Apples & Pears or Sequential Spelling??

[BatmansWife]

I need to submit my order to our school by the end of the month. I was all set to get A&P for both kids. Then I wavered and thought of SS1 for dd and SS for Adults for ds. Now...I read the thread about A&P vs AAS and I think I need to go back to A&P.

 

SS is a lot cheaper...but that shouldn't be the deciding factor. Both of these kids spell words the way they sound. Ds has had a remedial class (mostly focused on reading) at the high school and this has helped him...he does spell better...but he is still constantly asking how a word is spelled. Fwiw, I did try SS1 for son years ago and it flopped...he still kept spelling many of the words wrong...so I don't know why I think maybe the adult book would work now. I had thought of trying the SS and if it didn't work by 2nd semester than get A&P....but then I feel that I would have wasted all of 1st semester, and there isn't any time to lose.

 

I would love to hear if anyone has tried both A&P and SS and could either compare of just tell me which one worked better for your child.

[Walking-Iris]

I haven't used A&P, but I do use and love SS. If you had used it in the past and it didn't work, I imagine he needed more time learning the patterns.

 

In teaching SS a parent/teacher needs to color code and break each word into it's pattern. Every word, every time, until the child understands. You teach a few rules as you go along.

 

I read on the forum that people have had trouble with retention. I don't really understand that because there's extra practice in the student book, and if a child doesn't spell a word correctly you re teach that pattern. Which means going back to that list. Also the biggest mistake people make is to teach it as a spelling test. Just say the word and expect them to spell them and correct at the end won't work. Also saying the word and expecting them to spell it won't work. The point of SS is teaching those patterns. I don't feel that people should consider SS a flop after a try in it. The lists are connected and build on each other.

 

I haven't seen the adult book, and I don't have any spelling advice for a teen. But I did have a friend who had great success using A&P with her 11 year old ds. I imagine you could try both. You could get The Patterns of English Speaking as a reference tool for your teen. There's also a SS placement test.

http://www.avko.org/free/Rough%20Placement%20Test%20for%20SS.pdf

[CatholicMom]

I haven't used A&P, but I do use and love SS. If you had used it in the past and it didn't work, I imagine he needed more time learning the patterns.

 

In teaching SS a parent/teacher needs to color code and break each word into it's pattern. Every word, every time, until the child understands. You teach a few rules as you go along.

 

I read on the forum that people have had trouble with retention. I don't really understand that because there's extra practice in the student book, and if a child doesn't spell a word correctly you re teach that pattern. Which means going back to that list. Also the biggest mistake people make is to teach it as a spelling test. Just say the word and expect them to spell them and correct at the end won't work. Also saying the word and expecting them to spell it won't work. The point of SS is teaching those patterns. I don't feel that people should consider SS a flop after a try in it. The lists are connected and build on each other.

 

I haven't seen the adult book, and I don't have any spelling advice for a teen. But I did have a friend who had great success using A&P with her 11 year old ds. I imagine you could try both. You could get The Patterns of English Speaking as a reference tool for your teen. There's also a SS placement test.

http://www.avko.org/...Test for SS.pdf

 

 

I would love for you to elaborate on your method somewhere (though I don't want to hijack this thread and make it ALL about SS). I just ordered SS again and I think the first time I used it I made the mistakes you mentioned. I thought that's how the instructions presented it (test, correct, test)? Maybe I'm remembering wrong. Either way, I want to make the most of SS this time. My ds is dyslexic and I've heard it's effective for those kids. I really hope I can avoid needless frustration this time.

[Walking-Iris]

I would love for you to elaborate on your method somewhere (though I don't want to hijack this thread and make it ALL about SS). I just ordered SS again and I think the first time I used it I made the mistakes you mentioned. I thought that's how the instructions presented it (test, correct, test)? Maybe I'm remembering wrong. Either way, I want to make the most of SS this time. My ds is dyslexic and I've heard it's effective for those kids. I really hope I can avoid needless frustration this time.

 

 

No. You absolutely do not teach it as a spelling test. There are no spelling tests. SS has been revised, although the only change has been cosmetic and adding more activities to the student book. But that original SS teacher guide had the best advice for teaching it.

 

I'll try to put in words how I do it. At this point my ds has the hang of it and I can just orally give the word and he spells it, and if he makes a mistake I can just orally correct him or remind him of a pattern or rule at that moment. But when first starting out you have to sit with the child and teach each word. You correct a misspelling at that moment, not after. You always correct a misspelling at that moment, never after.

