Please help! Testing results in and spelling has me in tears!

[dixiebuckeye]

My dd test results are in spelling is TERRIBLE. She's at 5%. I don't know what to do. I've tried just doing lists and drilling them to death. I've tried All About Spelling. She is not a natural speller. I'm looking at the Saxon Phonics Intervention program and it promises to bring up their spelling and reading by quite a lot. For whatever reason, although she can't spell work a crap, obviously; she is an extremely good reader! I don't want to do a program that spends a lot of time on the reading aspect, but it's obvious we have gone from BAD at spelling last year, to HORRID at spelling this year. I feel like such a failure!! Please, any suggestions for how I can fix this would be so appreciated! I'm a natural speller, so I really am at a loss on this one! But I feel like, if I'm going to fail this badly, I should just send her to school before she falls too low. Horrible way to start the day. :( Thanks.

[dixiebuckeye]

Ha. I can scroll down and see on this page that I'm not alone. How do you get through knowing you have an entire year to go to see if you have any improvement???

[Dmmetler]

What's the test format like? If it was dramatically different from how she does spelling at home, that might make a big difference in how she scored-and you may want to pick a program that has practice in that format. There was one sub-test on the SAT-10 which totally threw my daughter for a loop in 1st grade. She knew the skill, but the directions given confused her. The following year, the same basic skill was tested, but with different directions, she had a major, major jump in score. It's entirely possible your DD had a similar experience with the spelling this year, and that the test reflects test taking skills, not spelling ones.

 

And my second thought is-if you're going to have a deficit in language arts, spelling really isn't a bad one to have. Most adults now do a lot of their written work on a computer, and spellcheck is readily available. While that doesn't mean you stop working, if she's otherwise solid as a reader and writer, but isn't a good speller yet, either she'll catch on with time (and most kids who are good readers do become at least reasonably solid spellers), or she'll become good at using the tools available to her. Either way, she'll be fine long-term.

 

 

 

 

If you want to retest mid-year, the DORA has a spelling section that goes up to post high school. I'm not sure you can test it without doing the reading as well,but at least it's cheap (about $15 through HSBC, and if you have smart points, you can use them).

[Ellie]

Girlfriend, she's just 7! Quit beating yourself up!!!! STOP IT!!

 

:D

 

It takes a long time for many children--maybe most...IDK--to get the hang of spelling. And it could be that it's the test itself that's a problem, you know, as in not understanding exactly what she's supposed to do. I'll bet she'll improve next year even if you don't do anything different.

 

My usual recommendation for spelling is...wait for it...Spalding. But regardless of what you do that is specific to improving spelling skills, you'll want to correct her spelling in all of her written assignments, and give her as many opportunities as possible to write her spelling words.

[Jess4879]

But I feel like, if I'm going to fail this badly, I should just send her to school before she falls too low.

 

:grouphug:

For me, this was reading. I spent two years beating myself up and thinking I messed up terribly because my oldest was struggling with reading. Then one day I had a lovely lady point out to me that if I put my DD in public school she'd actually be further behind because no one was going to invest the time into her that I was. Sad, but true. I was willing and able to try any and all methods to get my DD reading. In a public school setting that isn't possible. It may feel at times like you are failing, but you're not. This is simply the road to success!!

[dixiebuckeye]

She's 8. I just don't know how to redo my signature. Not that that is a huge jump, but yeah. :) Spalding...so the Writing Road to Reading?

[Dana]

My son is an excellent reader but a very poor speller.

We did Spelling Workout in 1st and 2nd grade and he retained NOTHING.

We switched to All About Spelling and his spelling has improved quite a bit. I know you said you'd tried AAS... and a different program may be a better fit for you.... but I didn't see significant improvement in his spelling until we were through at least level 3, I think. We started with level 1.

 

The biggest thing IMO was that since my son was self-taught with reading, he didn't get clear phonics instruction. AAS has filled in the phonics gaps and I'm able to ask him "What do you think? What sounds do you hear?" as he's trying to spell a word.

