WRTR or Bust for FALL! Who's with me?

[mom2bee]

Okay, I have been through the archives and have drank the proverbial kool-aid that is The Spalding Method! I would really like to make the transition to using WRTR because it is the most "all in inclusive" language arts program that I have found out about. I love the simplicity of it (all you need is: paper, pencil, the WRTR manual and some students!) and it will enable me to keep my incoming blended class of 1st-3rd grade students all together and systematically and uniformly progressing.

 

WRTR can work! It will work! It has to work, because I am running myself ragged chasing down components and using 50 bajillion workbooks for 6 different kids!!! Who else is making the switch? What is your game plan for getting there?

 

 

I don't know 100% how we're going to start, but I know that we have to start somewhere and after a lot of thinking and researching, Spalding seems the place.

[Ellie]

Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. :D

 

ITA with you: Spalding is simple. One manual, some phonogram cards, good trade books that you can get at the library, maybe some peripherals. Easy peasy. The brain power needed in the beginning while you learn how to teach Spalding pays off in a short amount of time.

 

I'll be cheering you on!

[lorisuewho]

Good for you! I think it can be done and done well! You are motivated and ready!

[silver]

I'm starting it with my son next week!

[Giraffe]

I started and then had to stop. Will be picking it back up in June. I'm with you, OP, this program makes the most sense for DD and is how I was taught (though I didn't realize that until learning the method to teach her).

 

And Ellie's right. Resistance is futile.

[Hunter]

I have taught myself to teach WRTR. If my priority is manuscript-first and getting students to read trade books as quickly as possible, then WRTR is my favorite way to do that.

 

I have different priorities right now, so am using something different, but I conquered Spalding and can teach it. So can you! :D

[SilverMoon]

My 5 year old is using it. I picked up a used 4th edition on the cheap. After reading the book once I don't see where it got such a reputation for being difficult to begin. I read the book once, added some tabs so I can flip to sections quickly, made a set of cards, explained it to DD, and jumped right in. DD has done great, and it carried over to her reading right away. :)

[lorisuewho]

My 5 year old is using it. I picked up a used 4th edition on the cheap. After reading the book once I don't see where it got such a reputation for being difficult to begin. I read the book once, added some tabs so I can flip to sections quickly, made a set of cards, explained it to DD, and jumped right in. DD has done great, and it carried over to her reading right away. :)

 

 

I believe it got the reputation for being difficult to begin from the later editions. The 4th is so much simpler and clearer.

[silver]

I believe it got the reputation for being difficult to begin from the later editions. The 4th is so much simpler and clearer.

 

 

I'd agree with this. When I read the 5th it seemed overly complicated somehow. I bought the 4th and read that, and it made perfect sense. I then read the 5th again and was able to understand it so much better than my first time through.

[Mama2Many4]

I believe it got the reputation for being difficult to begin from the later editions. The 4th is so much simpler and clearer.

 

 

Wonderful. :glare:

 

I have editions 5 and 6. Now I need to buy 4 as well. I just can't wrap my head around it. :confused1:

[mom2bee]

Wonderful. :glare:

 

I have editions 5 and 6. Now I need to buy 4 as well. I just can't wrap my head around it. :confused1:

DONT!!! I have the 5th edition and have read, re-read and marinated on it. It is simple. Don't buy the 4th edition unless you want it!

I will post my Guide later on to share with anyone who has the 5th edition and wants to use it, but can't get their heads wrapped around it.

 

And we have Ellie! Can't forget our resident Spalding geek!!!

[silver]

For understanding it without the 4th edition, focus first on understanding the Spelling lesson. The sample dialogs are very helpful for that.

 

If you want to narrow your initial focus even more to start out with, read only the section titled "Teaching Spelling Using Phonograms and Rules" (pages 42-53). That is the meat of it. You may find it helpful to find a youtube video of someone dictating words the Spalding way.

 

After that, I would read the rules themselves (pages 223-225) and the sample rule pages (pages 237-251). Then go back to the Spelling Lesson chapter and read "Teaching Language Rule Application" (pages 53-72).

 

Then finally read the entire Spelling Lesson chapter. Once that makes sense, read the rest of the stuff in the book. ;)

[edeemarie]

We started WRTR in the fall and are still happily using it. My kids have soared in their spelling and reading. I can confidently say that I no longer need to curriculum shop for spelling ever again. Now every other subject... that is a completely different story!