 

So in SS1 for example--You have three colors, red, blue, green. Either dry erase, chalk, pens, pencils...whatever works for you. When my ds was 1st grade age we worked on a chalkboard or dry erase board. Now if he struggles I pull out pencils and a pad of paper. Also with younger kids it helps to use a movable alphabet of some sort as an extra activity. Older kids may not like that activity too much.

 

So the first list in SS1 (1st or 2nd grade age typically---depending on reading ability) you will work on the "in" pattern. So you say it, emphasize those sounds (phonics), allow the child to attempt to write it, then write it in one color (I put the patterns in red). Always write it yourself whether they spell it correctly or not. Ask them to write it again if they spelled it wrong. Don't erase, just mark the misspelling out. ETA: Use it in a sentence when you say it. Talk about what it means if need be. Get out a dictionary and so on. Ask the child to orally put it in a sentence.

 

Then the next word is "pin." Say it and let the child write it. Write in with red and p in blue. Point out the beginning consonant. And so on. By the 5th lesson they are spelling thinned, beginning, spinner etc.

 

You always say the word, let them attempt it, and right or wrong you write it as well using your 3 colors for syllables. beginning So in 5 lessons in SS1 they've learned the doubling rule for consonants adding ing. (exceptions get covered in other lessons and levels). You also talk to them about the grammar of adding ed, er, ing or s for plurals, and you've worked with words ending with ee.

 

If they miss all the words you just reteach that lesson. Or move on and reteach within the other lessons. It took my ds a long time to remember to double a consonant, drop an e for ing, or to drop a y for ies when he started. But the point is not that they spell each day's list correctly the first time. You're teaching, they're learning. When you get to the evaluation test, you go back to the list on any word that they missed. In the student book there is vocabulary work, writing activities, dictionary usage, and various games.

 

Other then the patterns, the suffixes and prefixes are emphasized and there's quite a bit of grammar being taught as well. It also helps with reading because of the emphasize on phonetic patterns.

 

Now I have to share my one complaint about SS. There is not any hand holding in this spelling program. If a parent teacher doesn't grasp intuitively how to teach it, then it's not going to be very easy. It's just list of words after all. It's up to the teacher to see how best to teach it and to be aware of the subtle connections and grammar work. And it requires individualized evaluations. You have to be aware of how best to help the specific child using it. I hear the complaint that students are memorizing those lists. That is NOT the point of SS at all. Nor are the words in the list random, which is another complaint.

 

It may not be the spelling program for everyone. There's a lot of great spelling programs out there.

[CatholicMom]

No. You absolutely do not teach it as a spelling test. There are no spelling tests. SS has been revised, although the only change has been cosmetic and adding more activities to the student book. But that original SS teacher guide had the best advice for teaching it.

 

I'll try to put in words how I do it. At this point my ds has the hang of it and I can just orally give the word and he spells it, and if he makes a mistake I can just orally correct him or remind him of a pattern or rule at that moment. But when first starting out you have to sit with the child and teach each word. You correct a misspelling at that moment, not after. You always correct a misspelling at that moment, never after.

 

So in SS1 for example--You have three colors, red, blue, green. Either dry erase, chalk, pens, pencils...whatever works for you. When my ds was 1st grade age we worked on a chalkboard or dry erase board. Now if he struggles I pull out pencils and a pad of paper. Also with younger kids it helps to use a movable alphabet of some sort as an extra activity. Older kids may not like that activity too much.

 

So the first list in SS1 (1st or 2nd grade age typically---depending on reading ability) you will work on the "in" pattern. So you say it, emphasize those sounds (phonics), allow the child to attempt to write it, then write it in one color (I put the patterns in red). Always write it yourself whether they spell it correctly or not. Ask them to write it again if they spelled it wrong. Don't erase, just mark the misspelling out. ETA: Use it in a sentence when you say it. Talk about what it means if need be. Get out a dictionary and so on. Ask the child to orally put it in a sentence.

 

Then the next word is "pin." Say it and let the child write it. Write in with red and p in blue. Point out the beginning consonant. And so on. By the 5th lesson they are spelling thinned, beginning, spinner etc.

 

You always say the word, let them attempt it, and right or wrong you write it as well using your 3 colors for syllables. beginning So in 5 lessons in SS1 they've learned the doubling rule for consonants adding ing. (exceptions get covered in other lessons and levels). You also talk to them about the grammar of adding ed, er, ing or s for plurals, and you've worked with words ending with ee.

