WRTR/Spalding help

[UrbanSue]

I started my first and third grader on Spalding this fall using WRTR. I read both the 4th and 6th editions of the manual cover-to-cover. I made my own spelling notebook. I read every thread on these boards. I thought it would be simple and obvious how to proceed once I just jumped in. But I'm floundering a bit.

 

Both kids learned the phonograms easily and quickly. Both have improved their handwriting tenfold since beginning more explicit instruction. My third grader picked up cursive quickly and easily. But I want to use this as my main spelling curriculum and the nuts and bolts of how to do that are kind of eluding me.

 

How does one dictate a list of words? Do I just read the word and hope they will figure out how to do all the markings and whatnot? I've been doing just ten words at a time with my first grader and she is actually picking it up more easily than I thought but I'm giving her a lot of coaching and most words are a big discussion. Ten words takes a lot of time. I really can't imagine doing thirty. I only have so much time for school each day!

 

And, then, my third grader. One of the manuals said to dictate most of the rule pages prior to beginning the spelling words. But, again, that just takes forever. Does the manual assume that he'd have had lots of experience seeing these rule pages as posters in first and second grade so he'd be writing something very familiar? Should I set this out for him more like copywork and then just talk about it with him?

 

Also, I gave my third grader a placement test from the little McCall booklet or whatever it's called and he placed at grade 3.7 (he reads at a very, very high level and really has seemed to struggle with spelling. I was impressed he did this well) so I tried to start him today at Section N. But by Section N they don't even note most of the rules anymore and I don't yet know Spalding inside and out to tell him why, for example, capture is written with the last three letter individually underlined. I have an idea and I know I could look it up in my spelling notebook but, again, I have only so many minutes in the day. The amount of explanation required to correctly write down the first three of a projected 25 words for him today took over ten minutes. We don't have an hour or more for spelling each day. I was hoping for more like 20 minute lessons. But between spelling lists and making the notebook I feel like we could spend all day on it.

 

And, then, the manual says to give the students thirty words on Monday and then test them on twenty and then they study what they got wrong the next day. Study . . . how? Writing it a lot? Just looking at the list? I'm not trying to be silly, here. I'm just note sure what independent study looks like for a first grader and, frankly, my third grader would stare at the wall if I asked him to study words he'd gotten wrong.

 

This has gotten long--I really love what I'm reading in Spalding and it is exactly the kind of analytical work I want my kids doing but I guess I don't have it down as well as I'd hoped and it makes our lessons kind of stressful when I keep second-guessing myself.

[kwg]

:lurk5:

[Kalmia]

These are not WRTR/Spaulding videos, they are Logic of English, but I think it will help to see an example of a teacher going through each word, breaking it into syllables, then phonograms, marking it for phonograms and rules, explaining root words, etc. There are at least 4 of these videos on The Logic of English site. She also has free teacher training videos on YouTube, but that is hours long and these are just a few minutes.

 

http://www.logicofen...rds-explained-4

 

http://www.logicofen...rds-explained-3

 

http://www.logicofen...rds-explained-2

 

http://www.logicofen...rds-explained-1

 

Here is the link to the Logic of English channel on YouTube. Scroll down for the teacher training videos.

http://www.youtube.com/user/logicofenglish

[UrbanSue]

These are not WRTR/Spaulding videos, they are Logic of English, but I think it will help to see an example of a teacher going through each word, breaking it into syllables, then phonograms, marking it for phonograms and rules, explaining root words, etc. There are at least 4 of these videos on The Logic of English site. She also has free teacher training videos on YouTube, but that is hours long and these are just a few minutes.

 

http://www.logicofen...rds-explained-4

 

http://www.logicofen...rds-explained-3

 

http://www.logicofen...rds-explained-2

 

http://www.logicofen...rds-explained-1

 

Here is the link to the Logic of English channel on YouTube. Scroll down for the teacher training videos.

http://www.youtube.c.../logicofenglish

 

 

Thanks for those links. I think some of the rules might be different but the basic idea of modeling what I'm asking for is, well, so obvious that I'm embarrassed that I had to ask what to do!

 

I'd still love to hear more feedback about the particulars of how some of you Spalding lovers run your lessons but I'm thinking that perhaps my modeling the words one day and then having the kids take them down immediately after--or even with mine in front of them as well--and then working with them in sentences the next and then the third day putting them in their notebooks with periodic review of words they got wrong might work. And maybe I'll keep our lists at only ten words a pop. It would be a bit slower but we school year-round so I can just keep plugging along until we're done!

[EmilyGF]

Did you read the part in the 5th edition where the first ten words with precise dictation are noted?

 

I'll write more tomorrow, but there is absolutely no guess work involved!

 

Do decrease what you do at the beginning. Would you run a marathon your first day out?