[MyLittleBears]

Starting a spelling notebook by Mari McAlister is an excellent resource for WRTR. I still have not decided if I will be doing Spalding or LOE with my youngest next year. :tongue_smilie: This thread is swaying me, though.

[Ellie]

I believe it got the reputation for being difficult to begin from the later editions. The 4th is so much simpler and clearer.

 

People have always, always thought Spalding was difficult to learn to teach. Really.

[Ellie]

Wonderful. :glare:

 

I have editions 5 and 6. Now I need to buy 4 as well. I just can't wrap my head around it. :confused1:

 

No, no, no!! Don't buy another book!!!

 

Everything you need to know is in every edition.

 

With the sixth ignore any comments which tell you to refer to the teacher guide. It gets a little tiresome, but just do it.

 

Read the whole book, cover to cover. Go back and read it again, paying special attention to the Spelling Lesson. Reading the whole book helps you understand the method, but everything hinges on the Spelling Lesson, so go back to the Spelling Lesson and make notes, highlight things, underline things.

 

To make the manual easier to use, take it to Kinko's/FedEx and have the spine cut off, then drilled for three holes. Put each part (there are 2) in two three-ring notebooks. You'll mostly use part 1 to learn how to teach Spalding; you'll use part 2 daily, as it has the phonograms, lists of readers, spelling list, and more.

[Ellie]

Starting a spelling notebook by Mari McAlister is an excellent resource for WRTR. I still have not decided if I will be doing Spalding or LOE with my youngest next year. :tongue_smilie: This thread is swaying me, though.

 

My only quibble with McAlister's book is that she doesn't put enough emphasis on reading the manual itself. You *must* be familiar with the manual. Really. But yes, it is a good resource.

[Mama2Many4]

 

No, no, no!! Don't buy another book!!!

 

Everything you need to know is in every edition.

 

With the sixth ignore any comments which tell you to refer to the teacher guide. It gets a little tiresome, but just do it.

 

Read the whole book, cover to cover. Go back and read it again, paying special attention to the Spelling Lesson. Reading the whole book helps you understand the method, but everything hinges on the Spelling Lesson, so go back to the Spelling Lesson and make notes, highlight things, underline things.

 

To make the manual easier to use, take it to Kinko's/FedEx and have the spine cut off, then drilled for three holes. Put each part (there are 2) in two three-ring notebooks. You'll mostly use part 1 to learn how to teach Spalding; you'll use part 2 daily, as it has the phonograms, lists of readers, spelling list, and more.

 

Thanks! I'll do that. It was like reading a horrible instruction manual. Why they put the parts into the book like that is beyond me.

[Mama2Many4]

DONT!!! I have the 5th edition and have read, re-read and marinated on it. It is simple. Don't buy the 4th edition unless you want it!

I will post my Guide later on to share with anyone who has the 5th edition and wants to use it, but can't get their heads wrapped around it.

 

And we have Ellie! Can't forget our resident Spalding geek!!!

 

I would be VERY interested in the guide! :cheers2: . No, I most certainly do NOT want to buy another edition. I got the 6th edition when I bought the spelling notebook manual, and then realized I'd need the 5th edition to actually follow the manual. But now all three sit on my shelf (well technically on the floor near my seat now) waiting to be cracked open again. :001_unsure:

[Hunter]

With the 4th edition I really can say to someone read the book cover to cover. I can't say that with the 5th and the 6th. In fact I do NOT recommend reading the 5th and 6th cover to cover.

 

To someone who has read the 4th, the 5th and 6th are fine to use, but there are many places in the integrated LA that are unfinished and link to teacher guides that STILL do not fill in the missing pieces. All that unfinished integrated LA is distracting and makes it impossible for many newbies to figure out what they NEED to learn to teach the spelling. It's like doing those math word problems where you are given extra information you don't need.

 

I use the 4th edition paper flashcards without lamination. Yes, they are dogeared and yellow and smudged, but they work, and I'll copy the info onto flashcards when I get around to it, but they were THERE for me to START, and STARTING is 90% of the battle. Everything was there to START my own notebook and nothing was there to distract me. I sat and step by step made my own notebook.

 

Often libraries still have the 4th. Some people will be able to use their 5th and 6th after working through a library 4th.