 

If they miss all the words you just reteach that lesson. Or move on and reteach within the other lessons. It took my ds a long time to remember to double a consonant, drop an e for ing, or to drop a y for ies when he started. But the point is not that they spell each day's list correctly the first time. You're teaching, they're learning. When you get to the evaluation test, you go back to the list on any word that they missed. In the student book there is vocabulary work, writing activities, dictionary usage, and various games.

 

Other then the patterns, the suffixes and prefixes are emphasized and there's quite a bit of grammar being taught as well. It also helps with reading because of the emphasize on phonetic patterns.

 

Now I have to share my one complaint about SS. There is not any hand holding in this spelling program. If a parent teacher doesn't grasp intuitively how to teach it, then it's not going to be very easy. It's just list of words after all. It's up to the teacher to see how best to teach it and to be aware of the subtle connections and grammar work. And it requires individualized evaluations. You have to be aware of how best to help the specific child using it. I hear the complaint that students are memorizing those lists. That is NOT the point of SS at all. Nor are the words in the list random, which is another complaint.

 

It may not be the spelling program for everyone. There's a lot of great spelling programs out there.

 

 

Thanks! I'm going to save this post in my email so I can refer to it when I get SS in the mail and can look it over.

 

Sooo is it a bad idea to do SS simultaneously with 2 kids? Especially with one kid who's dyslexic and one who's not? :glare:

[BatmansWife]

 

Then the next word is "pin." Say it and let the child write it. Write in with red and p in blue. Point out the beginning consonant. And so on. By the 5th lesson they are spelling thinned, beginning, spinner etc.

 

You always say the word, let them attempt it, and right or wrong you write it as well using your 3 colors for syllables. beginning

 

When I used SS in the past, I had my ds write each word and we checked if it needed to be corrected right away before going on to the next word. I used the colors too...but it was confusing to me to know if I was doing that correctly (this was not the revised edition and it didn't explain how to do this very well). It seems that you are writing the word in a mixed up order....as in: write "in" in red and "p" in blue. So.....when you get to a word like "beginning" do you first write the "in" in red then next you write the "g" in red, then the "be" in blue and then the "ning" in green?? Or....do you just start from the left and do the "be" in blue, then the "gin" in red and finish with the "ning" in green....? I know this might seem like a silly question, but I never fully understood this. But, on the other hand...maybe you are writing your word in those different colors the very same time your child is writing their word...and when they are done they look up and just see your completed word in the different colors (in which case, then writing it in a mixed up kind of order wouldn't matter). So, I guess I would like to know if you write the word from base word on out (if that makes sense) or from left to right like normal.

 

:confused1:

[Walking-Iris]

No I write it in order, but you don't have to. But I keep the same colors that I used in the patterns and in any root words. Beginning has in, inning, be, gin, begin, ...

 

You write it in the order that you spell it. The separate colors help a child see the separate parts/patterns. So in would be one color, gin two (the g and the in), be one color, begin--two colors, inning---two colors, beginning--three. You're just breaking it into it's parts. Over time the words build on one small part, in, until you're spelling larger words. However, since the point of the lesson is the in pattern more so than the in as a word, it is helpful after you start a new cycles of lessons on a new pattern to write that pattern somewhere as a cue to what pattern you'll be working on.

 

Alternatively you could use the computer version of SS. I don't like it, but some people do since it has the words broken into the colors and you could sit with your child at the computer. I would still expect them to hand write the word and to correct any mistake immediately. I also wouldn't leave a child to do spelling independently on the computer.

 

If you can break a word into it's syllabic parts...you will be doing it correctly. Over time you rely less and less on that method. As my ds began to understand how to see/hear the patterns/parts orally he didn't need me to write it out so much. A verbal reminder is enough now. And for small one syllable words, pin, gin, spin and so on, I like to put the initial consonant or blend in a different color.

http://sequentialspelling.com/Sequential_Spelling.html

 

http://www.avko.org/Essays/color_in_sequential_spelling.htm

 

They use the colors a bit differently than i do, but the idea is the same. When first starting I do this procedure every time, now I only do it if a mistake is made and oral reminders aren't enough. Or it's a completely new concept. But my d shas been doing SS for 4 years exclusively. We kind of have the hang of it now.

