Do you do spelling tests? And if not...

[talltexan]

We started out this past year using Spell to Write and Read. I really wanted to love this program, and I do like the phonograms and the spelling rules. But when it comes to day-to-day teaching, it's such a struggle! The teacher guides are incredibly hard to follow and poorly written. I'm still not even sure I'm really doing it "right" and just kind of adapt it to make it what I need. But here's my real question, as I'm planning for next year: do you do spelling tests? When we started doing spelling, I would introduce the words on Monday, and we'd practice them in different ways throughout the week. Then on Fridays, we'd do spelling tests. But oh my goodness, my son abhors the spelling tests and it became a big emotional mess. So...how do YOU teach spelling? How do you know when your child has mastered the words?

[KrissiK]

Yes. We use Spelling Workout. Our schedule is as such:

Monday -pre-test, go over words orally, have child do first exercise in book. Child writes words once, twice if he really had trouble on the pre-test..

Tuesday - Thursday - go over words orally, do an exercise in book, write words once or twice

Friday - spelling test.

 

It works for us. DS1 isn't a great speller, but I see tremendous progress over the week (most weeks) and he does remember the words and incorporate the (most of the time) in his writing, so I'd say it's a successful method. dS2is a good speller, so... It doesn't matter to him.

[lil' maids in a row]

Yes we do spelling tests. I use Explode the Code as a phonics AND spelling program, so dd gets alot of practice with the rules and words each week. I give dd a "practice " test on Thursday. If she gets all the words correct then.....no spelling or phonics on Friday. She rarely misses a word, she really wants the day off.

[SorrelZG]

I don't do tests. Well, sometimes .. randomly. I know what he can spell and can't spell based on his writing and if I see problems I collect those words and go over them with him (phonograms, rules, etc.) and then do quick reviews or tests (usually oral and informal) in the following days.

[K&Rs Mom]

We do, but dd mostly prefers to spell out loud instead of writing the words. Other times she prefers a whiteboard or blank page in notability on the iPad. I think having that choice makes her feel like she has some control over it and takes some of the pressure off. She gets her list on Tuesday, does one worksheet then, second worksheet Wednesday, test on Thursday. Any words she gets wrong are added to next week's list.

[Marie131]

We do it on a white board and make a game out of it, my ds doesn't even know he's being tested.

[skeeterbug]

We use AAS and the review is built into the lessons, so no separate spelling tests. If I feel extra practice is necessary, I use Spelling City. Just set up a word list and then he can practice by playing their various games. So far that works for us.

 

http://www.spellingcity.com/

 

[Tracy]

We also use SWR. Some young children really have a hard time with spelling tests. I take it you are talking about your 7yo? I wouldn't push a spelling test on a child younger than 7yo who struggles with it. But by 7yo, I would start planning for how to gradually work him up to it.

 

With my 5yo, we don't do spelling tests at all. He is a perfectionist, and it would be really hard on him. Instead we have daily quizzes on the white board. The difference is with a quiz, we are only quizzing words that we just dictated that day, he can get help from mom when needed, and they are not graded.

 

If I had a child that had been previously reluctant to do tests, I would take a break over the summer and talk about how we were going to add in tests at the beginning of the next year. You may find that when you start the next school year, your dc has gained a lot of maturity since the previous year (at least that is what I experienced when dd turned 7yo). I would have him take his tests on a white board or chalk board. If he is still having a really hard time with it, I would do it in a really fun way, like finger writing in shaving cream or pudding, or by giving him a little reward just for doing the test. (I like to use mini-chocolate chips, because they are so small, so you can give several without ruining their diet or their appetite.)

[Bree]

We don't do tests. We use AAS and we will work through phrases and sentences that use the words and when he shows me that he can spell the words by writing those without problem we move on to another lesson. This way the test anxiety isn't there and he thinks he is just writing for me :) So in a way we are testing him but he doesn't know it ;)

[RootAnn]

I use SWR. There is a learning curve for most of us. :patriot:

One of the things I really like about SWR is how flexible it is. There is a suggestion to sometimes "test" the words in sentences instead of as a list. Had you thought about just giving the spelling words in dictation sentences sprinkled through the week to test how he's retaining & using them in his written work? That way, you don't have to have a "test" each week, but instead do a dictation sentence or two every day you do spelling (perhaps letting him illustrate it if he likes that sort of thing) that contains a few words from the previous week's spelling list. You get review, the 'test', and dictation in that way!

 

I'd encourge you to also let your son use different colored pens or the whiteboard every once and awhile to keeps things spiced up. And feel free to ask about 'how to do things' in SWR. There are a handful of SWR users (like Tracy Mirko :seeya:) seem to know what they are doing who will chime in to help out if you need it !

[talltexan]

This is all so helpful! Thank you very much!! I love all of these ideas, especially using Spelling City and the whiteboard to make it more fun. The problem my 7-year-old has is that he is a perfectionist. He melts down when he gets words wrong, even when I try not to put any pressure on him. I think I will try the daily quizzes (with help from me if needed), dictation sentences, and no more mention of the word "test." I'll hope that as he gains maturity, he'll lose some of that anxiety. Thanks again!!!