[Ellie]

 

I would be VERY interested in the guide! :cheers2: . No, I most certainly do NOT want to buy another edition. I got the 6th edition when I bought the spelling notebook manual, and then realized I'd need the 5th edition to actually follow the manual. But now all three sit on my shelf (well technically on the floor near my seat now) waiting to be cracked open again. :001_unsure:

 

What is the "spelling notebook manual"?? :confused1:

[Ellie]

 

Thanks! I'll do that. It was like reading a horrible instruction manual. Why they put the parts into the book like that is beyond me.

 

Part 1 is where you learn to teach the method (Spalding is the method; WRTR is the manual), and the background/technical information on why and how it works, and it's important to know those things, IMHO. Part 2 has the things you need to teach. You have to learn how to teach first before you can use the instructional materials. Interspersing the word lists (which includes not only the spelling words as they are taught, but also the spelling words in alphabetical order, so you can look them up, and by parts of speech, if you're doing the Grammar Lesson) would have been messed.up. lol. Once you're teaching, you rarely have to use Part 1, whereas you'll use Part 2 daily.

[Ellie]

With the 4th edition I really can say to someone read the book cover to cover. I can't say that with the 5th and the 6th. In fact I do NOT recommend reading the 5th and 6th cover to cover.

 

I still recommend reading the whole thing, even if you're not planning to do the Writing Lesson or the Reading Lesson or the Grammar Lesson. And if you don't read cover to cover, you'll miss all the stuff that's in Part 2. :-)

[Walking-Iris]

Okay I'm in. I've been quibbling about this for some weeks now. I remember looking at WRTR when my oldest was K, and I just couldn't see my way around it. I'm using OPGTR with my current Kinder and it's okay, but just wearing me out.

 

ETA: 1st grade plans lang arts; WRTR (for phonics and spelling), Bravewriter JotItDown, and FLL1. Possibly?

[Hunter]

I still recommend reading the whole thing, even if you're not planning to do the Writing Lesson or the Reading Lesson or the Grammar Lesson. And if you don't read cover to cover, you'll miss all the stuff that's in Part 2. :-)

 

 

Ellie do you think reading all of the integrated language arts that is not finished and refers to guides people don't have, helps a newbie start the spelling portion?

 

I like the IDEA of the integrated language arts, and as I become a better teacher using OTHER sources, I'm able to come back to the integrated language arts and be re-impressed with the scope and sequence, but NOT the teacher training and NOT the prices.

 

I have the same problem with The Core. I like what the book says, but then all the materials that have been published to help teach The Core are expensive and exclusionary and not always what they promise to be.

 

Spalding and the Core make me feel like I'm getting sucked into a black hole, deeper and deeper.

 

WRTR 4th doesn't make me feel that way though. It might be "missing" some of what is in the later editions, but I don't feel like I'm getting sucked into an ever deepening vacuum.

[Ellie]

 

Ellie do you think reading all of the integrated language arts that is not finished and refers to guides people don't have, helps a newbie start the spelling portion?

Why do you say that the integrated language arts is "not finished"? And although the references to the guides are annoying, the guides themselves do not add anything to what the manual says. IOW, even if you have the teacher guides, you cannot teach Spalding without the manual. I just learned to ignore references to the teacher guides. Yes, I still think you need to read the whole book, cover to cover, once; but you only need to go back and study the Spelling Lesson, and you need to read all of part 2. Reading the stuff at the end of part 1 is interesting...if you're a geek like me, lol, but it does still explain why the method works so well.

 

I like the IDEA of the integrated language arts, and as I become a better teacher using OTHER sources, I'm able to come back to the integrated language arts and be re-impressed with the scope and sequence, but NOT the teacher training and NOT the prices.

 

I like the idea of integrated "language arts" (even though I abhor the term "language arts" lol), in a classroom, but it probably wouldn't ever happen in my home. :-)

 

I have the same problem with The Core. I like what the book says, but then all the materials that have been published to help teach The Core are expensive and exclusionary and not always what they promise to be.

 

I'm not familiar with The Core, so I'll take your word for it. :-)

 

WRTR 4th doesn't make me feel that way though. It might be "missing" some of what is in the later editions, but I don't feel like I'm getting sucked into an ever deepening vacuum.

 

WRTR isn't "missing" anything. Teachers (including homeschoolers) were using it successfully for...how many years? I have personal opinions about the revisions that I don't feel the need to say publicly. I love Spalding, and I will help anyone who wants to do it. Right now, that includes encouraging people not to buy multiple editions of the manual but to make whatever they have work, KWIM? ;-)

[Jane Elliot]

I believe it got the reputation for being difficult to begin from the later editions. The 4th is so much simpler and clearer.