 

He still doesn't do great on tests where you're trying to identify the correctly spelled word of a group of 4 (or the incorrectly spelled word), but he's spelling much better when he's writing.

[MerryAtHope]

Most standardized tests are multiple choice, which are geared for the natural speller, and can be very troublesome for students who struggle with spelling. They see the multiple possibilities, and suddenly each one looks like a good possibility, and it gets confusing. Their mind tells them that logically “fusible†and “fusable†can both say the same thing. Without having the visual picture that the natural speller has, it is very difficult.

 

I've heard of kids who can't get past the first few words. They keep going back and forth between all of the options. And then on the other end of the spectrum are laid-back kids who chose the first option that looks halfway decent without putting much through into it.

 

I would encourage you not to get hung up on the testing. What you are looking for is every day spelling improvement. Pick something to use for spelling and stick with it. Understand that she struggles and capitalize on review for her. Kids who struggle with spelling need lots and lots of review--more than you as a natural speller probably envision.

 

She'll get there. But you aren't going to see overnight results--just keep working on it and gradually you'll see progress. She's only 8 and has barely been writing, much less spelling, for very long. When kids learn to speak, we find anything they say so cute--they say "bakie" for blanket and we call grandma to brag. But when they are baby spellers and make all kinds of mistakes, we freak out! (I know, I've been there too!) Definitely work on it, but don't let standardized testing rattle your cage. Just look for what your daughter needs and keep plugging away at it. She'll be great at some things and struggle at others--that's normal in life. Enjoy her!

 

Merry :-)

[dixiebuckeye]

Ok, I think I will go back to trying AAS this summer. I hung that up a year and a half ago because I wasn't seeing any translation to her writing. It could have been that she was too young then and not ready for it. So, rather than just saying it doesn't work, I will try it again this summer.

[Ellie]

She's 8. I just don't know how to redo my signature. Not that that is a huge jump, but yeah. :) Spalding...so the Writing Road to Reading?

 

 

Spalding is the method; WRTR is the manual. :001_smile: Spalding would be most of your English/literacy instruction for an 8yo: spelling, reading, penmanship, capitalization and punctuation, simple writing. And it would only be the cost of the manual and a set of phonogram cards.

[Hunter]

My youngest was a bad speller at both school and at home. NEVER place a child in school over spelling!!!! Of all subjects don't do it over spelling!

 

Almost every spelling study ever done concludes that teaching spelling has no effect on student performance. Good spellers learn to spell just from reading. Bad spellers just don't learn.

 

I do think that attempting to help bad spellers with explicit phonics curricula like Spalding is a good idea. But even if not doing that, I would never put a child in school if I couldn't/wouldn't, as they would be very unlikely to be given that opportunity at school.

[pineapplehorse]

FYI...DS12 was a HORRIBLE, HORRENDOUS, ATROCIOUS, pull my hair out speller.....UNTIL this year. Since second grade he has scored 99th percentile in reading and 5th to 10th in spelling. Then, this year....he tested AT GRADE LEVEL! While this isn't 99th percentile it made me do the happy dance. Whether he just finally caught on (I know this is an issue for many gifted readers) or it is curriculum, I do not know. But this year we switched to SWR and he seemed to really like it.

[MomatHWTK]

Reading is receiving and processing input, spelling is retrieving information, processing it and coverting it to a written symbol. Different processes, different brain skills, different results. If there is a glitch that is not age appropriate, then there could be any number of reasons. Spelling for me at that age was rote memorization. Does your DD seem to have trouble with other memorization tasks? Does she have difficulty writing in general? How does she do with dictation, when you spell the words out loud for her? How does she do with copywork where she is looking at the word and then writing it? Can she remember the word in the short term but not the next day?

 

Start to evaulate the spelling process step by step to see if you notice a pattern.

 

(My oldest has a processing speed disorder that trips him up.)