 

Have you made your own notebook? Spend a few hours working *from the beginning* and you'll get it, and, if you're like me, love it. :-)

 

Need to put my kids to bed,

Emily

[UrbanSue]

Yes, I did make my own notebook. I guess I had it in mind that the first ten words were for learning but after that it should be guess work. I have no idea why I thought that--it seems so obvious now. I think part of the confusion was jumping in with kids at different levels right off the bat. I felt like I'd done a ton of prep work for awhile before starting but there's no substitute for practical experience and I think I wasn't stepping back enough to re-study as I went along. I do love Spalding! I'm definitely a geek-in-training and I hope I get this before long because I think it is such a fantastic method and I know it seems too daunting to many people.

[nansk]

Have you made your own notebook? Spend a few hours working *from the beginning* and you'll get it...

 

Seconding this suggestion. I worked my way from list A to M and by then, I was able to explain any word with rules and markings.

 

Do decrease what you do at the beginning. Would you run a marathon your first day out?

Wise words. Do only 5 words a day at the start if that's all you can do in 20 mins. After a while, your third grader will also get the hang of this spelling method and then things will go faster.

[Ellie]

I started my first and third grader on Spalding this fall using WRTR. I read both the 4th and 6th editions of the manual cover-to-cover. I made my own spelling notebook. I read every thread on these boards. I thought it would be simple and obvious how to proceed once I just jumped in. But I'm floundering a bit.

 

Both kids learned the phonograms easily and quickly. Both have improved their handwriting tenfold since beginning more explicit instruction. My third grader picked up cursive quickly and easily. But I want to use this as my main spelling curriculum and the nuts and bolts of how to do that are kind of eluding me.

 

How does one dictate a list of words? Do I just read the word and hope they will figure out how to do all the markings and whatnot?

 

Both manuals give you explicit instructions in how to dictate the words in the Extended Ayres List. In the 4th edition, this is Chapter 5. The beginning of the chapter (p. 122-123) has general information; then there is information on beginners through second grade, then third grade and older students (p. 127). I don't have the sixth edition, but in the fifth edition, this information is in the chapter entitled "The Spelling Lesson." There are charts with sample dialogue and everything.

 

I've been doing just ten words at a time with my first grader and she is actually picking it up more easily than I thought but I'm giving her a lot of coaching and most words are a big discussion. Ten words takes a lot of time. I really can't imagine doing thirty. I only have so much time for school each day!

 

There doesn't need to be any coaching. You tell her what to write and how to mark words. See my comments above. :-)

 

And, then, my third grader. One of the manuals said to dictate most of the rule pages prior to beginning the spelling words. But, again, that just takes forever. Does the manual assume that he'd have had lots of experience seeing these rule pages as posters in first and second grade so he'd be writing something very familiar? Should I set this out for him more like copywork and then just talk about it with him?

 

This is covered in Chapter 5 (4th edition) and in "The Spelling Lesson" (see above).

 

Also, I gave my third grader a placement test from the little McCall booklet or whatever it's called and he placed at grade 3.7 (he reads at a very, very high level and really has seemed to struggle with spelling. I was impressed he did this well) so I tried to start him today at Section N. But by Section N they don't even note most of the rules anymore and I don't yet know Spalding inside and out to tell him why, for example, capture is written with the last three letter individually underlined. I have an idea and I know I could look it up in my spelling notebook but, again, I have only so many minutes in the day. The amount of explanation required to correctly write down the first three of a projected 25 words for him today took over ten minutes. We don't have an hour or more for spelling each day. I was hoping for more like 20 minute lessons. But between spelling lists and making the notebook I feel like we could spend all day on it.

 

Third grades who are doing Spalding for the first time need to go through the Extended Ayres List just like younger children do, starting wth section A-G. Your ds will probably be able to move more quickly through the spelling list, though, and may be able to learn all the phonograms more quickly. "Capture" is marked the way it is, BTW, because it's showing that u, r, and e are individual phonograms (the first reason for final silent e--Page 1 of the rule book), as opposed to ur being a phonogram and the e just sort of hanging out there, lol.

 

And, then, the manual says to give the students thirty words on Monday and then test them on twenty and then they study what they got wrong the next day. Study . . . how? Writing it a lot? Just looking at the list? I'm not trying to be silly, here. I'm just note sure what independent study looks like for a first grader and, frankly, my third grader would stare at the wall if I asked him to study words he'd gotten wrong.

 

With your dc, because they are young and it's the first time you're doing Spalding, I would remediate the words--IOW, dictate and analyze them again, underlining phonograms, discussing any applicable rules, and so on.

[Hunter]

I start everyone at the beginning, no matter how well they can spell. I'm teaching more than spelling.

 

It is time consuming, but I think we sometimes fail to understand how many skills we are teaching, while dictating the words.

[UrbanSue]

Thanks for your help, Ellie. I've read here over and over that the manuals need to be read over and over--I just need to keep hearing it, I guess.

 

I start everyone at the beginning, no matter how well they can spell. I'm teaching more than spelling.

 

It is time consuming, but I think we sometimes fail to understand how many skills we are teaching, while dictating the words.