 

Its reputation for being difficult was alive and well 24 years ago when my oldest was a baby, long before the 5th edition. I'm considering using this for the first time this year with my 5 year old who's reading very well but hasn't had all the phonics I think he needs. This thread is timely for me.

[Hunter]

I don't have my 5th manual handy, but I specifically remember a list of 5 things to teach where only 3 were explained in full, and being MAD at that. I felt like I was being teased. The integrated LA is new; it's not the method everyone has been using for all these years.

 

Anyone who knows me, knows I don't like to encourage people to buy excess. :lol: When all I had was the 5th I used it the best I could, mostly passively. I wasn't able to teach the spelling fully by dictation until I read the 4th cover to cover over and over without any distractions. Maybe I'm more distractible and slower than some here...but I'm not the only one that experienced an epiphany after reading the 4th. Some don't need the 4th, and on the other hand the 4th won't be enough for some; I agree it's not a cure all for everyone.

 

Some people have gotten their 4th for a penny, and I sure do wish I'd tried that before I spent hundreds of dollars trying to teach the 5th and 6th.

[mom2bee]

How is everyone doing thus far?

 

We have started and stopped with the handwriting. I have decided to leave them off until I can commit to being more consistent with it :(

Its not the end of the world, because we have until Fall to begin the program, but before the summer is over, I'd like to make some serious headway with the handwriting and begin teaching phonograms.

 

I have seen where some people say that they finish a basic phonics treatment and then they jump into the phonograms. I think that is what we will wind up doing, because I have a few reading students at this moment, but the youngest for the blended 1st-3rd grade class has a few weeks left in his phonics programs. If I get him through the books and reading on a 1st grade level, then it will make it all the easier to do Spalding with the group.

 

I still haven't had time to sit down and transfer my notes in the margins and sticky notes on my pages to an actual outline, but it is essentially

1) Handwriting

2) Phonograms

3) Observing the phonograms in action while reading normal books

4) Begin the spelling notebook with rules, etc...

[SFM]

We started using WRTR in January and saw my son improve leaps and bounds and his confidence has soared. Although, I started over complicating things. Ellie has been very helpful and I am ready to start using with my K'er this Summer, she's thrilled to learn her phonograms like her brother. You CAN do it. I was just reading Why Johnny STILL Can't Read and that put more fire under me to continue on this course of specific and explicit phonics instruction using WRTR.

[Ellie]

How is everyone doing thus far?

 

We have started and stopped with the handwriting. I have decided to leave them off until I can commit to being more consistent with it :(

Its not the end of the world, because we have until Fall to begin the program, but before the summer is over, I'd like to make some serious headway with the handwriting and begin teaching phonograms.

 

I have seen where some people say that they finish a basic phonics treatment and then they jump into the phonograms. I think that is what we will wind up doing, because I have a few reading students at this moment, but the youngest for the blended 1st-3rd grade class has a few weeks left in his phonics programs. If I get him through the books and reading on a 1st grade level, then it will make it all the easier to do Spalding with the group.

 

I still haven't had time to sit down and transfer my notes in the margins and sticky notes on my pages to an actual outline, but it is essentially

1) Handwriting

2) Phonograms

3) Observing the phonograms in action while reading normal books

4) Begin the spelling notebook with rules, etc...

 

Generally, I don't see a point in doing any other phonics before doing Spalding. Spalding doesn't need a jump start. :-) Even if your youngest had no reading skills at all, he'd be reading at a first-grade level by Christmas anyway (assuming you start in August).

 

You cannot separate "handwriting" from "phonograms." Children learn the phonograms while writing them. They learn to analyze their handwriting, which prepares them for analyzing their spelling (and reading).

 

Children younger than 8yo (3rd grade) don't write the rules into their notebooks.

[UrbanSue]

I agree with Ellie that if you want to work on handwriting and basic phonics over the summer, just do it the Spalding way and teach the phonograms and handwriting at the same time. The multi-modal learning is an important component of what makes Spalding successful. There is a specific dialogue given for every letter of the alphabet and my kids took off with their handwriting once they were getting clear, predictable instructions.

 

Also, yeah, don't have younger kids write out all the rules. They'll die of writing fatigue. It's a LOT of writing! Your older students can write it out but you can use the examples in the book, your own notebook, poster-size rule pages or whatever works to just discuss the rules with younger kids.