[RootAnn]

For me, this was reading. I spent two years beating myself up and thinking I messed up terribly because my oldest was struggling with reading. Then one day I had a lovely lady point out to me that if I put my DD in public school she'd actually be further behind because no one was going to invest the time into her that I was. Sad, but true. I was willing and able to try any and all methods to get my DD reading. In a public school setting that isn't possible. It may feel at times like you are failing, but you're not. This is simply the road to success!!

 

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree: :iagree:

 

And :grouphug: .

 

Let's just say that I've been down that road & still walk it on a daily basis.

 

Give AAS a chance. (Or Spalding. Or Apples & Pears. Or whatever.) It really takes a number of years for spelling to translate to their daily work. It just started to do so in the last year for dd#1. Dd#2 sometimes can't even remember how to properly spell a word she sees all the time (horse). Other times, she spells the word correctly on the spelling test but has too much going on in her head when she's writing a story to remember how to spell it correctly then.

 

Just don't freak out.

I know my Spalding-spin off (Spell to Write & Read) comes with a spelling evaluation tool you can use every month or three to see how they are doing. Here is one from the 'net. (I don't know if this goes with the other link or not, but it looks similar to the evaluation guide that SWR has.) Don't give her all 50 words on one list - just give her enough that she misses 5-10 in a row. Don't give her the same test number each time, rotate through them. And don't go over the words she misses or show her the test once you've marked it because you don't want to skew the results the next time.)

[ondreeuh]

She is not a natural speller. I'm looking at the Saxon Phonics Intervention program and it promises to bring up their spelling and reading by quite a lot. For whatever reason, although she can't spell work a crap, obviously; she is an extremely good reader! I don't want to do a program that spends a lot of time on the reading aspect, but it's obvious we have gone from BAD at spelling last year, to HORRID at spelling this year.

 

Saxon Phonics Intervention is not the right way to approach spelling. It is OK for reading, but the spelling portion ... Blech. It has you give a sound and then have your kid respond with all the ways you can make a sound, and instead of teaching upfront, it adds as you go so you are constantly revising your responses. It's a TERRIBLE method for a kid with memory issues because it is just rote memorization and there's not any application. Very few spelling rules are even taught: ck vs. k, and the doubling and dropping rules are what I remember. The actual spelling words for the lessons are easy. You aren't teaching how to spell a set of words, you are just asking the kid to spell new words that follow the current trick. Most of the spelling effort is really in the sight words, because those are what take time and effort to learn, but they are all are the exceptions to the rules. So for example, one of the sets of sight words has various words in which the short-u sound is spelled with "ou" (country, trouble). It took a LOT of review for my son to learn those with some reliability, and then he started spelling EVERY shourt-u with "ou." So all this is to say: don't do SPI if you only need spelling.

 

We are going to try Logic of English, I think. Spelling Plus is good if you decide to not go with a rule-based program.

[kristinannie]

Please don't panic. Standardized tests are ridiculous, especially for a young child. That is why I chose to do a portfolio. I think that a lot of the spelling problems will work themselves out. I don't have any suggestions other than AAS, but I wish you the best of luck! And please don't beat yourself up!

[weederberries]

My first instinct is to blame the test. I don't like them, I don't trust them and I'm so glad we don't have to take them in our state. Hugs.

 

I really adore Alphabet Island Phonics. Start in level 2A and work through 2B. Here's something I wrote a few months back for someone else asking how to remediate. This is not a reading phonics program in level 2, but heavily focused on spelling phonics.

 

I'm not sure what level you're looking for, but I highly recommend Alphabet Island for 1st and 2nd grade (or to remediate). You'd begin in level 2A. You'd start the first day by reading the story that describes each letter as a character. The vowel sounds are reviewed, but then lessons begin (in story form) identifying when C says /s/ or /k/, which consonants are doubled at the ends of words, etc. I like the program because through story context it teaches a reason for the spelling rules that gives a hook for remembering it. The words you study during the week are examples of the rule and words to distinguish from the rule. You choose a sampling of words from the 50-100 practice words to test their knowledge. The test cycle isn't even necessarily weekly, just when sufficient practice has produced mastery of the rule.