 

 

I see what you are saying about starting from the beginning. And, really, that's my style with other curricula I use. But why do they bother selling placement tests?

[Ellie]

Thanks for your help, Ellie. I've read here over and over that the manuals need to be read over and over--I just need to keep hearing it, I guess.

 

Yup. :-)

 

 

 

I see what you are saying about starting from the beginning. And, really, that's my style with other curricula I use. But why do they bother selling placement tests?

 

It isn't only a placement test. It's the Morrison-McCall Spelling Scale. You use it to measure progress during the year. Also, the manual does say that a third grader who is doing Spalding for the first time needs to cover coursework which he has not done before, hence the direction to start at the beginning. With *older* children, you can sometimes start where the children score.

[UrbanSue]

Thank you, Ellie. Really, thank you for your patience with all of us Spalding newbies. I spent months before I ever officially joined this forum reading all the Spalding posts and felt like I almost knew you by the end of it :) And I still have questions! You are very kind to repeat yourself so often.

 

One more question--and I've been reviewing my manual all morning and don't think this is explicitly stated. How are the rule pages presented to 1st and 2nd graders? I think you've said in the past that you had posters. We don't have the ability to do this (no wall space!). Is it best to just copy the printed example pages from the 4th edition and put them in page protectors in a notebook for reference? Or is it more valuable to create the pages as needed along with the student? I don't want my first grader writing rule pages but should she watch me do it? Or is discussion of pre-created pages fine?

 

I have, by the way, written the rule pages myself in my spelling notebook. But they were in cursive which would be a bit tricky for my first-grader to read, I think.

[RootAnn]

UrbanSue - Check out this thread that was recently posted by someone looking for some of the same type help (although with only one student - which, IMO, is easier than withh two!)) except with Spell to Write and Read. SWR was written by someone who liked Spalding but wanted a little more help in the how-to-do. (As you can see, it doesn't help a lot as she has the same type questions!) Perhaps the answers given there will give you a better idea of pacing/scheduling.

 

SWR has a beginner notebook that has most of their spelling rule pages already set up. The kids just have to fill in the words. They also sell a packet of "masters" but I've never bought them, so I don't know if they would be of help. It does slow us down to do the spelling rule pages, but eventually (like the 2nd or 3rd time through the program for my kids) it helps them understand the rules (A-E-O-U, Silent Final E, etc.) or the phonograms (like the -ER pages or the -SH pages).

 

I'm taking three kids through at two different places in SWR's version of the Ayer's list (SWR has it in slightly different order in their WISE guide). My promote-in-Jan 2nd grader & my in-the-middle-of-4th grade dd#2 are both in the same place (and test very close to each other on the placement test) on the lists. Dd#1 is farther along and I do her lessons separate. It takes some time, but we keep spelling to 30 minutes (4x/week for youngers, 3x/week for oldest) as much as possible. I haven't made it to 30 words per week yet and doubt I'll get there this year, but 20 words/week seems to keep us going at a good clip.

 

Good luck!

[Hunter]

I'm still at the place of needing to read the materials over and over. I don't know if I will ever feel like I have mastered the method. I don't think second generation students will struggle like we do.

 

I don't think all students need Spalding, but I think if all students learn Spalding, then the students who do need it will be taught by teachers that grew up using it and don't struggle like we do.

 

Reading and completing the 4th edition was the best thing I ever did. I'm not sure which clone or edition I will settle down with. For now I'm sticking with Spalding 4th; it meets my current needs. Some of the other clones and editions have their strengths to use with certain student populations in certain environments; I plan on adapting as needed.

[Ellie]

Thank you, Ellie. Really, thank you for your patience with all of us Spalding newbies. I spent months before I ever officially joined this forum reading all the Spalding posts and felt like I almost knew you by the end of it :) And I still have questions! You are very kind to repeat yourself so often.

 

I'm a Spalding geek. Always happy to help. :-)

 

One more question--and I've been reviewing my manual all morning and don't think this is explicitly stated. How are the rule pages presented to 1st and 2nd graders? I think you've said in the past that you had posters. We don't have the ability to do this (no wall space!). Is it best to just copy the printed example pages from the 4th edition and put them in page protectors in a notebook for reference? Or is it more valuable to create the pages as needed along with the student? I don't want my first grader writing rule pages but should she watch me do it? Or is discussion of pre-created pages fine?

 

They don't need to see the rule pages in a notebook. They're not gonna refer back to them. Really. :-) And you don't have to put the rule page posters permanently on the wall. You can just take them out during the spelling lesson and put them back.

[UrbanSue]

 

 

I'm a Spalding geek. Always happy to help. :-)

 

 

 

They don't need to see the rule pages in a notebook. They're not gonna refer back to them. Really. :-) And you don't have to put the rule page posters permanently on the wall. You can just take them out during the spelling lesson and put them back.

 

Thanks for the hand-holding :)