[silver]

I made the mistake of only reviewing phonograms once a week during our three week break between grades. So now he's having a little bit of trouble. For example, when I was dictating 'good' and told him to use oo (by saying the sounds of oo, not the letters), he had a hard time remembering which phonogram that was.

 

He had a few words last week that he had not mastered by the end of the week. I assume I just keep reviewing them with him this week? With dictating/marking the words during the week and including them on the end of the week test?

[mamajudy]

I would just like to say that WRTR is awesome! I used it with all five of my kids, beginning 23 years ago, and the results were amazing. It's really very simple to use; I never understood why everyone thinks it's difficult. I read the manual through a couple of times, highlighting the important notes, purchased a set of laminated phonogram cards (I don't remember where I got them, but since I used them with five kids over the years, they were great to have), and started. There is absolutely no need to use another phonics program. The library provided plenty of reading material. The hardest part was finding age-appropriate books for my kids to read once they got going (when your first grader is reading on a sixth grade level, that can be a challenge!). Now, with only one more year of homeschooling to go, I look back fondly on those WRTR days. Good luck to all of you!

[Ellie]

I agree with Ellie that if you want to work on handwriting and basic phonics over the summer, just do it the Spalding way and teach the phonograms and handwriting at the same time. The multi-modal learning is an important component of what makes Spalding successful. There is a specific dialogue given for every letter of the alphabet and my kids took off with their handwriting once they were getting clear, predictable instructions.

:iagree:

 

Also, yeah, don't have younger kids write out all the rules. They'll die of writing fatigue. It's a LOT of writing! Your older students can write it out but you can use the examples in the book, your own notebook, poster-size rule pages or whatever works to just discuss the rules with younger kids.

 

Older dc don't write all the rules, either. They only write the rule pages. :-)

[Ellie]

I made the mistake of only reviewing phonograms once a week during our three week break between grades. So now he's having a little bit of trouble. For example, when I was dictating 'good' and told him to use oo (by saying the sounds of oo, not the letters), he had a hard time remembering which phonogram that was.

 

He had a few words last week that he had not mastered by the end of the week. I assume I just keep reviewing them with him this week? With dictating/marking the words during the week and including them on the end of the week test?

 

I'm confused. Are you asking whether to review the phonograms? or have you taught all 70 phonograms and are now doing the word list? :confused1:

[silver]

 

I'm confused. Are you asking whether to review the phonograms? or have you taught all 70 phonograms and are now doing the word list? :confused1:

 

 

 

I review phonograms everyday with him (he learned them during the school year we finished up at the beginning of May). Over our break, I only did it once a week. This apparently has led to him forgetting some. We started doing the word list, and he stumbled on which phonogram I meant when I told him the sounds of 'oo' to indicate which phonogram to use in the middle of the word 'good'. Since he previously knew that phonogram with no issue, I'm guessing it was the break that led him to forget.

 

The other question was that last week I gave him an end of the week test and he missed a few words. I was just asking if the proper thing to do is to continue to review those words this week (through the dictation process) and then include it on the list of words we test at the end of this week.

[MouseBandit]

We're doing either straight up Spalding or maybe some variation with SWR, but I'm a huge Spalding fan. (I even got the teacher guide, haha! I love it!)

 

Here's an expert question - when they're just starting out learning the phonograms, how much are we expecting from the handwriting? I understand that it's important to the learning process for them to write the letters as we dictate the phonogram, and to do it "correctly" - that is, make the movements in the order and direction that they should, but how much neatness, how much correct sizing, etc? If my 5yo dd starts her circle-letters not at 2-o'clock, or makes the straight line on "d" or "a" too tall or too short - should I make her erase and do it again? How many copies of each letter do you have them practice in a setting? How soon should I expect her to be able to remember each letter from the phonogram and be able to write it correctly without me showing her the flashcard?

 

I really don't want to push her or frustrate her if it's just refining her fine motor skills, but I also don't want to allow bad habits to set in. Not sure which it is, I guess.

 

Mouse Bandit

[Ellie]

We're doing either straight up Spalding or maybe some variation with SWR, but I'm a huge Spalding fan. (I even got the teacher guide, haha! I love it!)

