't have crossword puzzles. My kids hate them and they provide very little value. The SWO books usually have a puzzle every week. In the older books, (4th and up) the R&S have more practice actually in the book than SWO. The R&S Books also have bible words I would like my children to learn such as Jesus, Savior, etc. unfortunately they also once in a while include king James English such as "thine" which we don't really need to spell in 3rd grade. I think R&S is less expensive too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Lee Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 I think SWO assumes the kids are getting phonics/vocabulary instruction elsewhere, such as from their MCP Plaid Phonics that sort of goes along with MCP Spelling Workout by level. At some point, the Plaid Phonics changes to MCP Word Study and becomes more vocabulary focused. One of SWB's stated reasons for recommending SWO is that in the higher levels, it teaches the meanings of affixes and foreign roots. She also recommends doing it on an accelerated schedule if possible so that Spelling is done by the end of 6th grade, although SWO technically goes through 8th. If I had it all to do over again, I'd have either started with AAS and possibly transitioned to R&S at some point, or just started with R&S Spelling. I still contemplate switching, but it's hard when there are 2 perfectly good, unused programs on my shelf that together accomplish what R&S might alone. I've currently got AAS & SWO. :tongue_smilie: I'm a phonics-based-spelling believer, so it's hard for me to use SWO alone (although it's independent so it gets done more often). If you're just starting out or are at a switching point, and you're a die-hard "must have spelling rules!" person, save yourself the headache and go with R&S! ETA: Call R&S and have them send you some grade level samples; you can request multiple levels at once to see where they're headed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 If I had it all to do over again, I'd have either started with AAS and possibly transitioned to R&S at some point, or just started with R&S Spelling. I still contemplate switching, but it's hard when there are 2 perfectly good, unused programs on my shelf that together accomplish what R&S might alone. I've currently got AAS & SWO. :tongue_smilie: Ha! Yeah, I ended up selling AAS so I didn't feel so bad. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PentecostalMom Posted December 12, 2012 Author Share Posted December 12, 2012 I do plan to add in spelling after we start again in the new year. I also prefer a phonics based spelling approach. We struggled with OPGTR and switched over to 100 Easy Lessons which we will be finished with by the end of this month. We will then go back to OPGTR, and pick up about 2/3 of the way through. It's time to pick up spelling and it looks like R&S it is ladies. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom2011 Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 We have not tried R&S, but my girls both love SWO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kesmom Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 We are having good results with SWO after dropping AAS. DD really likes the crossword puzzles etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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