[Walking-Iris]

Also I think it can be used with two kids at the same time. They're leveled books, not graded.

[BatmansWife]

No I write it in order, but you don't have to. But I keep the same colors that I used in the patterns and in any root words. Beginning has in, inning, be, gin, begin, ...

 

You write it in the order that you spell it. The separate colors help a child see the separate parts/patterns. So in would be one color, gin two (the g and the in), be one color, begin--two colors, inning---two colors, beginning--three. You're just breaking it into it's parts. Over time the words build on one small part, in, until you're spelling larger words. However, since the point of the lesson is the in pattern more so than the in as a word, it is helpful after you start a new cycles of lessons on a new pattern to write that pattern somewhere as a cue to what pattern you'll be working on.

 

Alternatively you could use the computer version of SS. I don't like it, but some people do since it has the words broken into the colors and you could sit with your child at the computer. I would still expect them to hand write the word and to correct any mistake immediately. I also wouldn't leave a child to do spelling independently on the computer.

 

If you can break a word into it's syllabic parts...you will be doing it correctly. Over time you rely less and less on that method. As my ds began to understand how to see/hear the patterns/parts orally he didn't need me to write it out so much. A verbal reminder is enough now. And for small one syllable words, pin, gin, spin and so on, I like to put the initial consonant or blend in a different color.

http://sequentialspe...l_Spelling.html

 

http://www.avko.org/...al_spelling.htm

 

They use the colors a bit differently than i do, but the idea is the same. When first starting I do this procedure every time, now I only do it if a mistake is made and oral reminders aren't enough. Or it's a completely new concept. But my d shas been doing SS for 4 years exclusively. We kind of have the hang of it now.

 

 

Thanks for explaining. I didn't know about those particular links at the SS site. The one about color I will for sure read. The first one...I'm almost surprised that SS put that Timberdoodle video on their site. I had watched it a few weeks ago at the Timberdoodle website. But, they do SS differently than how SS says to do it (that's the reason I was surprised they had the video there).

[Walking-Iris]

Yeah, and that video is showing the older version of SS. I highly recommend using the revised student book. The extra games, vocab, and writing work has been a great addition to it.

 

The video is good in showing how you can just clip along in the program after you get the hang of it. I highly recommend doing the color in the second link when you start, and to rely on that color method when introducing a new pattern or when your child struggles with a word. If my ds can't get a word in two tries with oral reminders or cues, then I pull out my pad and pencils and we go through it. The colors are really useful for those with auditory issues or visual learners. I also highly recommend using the words in a sentence. I don't say "1st word spin etc" I just say the word when I see he's done and use it in a sentence, sometimes I ask him if he knows what a word means, and we talk about vocab or grammar. All in a natural way as I see the opportunity. We talk while spelling!!! The video is a tad boring!! As you move along in SS, then you can accelerate, like they mention in the video. I don't ask my ds to orally spell back a word to me. I usually sit beside him and can watch him spelling, and if a mistake is made I can see it and ask him to try again. I always enunciate the word if it is a tricky one, smaller words you can just clip through (like in the video). But it is a good idea to randomly do little spelling bees throughout the week with a few words of your choosing. That's something we do and added on our own. My dh especially likes to orally quiz him randomly.

 

 

Basically you can adapt it a bit to your specific child. If you start it with an older kid I imagine you can just move along quickly. SS suggests doing no more than 4 lessons in one day. That's usually a lot of writing. The most I have my kid do at one time is 2---maybe 3. But we do the extra vocab and writing, so that is why we usually don't do more than 2. I let him choose if he wants to do any of the games. But having them try a few of the games helps in strategy and recognizing the spelling words.

 

Also I do NOT try to get through one book in a year. We take little breaks from it. Since the words (and vocab) are advanced for grade level I don't worry about that. We did SS1 in 1st and part of 2nd grade for example.

[BatmansWife]

I really appreciate you taking the time to discuss SS and how you use it. I'm in such a quandry because both programs seem really good. I don't have a problem of trying one for dd and if it doesn't work then going for the other one, she's still young. My ds on the other hand...I just want to pick the right one and have it be it (but I don't know if that will happen or not....there's no guarantees)...because I feel like I only have 18 months (2 school years) to use a program for him. But, I can see that because he's older....he might not give me as much trouble if I'd go with the SS for Adults book (he won't think it's "babyish" the way he might think A&P would be). I believe I saw in a Timberdoodle video that SS for Adults is all the levels of SS at a quicker pace. This is probably what I should do.