 

Here's an expert question - when they're just starting out learning the phonograms, how much are we expecting from the handwriting? I understand that it's important to the learning process for them to write the letters as we dictate the phonogram, and to do it "correctly" - that is, make the movements in the order and direction that they should, but how much neatness, how much correct sizing, etc? If my 5yo dd starts her circle-letters not at 2-o'clock, or makes the straight line on "d" or "a" too tall or too short - should I make her erase and do it again? How many copies of each letter do you have them practice in a setting? How soon should I expect her to be able to remember each letter from the phonogram and be able to write it correctly without me showing her the flashcard?

 

I really don't want to push her or frustrate her if it's just refining her fine motor skills, but I also don't want to allow bad habits to set in. Not sure which it is, I guess.

 

Mouse Bandit

 

 

I'd work on starting circles at 2 on the clock, maybe with her finger in the air first, or in sand, or any variation thereof that works with a 5yo. I'd practice writing vertical lines beginning at the top and going all the way to the base line in the same way. When it gets to writing actual letters, beginning at two on the clock and so on are more of a habit, KWIM? When she writes letters, you lead her to analyze them after she has written them, so that she sees where she needs to improve, and then she writes them again, and analyzes them again. I would probably not spend a long period of time on that; you'll be able to tell when she has done enough. :-)

 

You will do two kinds of drill on a daily basis: written and oral. You dictate the phonograms to her and she writes them; you flash the phonogram cards and she says them. You can do these at different times of the day. :-)

[SFM]

I love these posts! I started re-reading my manual today! :) So excited to see all of the progress. As a side note, I have already been reading Rudolf Flesch's Why Johnny Still Can't Read and it's amazing (Why Johnny Can't Read is also great). It gives me more passion about the Spalding methodology.

[Maplecat]

I just finished my first reading of the 5th edition and am still waiting on the 4th and 6th from the library. I'm trying to figure out which one I want to buy.

 

I was very impressed by how concise and well thought out all the spelling rules are. Then, I felt a stab of resentment that nobody ever showed me this when I was a kid. I've always been an avid reader, but spelling has never been easy for me. I think my instruction was pretty pathetic. Spalding makes so much sense.

 

Question for Ellie: Will my kids start a new spelling notebook every year or will they have one up to third and then a final book in third?

[Ellie]

 

I was very impressed by how concise and well thought out all the spelling rules are. Then, I felt a stab of resentment that nobody ever showed me this when I was a kid. I've always been an avid reader, but spelling has never been easy for me. I think my instruction was pretty pathetic. Spalding makes so much sense.

 

:iagree:

 

 

Question for Ellie: Will my kids start a new spelling notebook every year or will they have one up to third and then a final book in third?

 

 

They start a new notebook every year. Children younger than 8yo/3rd grade only write their spelling words into their notebooks, and even that is optional (they can just write on paper). From that point, they write the rule pages as well as their spelling words. I wouldn't expect to do it more than twice, though, even though schools which do Spalding often do it through sixth grade.

[silver]

The other question was that last week I gave him an end of the week test and he missed a few words. I was just asking if the proper thing to do is to continue to review those words this week (through the dictation process) and then include it on the list of words we test at the end of this week.

 

So does anyone have an answer to my question. If a student doesn't have a word mastered by the end of the week, how do you go about continuing to work on it? Do you halt progress on the list and work on those words? Do you just add them to review and retest until they get it?

[UrbanSue]

 

So does anyone have an answer to my question. If a student doesn't have a word mastered by the end of the week, how do you go about continuing to work on it? Do you halt progress on the list and work on those words? Do you just add them to review and retest until they get it?

 

 

 

Sorry your question keeps getting lost. I think the answer is to move on but give a review test every couple months to know what still needs work? I'm sure Ellie can chime in--I'm only guessing as I haven't had this problem yet (don't envy me, my perfect-at-spelling-time dd has atrocious handwriting and very, ahem, creative spelling during free writes. Still waiting for the two skills to meld).

 

I'm thinking that the nature of Spalding is that you are always constantly reviewing everything because of the limited number of phonograms and because the is in order of frequency rather than "word families". In some other spelling programs you might spend a week or two on silent final e's but in Spalding they come up every week, for example.

[nansk]

So does anyone have an answer to my question. If a student doesn't have a word mastered by the end of the week, how do you go about continuing to work on it? Do you halt progress on the list and work on those words? Do you just add them to review and retest until they get it?

 

I review the missed words till they are mastered, and also keep going ahead in the spelling list. You may get less new words done in the spelling list if there are past words being reviewed, but you should still keep going.