 

As an example, when studying double consonants at the ends of words, practice words might include: bell, stack, splat, jazz, trick, slam, fix... The student must distinguish between words ending in letters who are "afraid of the CLiFFS(Z)" and need a buddy at the end of a word and words that end in consonants who can stand alone at the ends of words. If you haven't seen the pattern, C-L- I (vowels) - F - S and Z, need another consonant (or a special vowel learned in a later lesson) to stand with them at the ends of words (ck, ll, ff, ss, zz). In practice words and tests, students must distinguish between whether the special case applies to the word you call. They will confidently spell each of 6 dozen practice words (and you can choose whether your student should be tested over "bell," "dwell," or "enthrall" depending on their confidence and level. It is teacher intensive, but I found it to be well worth the effort for the early years.

 

The creative program ends with level 2B and the publisher offers a handbook of lists from which to continue their progress, using all the same rules they've learned, but increasing the level of words. I found the lack of structure too much for me and we moved on to another program, which I recommend after that.

 

A Reason for Spelling has a weekly word list, but I use it to bring flexibility and individuality. There is a pretest and I use it to mould their list for the week. (placement test available online) Each lesson includes a list of "Other Word Forms" and I pull words from there for the words they spell correctly on the pretest. The word "prepare" when spelled correctly on the pretest becomes "prepared" or "preparedness" for the week's study and test. I bought the program because it could be individualized and because it has a WIDE variety of activities to promote learning. My kids' favorites are spelling their words in chalk on the sidewalk, forming them from pipe cleaners, and using letter tiles. They also benefit from the "Hide and Seek" method of practice prescribed in the book as well as a game. Weekly activities are all different - word sorting, missing letters, sentence dictation, proofreading, crossword puzzles, choosing the correct form of the spelling word to complete a sentence, adding endings, rhyming words, etc. They are well prepared for their test at the end of the week.

 

When the stress of the results wears off, you'll be able to look for a program that will best serve your daughter. You can do this and more importantly, SHE can do this.

[Tmhearn]

Totally agree with the others about it being the fault of the test.

 

My dd did a practice CAT5 and got all of the Spelling section wrong. She missed every single one! Then she did the actual CAT5 test a few days later and scored 99th percentile in Spelling. The catch was that the 2 tests presented Spelling in 2 different ways. In the practice test, there were 4 words. The child was supposed to pick the 1 word out of 4 that was spelled incorrectly. In the actual test, there were also 4 words. But it was the same word spelled 4 different ways. So the child had to pick the 1 word that was spelled correctly. DD did much better with that second format.

 

My point is, it really could be the test. :-)

[boscopup]

How is she in her writing? Does she misspell just some words, or most of the words? How bad is her spelling REALLY (regardless of what the standardized test says). If the test was way worse than she does in her daily writing, I wouldn't worry about it at all. Her daily writing is the real gauge of her spelling ability. After all, why do we learn to spell? So we can write! Standardized tests only test for the ability to pick out the correctly spelled word from a list. That's a completely different skill! Sadly, some schools are moving to spelling tests done just like standardized tests, so the kids don't actually learn how to spell. Sigh.

 

Anyway, if she really is a bad speller even in her writing (worse than a normal 8 year old - I'd expect an 8 year old to still misspell quite a few words), you might check out Apples & Pears from Sound Foundations. That program is really good for kids that don't learn spelling well via straight phonics (like AAS, Spalding, Saxon, etc.). I'd still make sure she understands phonics (some kids learn to read without a good phonics foundation, especially if they are self-taught early readers), but if that's not helping her spell, A&P may be a better route to go.

[Garga]

Compare her work against itself. Don't compare the test scores. Has her spelling improved from the beginning of the year to the end of the year? At all?

 

My son struggles with spelling, too. As long as he is showing some sort of progress, that's what counts. I live in PA and at the end of each year, we have to put together a portfolio that shows some progress from the beginning of the year compared to the end. And that's really all that matters in PA. All the testing and affidavits and school year plans and book lists mean nothing. It all boils down to: did the child progress against his/her own self?