 

But, I'm still all ears to hear if anyone has anything to say about A&P. I'm kind of surprised that no one has commented about it.

[Walking-Iris]

I couldn't really give you advice for spelling with a teen. That's so far off my radar and experience level. I haven't seen the adult book either. Maybe try to find it used, and use it in conjunction with Apples? I have a friend who really likes Apples &Pears. Her kids are not teens though.

 

Maybe cross post all of this in the high school board?

[BatmansWife]

Hmmm....well, maybe this is the "sign" that I should get SS (no comments about A&P).

 

I went to the High school board (kinda forgot about that board because I only ever come over to this board) and typed in different combinations of how to search for Apples & Pears and SS/SS for adults, ect. Looks like between the two, over there at least, SS is the one being used by more.

 

Who knows...maybe I'll end up getting both. ;)

 

Oh, btw...that 2nd link at AVKO about the spelling with colors.....he *does* do it out of order. For some reason, that's what confused me so much the first time. But, I'm not gonna obsess about it. Whatever. I'll just try to figure what works best for us and do it that way.

[Walking-Iris]

 

Oh, btw...that 2nd link at AVKO about the spelling with colors.....he *does* do it out of order. For some reason, that's what confused me so much the first time. But, I'm not gonna obsess about it. Whatever. I'll just try to figure what works best for us and do it that way.

 

 

Don't get confused by the order. Out of order would be good for emphasizing the patterns. I've never written a word out of order though. You'll be fine figuring out what works best.

[BatmansWife]

 

 

Don't get confused by the order. Out of order would be good for emphasizing the patterns. I've never written a word out of order though. You'll be fine figuring out what works best.

 

Thanks!

[Chelli]

I would love to hear if anyone has tried both A&P and SS and could either compare of just tell me which one worked better for your child.

 

I didn't respond to your OP because this doesn't fit me. :laugh:

 

I've used AAS, HTTS, and now A&P.

 

A&P has by FAR been the approach that has worked the best and produced crossover from spelling to regular writing. I don't think A&P seems babyish after the first half of book A, so your son probably wouldn't have a problem with it.

[BatmansWife]

 

I didn't respond to your OP because this doesn't fit me. :laugh:

 

I've used AAS, HTTS, and now A&P.

 

A&P has by FAR been the approach that has worked the best and produced crossover from spelling to regular writing. I don't think A&P seems babyish after the first half of book A, so your son probably wouldn't have a problem with it.

 

 

Thanks for commenting. It was your blog post about A&P that I read awhile ago that really got me wanting to use it. I still do. I just have to make a decision. I think I just need to go for it or I'll never know....

[alisoncooks]

 

Thanks for commenting. It was your blog post about A&P that I read awhile ago that really got me wanting to use it. I still do. I just have to make a decision. I think I just need to go for it or I'll never know....

 

We just started A&P and I LOVE it. It's just what my struggling reader needed! (I'm using it with my rising 2nd grader -- I can't speak over long term or for older students.) I just know that I am so glad I gave this one a go!

[abaent]

We have used Spelling Plus, Spelling Workout, AAS, and we are now on to Apples and Pears. I just ordered it. Can you sense my excitement? I told my husband, but he doesn't share the same enthusiasm as all of you would. ;) AAS worked beautifully for two of my children. We still use it, and I think it is a wonderful program. My child that struggles with spelling made snail like progress. Granted, slow progress is better than no progress. He is a math person and likes to follow formulas to get the right answer. He was very frustrated with AAS in that he learned all the rules, but more often than not, the rule breakers ticked him off. He knows the rules (Thank you, AAS), but the book never could explain why certain words don't follow the rules. After reading no less than 200 posts raving about A&P, I decided to take the plunge. At this point, I don't care how much something costs. Know what I mean? I wish that AAS had some sort of workbook component to reinforce visual memory (yes, I know they have charts that you are supposed to read every day). I also know that some people like it because it is non-consumable, but I think the daily written reinforcement with A&P will be great. I plan to start right away, so I will update as we progress. My fingers are crossed. . .

[BatmansWife]

We just started A&P and I LOVE it. It's just what my struggling reader needed! (I'm using it with my rising 2nd grader -- I can't speak over long term or for older students.) I just know that I am so glad I gave this one a go!

 

Great to hear! I don't want this to become just about my teen. I'm looking for something for my youngest too. The blog post from Chelli showing A&P made me think that it would be something my dd would really like.