 

Also, reg. your earlier question about phonograms, you should do the Oral Phonogram Review and the Written Phonogram Review regularly. Re-read the WRTR for more info on these, and see this thread from the Spalding forum.

[Ellie]

 

So does anyone have an answer to my question. If a student doesn't have a word mastered by the end of the week, how do you go about continuing to work on it? Do you halt progress on the list and work on those words? Do you just add them to review and retest until they get it?

 

 

It depends.

 

Certainly, you don't stop what you're doing until a word is mastered.

 

What does your lesson look like? Are you teaching the words as described in the manual? When you test during the week (because the words will be "tested" more than once), do you pick up your dc's paper and see what was misspelled, then remediate the word (dictating it again, analyzing it for markings and any applicable rules, etc.)? Do you have him write the word in his own sentence?

[silver]

My son is 6 and we're currently working on the A-G list. So I'm having him do oral sentences with each word, but not written ones.

 

We do oral and written phonogram review daily during the school year. (The only reason it had been once a week recently was that we were on a break from school.)

 

On Monday-Wednesday I dictate 7-8 new words per day. Because we school 4 days a week for 43 weeks, we'll cover around 900 words in 1st grade with that number a day. On Tuesday-Thursday I quiz him on the words we dictated the day before. On Thursday I review all the words. The following Monday I test him on the words.

 

For dictation I say the word and then use it in a sentence. My son sounds it out phonogram by phonogram and I let him know which one to use if there is more than one that makes the sound (for example, I say, "Use /e/-/ee/" to let him know to use the letter e). He writes the word in his notebook. Then he sounds it out for me to write on the board and we discuss the rules and markings that apply to the word. After he has written all the words, I have him go through his list and read each word and use the word in an oral sentence.

 

For quizzes and tests, I say the word and use it in a sentence, and then he writes it with no markings. If he doesn't get it correct I immediately go over the word with him, phonogram by phonogram, and discuss the rules that apply to the word.

 

For the Thursday review I say the word, he uses it in an oral sentence, and then he sounds it out for me, I write it, and then we discuss markings/rules. For any words that he missed on previous quizzes, I have him write the word as well.

 

 

 

So it sounds like it would be good to throw in the missed words to the Thursday review and Monday tests until mastered?

[mom2bee]

Oh, it is only with one student that I am currently working on reading with. We were already working on phonics and trying to get more into reading. Its not that I wanted to give Spalding a boost or anything, though I have heard of people who go to Spalding after having done some phonics, I don't know if it was on purpose or more of a coincidence, though. Its just that I have a reading student right now (I'm supposed to have 2, but the other is having summertime right now and wont be coming to me for help just yet.)

 

Starting in July I will have a group of kids (11yo, 9yo, 8yo, 7yo, 7yo) who need spelling, handwriting and reading help. and I'd like to use Spalding with the group from day 1. (There may be a 6yo and 5yo tag-along, not sure about the young ones, yet.)

[Ellie]

Oh, it is only with one student that I am currently working on reading with. We were already working on phonics and trying to get more into reading. Its not that I wanted to give Spalding a boost or anything, though I have heard of people who go to Spalding after having done some phonics, I don't know if it was on purpose or more of a coincidence, though. Its just that I have a reading student right now (I'm supposed to have 2, but the other is having summertime right now and wont be coming to me for help just yet.)

 

Starting in July I will have a group of kids (11yo, 9yo, 8yo, 7yo, 7yo) who need spelling, handwriting and reading help. and I'd like to use Spalding with the group from day 1. (There may be a 6yo and 5yo tag-along, not sure about the young ones, yet.)

 

 

It is probably coincidental that some do Spalding after having done phonics with other methods. It is certainly not necessary. Why not start with the best? :-)

[Maplecat]

I'm still cranking away. I've read the fourth, fifth, and sixth editions. My spelling notebook is done up through list "S." Marking the words now makes sense, but I'm still a bit nervous about the day to day implementation. I plan to read the fourth edition again, mark it up, and rip off the spine ;)

 

My son is very curious about my notebook and excited to start his own. It looks like I am writing in code and he wants to join me. I'm thinking about using Spalding instead of OPGTR with my second. OPGTR worked with my first, but it was so slow and at times painful for him. We spent so much time memorizing the poem with letter sounds. Spalding looks like I can get my guy into real books more quickly.