 

And if it's just one subject, why would you send a child to school for one subject? Especially one like spelling? Spell check, anyone? :) She's got another 10 years to work on spelling before she graduates. In 10 years, you can do a lot.

[MerryAtHope]

Ok, I think I will go back to trying AAS this summer. I hung that up a year and a half ago because I wasn't seeing any translation to her writing. It could have been that she was too young then and not ready for it. So, rather than just saying it doesn't work, I will try it again this summer.

 

It won't translate into her writing until spelling is automatic. It's one thing to remember when all she has to focus on is spelling, and another to focus on it while also trying to think of what to say and focus on grammar, punctuation, handwriting, neatness, capitalization, correct answers, and so on. That will take more time and practice, but she'll get there. This article has ideas that can help you as you help her with spelling in her writing. Hang in there!

[jetted4]

As long as he is showing some sort of progress, that's what counts. I live in PA and at the end of each year, we have to put together a portfolio that shows some progress from the beginning of the year compared to the end. And that's really all that matters in PA. All the testing and affidavits and school year plans and book lists mean nothing. It all boils down to: did the child progress against his/her own self?

 

Same in VA...you can use either a standardized test or an evaluator here. I've always gone with the evaluator and have never regretted it for the reasons above. They just look for "proof of progress" - if your child is doing better at the end than at the beginning of the school year, that's all the public schools can do, so they don't require more than that from you (in MD you have to demonstrate "reasonable and regular instruction"). If the evaluator option is available in your state, just look for recommendations from other hsers to find an evaluator who is homeschool-friendly.

 

On a different point, I have read that spelling rules often don't start to cement for kids until around 3rd grade, so you may find in a year or so if you just keep working on it, things will start to "click" for her.

[Farrar]

Because you probably need to hear it from as many voices as possible...

 

She's eight! There's plenty of time!

 

She can read really well! She has strengths! Strengths that you're fostering at home. And strengths that could get lost in school. And not only that, but the school won't be looking at anything like Saxon's intervention or Spalding or so forth.

 

The test format is not real spelling. My kids bombed the language mechanics portion of theirs. It is their weakness, so it wasn't a total shocker, but as I was reading through all those misspelled words and poorly written sentences, my own head started to spin and cloud up. It's just not the best format to test this stuff.

[Arcadia]

But I feel like, if I'm going to fail this badly, I should just send her to school before she falls too low.

 

 

Public schools here honestly don't have much time for spelling. It is a once a week just get done thing in the language arts curriculum.

I would send a child to school if I suspect a LD because my school district will cover testing and services only if enrolled. My zoned K-8 school has ESL specialist, OT and Speech therapist on site but I don't remember any spelling intervention program.

[Tanikit]

Here are some things you can do:

 

1. If its the style of testing then don't worry at all - if she is spells much better during writing or the spelling you do with her then leave it or if it really bothers you you could teach to the test and get her to practice with your help that type of testing - personally I think that is crazy as when would you need to find one incorrectly spelled word while under pressure?

 

2. If it is an inability to write down the sounds she is hearing (ie can't spell cvc words or battles with initial blends) then I'd probably advise AAS from what I have heard of it and in that case you would have to start at level 1.

 

3. If she spells fine in her lessons and tests but it is not translating into her own writing then I would probably do more dictation - I find it takes my DD about 6 or 7 times of spelling a word correctly in dictation (I am talking about common sight words mostly) when we are NOT working on that spelling rule for it to show up correctly in her own writing. Designing your own dictation can be quite a bit of work though. She'll get there. But don't let a ridiculous way of testing make you think things are worse than they may be.

[NASDAQ]

I was a terrible speller up until the time that I had to teach my own daughter to read. Really, it's okay. I went all the way through law school as a terrible speller. This isn't a critical disability.

 

Have you considered taking her through a phonics program such as the Hay-Wingo Primer or Alphaphonics? I'm sure she already did one before she read, but she's probably let a lot of that go by now. Originally the Hay-Wingo Primer was used thrice -- twice in first grade and again in second.