 

We have used Spelling Plus, Spelling Workout, AAS, and we are now on to Apples and Pears. I just ordered it. Can you sense my excitement? I told my husband, but he doesn't share the same enthusiasm as all of you would. ;) AAS worked beautifully for two of my children. We still use it, and I think it is a wonderful program. My child that struggles with spelling made snail like progress. Granted, slow progress is better than no progress. He is a math person and likes to follow formulas to get the right answer. He was very frustrated with AAS in that he learned all the rules, but more often than not, the rule breakers ticked him off. He knows the rules (Thank you, AAS), but the book never could explain why certain words don't follow the rules. After reading no less than 200 posts raving about A&P, I decided to take the plunge. At this point, I don't care how much something costs. Know what I mean? I wish that AAS had some sort of workbook component to reinforce visual memory (yes, I know they have charts that you are supposed to read every day). I also know that some people like it because it is non-consumable, but I think the daily written reinforcement with A&P will be great. I plan to start right away, so I will update as we progress. My fingers are crossed. . .

 

Yea!! I hope it arrives fast and that you'll have great success with it.

 

Where did you find 200 some posts raving about A&P?? Just by searching here?

[abaent]

Yes! I Googled for hours, but these forums truly have hundreds of comments about the A&P methodology and users. One thread leads to another, and before long, you excitedly push that purchase button on the A&P website. ;)

 

In all seriousness, I hope that your search will lead you to what is right for your kids. As we both know, there isn't one magic box curriculum that can meet the needs of every kid. As a mom in the same boat, I can relate to the agony/joy that comes with the search and the solution (that most assuredly is right around the corner). :)

[sixpence1978]

For my DD, we have used both SS and A&P. She liked SS. It did work, but it didn't review as much as A&P and she really, really needs that review. She hates all the review, but she needs it :)

 

Book A does start out rather...how should I put it...remedial or babyish. It does a lot of tracing of letters and phonograms. My DD needed this at the time (age 8), but I can see a teenager really scoffing at it.

 

SS definitely has an older child feel to it. I would be tempted to try out the video with the new student workbook with him. Your daughter is at a great age for A&P though.

[BatmansWife]

Yes! I Googled for hours, but these forums truly have hundreds of comments about the A&P methodology and users. One thread leads to another, and before long, you excitedly push that purchase button on the A&P website. ;)

 

In all seriousness, I hope that your search will lead you to what is right for your kids. As we both know, there isn't one magic box curriculum that can meet the needs of every kid. As a mom in the same boat, I can relate to the agony/joy that comes with the search and the solution (that most assuredly is right around the corner). :)

 

Thanks....I hope you are right that I will find what works.

 

For my DD, we have used both SS and A&P. She liked SS. It did work, but it didn't review as much as A&P and she really, really needs that review. She hates all the review, but she needs it :)

 

Book A does start out rather...how should I put it...remedial or babyish. It does a lot of tracing of letters and phonograms. My DD needed this at the time (age 8), but I can see a teenager really scoffing at it.

 

SS definitely has an older child feel to it. I would be tempted to try out the video with the new student workbook with him. Your daughter is at a great age for A&P though.

 

Yay...someone who has used both. Thanks for your comments...they are helpful and give me more to think about.

[Chelli]

The more babyish stuff in Book A only goes up to Level (Lesson) 15. After that the format is exactly the same as the other books except that the font is bigger. Even my dd with her awful spelling tested into the middle of Book A when we started so the babyish stuff was skipped.

 

Have you given your son the placement tests?

[BatmansWife]

The more babyish stuff in Book A only goes up to Level (Lesson) 15. After that the format is exactly the same as the other books except that the font is bigger. Even my dd with her awful spelling tested into the middle of Book A when we started so the babyish stuff was skipped.

 

Have you given your son the placement tests?

 

 

I had looked over the placement tests awhile ago. I'm not really sure if I actually gave him any words to spell....I think I just looked at the list and knew when he'd start to have trouble. But, it seems that it was at the very end of book A. How many levels are in book A? If I get a complete set for dd and just workbooks for ds....maybe I could skip book A for him. I suppose I could try to give him some of the placement tests and see how he does.

[Chelli]

 

I had looked over the placement tests awhile ago. I'm not really sure if I actually gave him any words to spell....I think I just looked at the list and knew when he'd start to have trouble. But, it seems that it was at the very end of book A. How many levels are in book A? If I get a complete set for dd and just workbooks for ds....maybe I could skip book A for him. I suppose I could try to give him some of the placement tests and see how he does.

 

There are 67 Levels in Book A.

 

These are the words on the final test. If he passes this test he would start in Book B. You must get 0-3 words wrong to pass:

 

speaker, cool, delight, boxes, grass, fearless, done, least, crossing, put, strongly, glasses, misspell, when, coated, slightly, drinker, some, make, father

 

If he misses more than 3 words give him this test. If he doesn't miss more than three words on this test you would start him at Level 61 Book A:

 

please, were, know, wrong, quack, out, teach, mother, serve, singer, would, leave, quickly, player, dress, night, make, father, real, better, some, said, tight, bowl, year

 

If he misses more than 3 words on that test, give him this one. If he doesn't miss more than two words on this test you would start him at Level 51:

 

play, think, boys, look, small, little, stay, what, growl, fly, with, like, good, march, fork, sister, love, those, queen, remark

 

If he misses more than 2 words on that test, give him this one. If he doesn't miss more than two words on this test you would start him at Level 41:

 

her, want, bring, black, short, how, they, down, brown, live, gave, much, now, torch, book, come, drive, trying, smart

 

Let me know if you need any more placement tests. :D

[BatmansWife]

 

There are 67 Levels in Book A.

 

These are the words on the final test. If he passes this test he would start in Book B. You must get 0-3 words wrong to pass:

 

speaker, cool, delight, boxes, grass, fearless, done, least, crossing, put, strongly, glasses, misspell, when, coated, slightly, drinker, some, make, father

 

If he misses more than 3 words give him this test. If he doesn't miss more than three words on this test you would start him at Level 61 Book A:

 

please, were, know, wrong, quack, out, teach, mother, serve, singer, would, leave, quickly, player, dress, night, make, father, real, better, some, said, tight, bowl, year

 

If he misses more than 3 words on that test, give him this one. If he doesn't miss more than two words on this test you would start him at Level 51:

 

play, think, boys, look, small, little, stay, what, growl, fly, with, like, good, march, fork, sister, love, those, queen, remark

 

If he misses more than 2 words on that test, give him this one. If he doesn't miss more than two words on this test you would start him at Level 41:

 

her, want, bring, black, short, how, they, down, brown, live, gave, much, now, torch, book, come, drive, trying, smart

 

Let me know if you need any more placement tests. :D

 

Thank you so much....this will be very helpful. I'll see how it goes (probably won't be able to do anything until next week Tuesday).

[Lieutenant Stranger]

I thought that's how the instructions presented it (test, correct, test)? Maybe I'm remembering wrong. Either way, I want to make the most of SS this time. My ds is dyslexic and I've heard it's effective for those kids. I really hope I can avoid needless frustration this time.

 

 

Honestly, we had troubles with this, too....I don't think that (for me) the instructions did a good job of explaining what needed to be done. To me, it seemed like test, correct, test...and it got really old, really fast.

[BatmansWife]

 

 

Honestly, we had troubles with this, too....I don't think that (for me) the instructions did a good job of explaining what needed to be done. To me, it seemed like test, correct, test...and it got really old, really fast.

 

It is test, correct, test...isn't it?? Say the word, have them write it, then correct any error immediately, go to the next word. Maybe the word "test" isn't what SS means or wants to use...but the basic idea is that you don't wait until the end to correct all the errors since they are usually building on the previous word. Maybe the more correct way to say it is "write, correct, write".....

[8filltheheart]

I know nothing about SS, but the one thing that A&P has (and HTTS as well) is spiral dictation. (necessary for my ds)

[BatmansWife]

I know nothing about SS, but the one thing that A&P has (and HTTS as well) is spiral dictation. (necessary for my ds)

 

 

Oh yeah....it has the dictation. That's what I like....using the spelling words in sentences that they write. Thanks for that reminder.

[Cynful]

Not sure if it helps, but we are currently using A&P and I plan to go on to SS after we are finished with it. My son is dyslexic and has other LDs and I think this pattern will work well for him. We've done AAS and Barton and it's too many rules for him to remember (he has memory issues). Seeing the patterns has really caused his reading to take off and his spelling is coming along now as well. IF we finish both A&P and SS before he's finished with high school, I'm considering then going back through AAS and see if those rules stick better then.

 

Good luck,