Remind me about Spelling with a Gifted Reader

[bakpak]

Hi folks,

 

My DD just turned 4 and is reading on the 2nd-grade level. We don't do much spelling, although I ask her how to spell an easy phonetic word every so often when I'm by her little chalkboard. It's obviously not something she wants to spend much time doing. She can spell easy words phonetically, but would be at a loss with even long-vowel words. Given that her reading level is just going to keep advancing well past her spelling level, is this something that folks would recommend I work with her on? Or will it just sort itself out as she gets older? I was wondering if AAS would be good to start with her casually? Or just make up some simple spelling lessons using OPGTR as a guide? Or just leave it alone and let her enjoy her world of books?

 

Thanks!

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

My thoughts about my 4 year old who is reading on a 2nd/3rd grade level: unless he's writing I'm not going to worry about spelling. He's not writing yet.

 

I am going to start AAS with my 2nd grader in a month or so. Ds4 will probably follow along because he loves anything to do with letters and words. AAS 1 is very simple and easy, so if you wanted to do it with your 4 year old who is already reading at a much higher level I see no problem with that. Just be flexible when it comes to writing, and maybe leave that part out.

[bakpak]

That's where my thinking was so far. Not ask for any writing, so either scribe or use moveable alphabet.

 

As for writing, she's been able to print her letters for almost 2 years, but doesn't do it much. An occasional thank-you note is all I get out of her. Out of the blue, she asked to learn cursive a few weeks ago, so we had 2 short lessons.

[Crimson Wife]

AAS 1 is very easy to do using only the letter tiles. It doesn't cover long vowel words, however.

[chicagoshannon]

I wouldn't worry about spelling until she is writing. That battle is not necessary.

[Kerileanne99]

I agree that AAS is a very lovely and gentle start to spelling. My dd3.5 has completed the first level and is slowly, gently going through level 2. When we started she wasn't writing easily enough to not get frustrated, so we did a mix of tiles and the Word Wizard app on IPad.

And I know that there are a lot of mixed opinions on whether a child that age should be asked to spell, but I have to say she absolutely loves it! She asks for it all the time. I try to oblige her a few times per week, and she now loves to write the words.

For this a give her a marker and a dry-erase board, and no correcting of letter size or shape...plenty of time for penmenship during other activities, although she is a bit of a perfectionist so really does try. As a reward for the lesson, she will ask me to set a timer for 15 minutes to see how many words she can write/spell correctly in that time, and she tells me the 'rule' that goes with it. ( I have shuffled all the cards from level 1 so as to let her 'play') it isn't unusual for her to get 18-20 words done in the 15 minute time frame, giggling all the while. I am sure this will go much faster as her writing speed increases. As long as she is having a blast, so am I:)

 

I say this, because spelling is a lot of fun for her, more of a game. I think AAS is awesome for this, and can easily be done so even the youngest kiddos, provided they are reading at about a 1st/2nd grade level.

[MamaSprout]

At 4, I wouldn't worry about it. I have one reading high school level books and just now doing Logic of English as an 8 year old. I would've had to reteach everything if I'd taught it at 4. As a game, sure.

 

When we were super- inquisitive at that age (we called it the "need input stage"), we tried to find broader things to incorporate. Lots of poetry and some Shakespeare, actually. Both of which she still loves.

[boscopup]

My 4 year old has done some Spalding while tagging along with his older brother, but I don't really officially do anything with him. He likes to write and is good at spelling, so Spalding is a good fit for him. He just can't go near the speed that my first grader can. I would give the first grader 30 words to write (6 new words, 24 review) each day, and the 4 year old would tag along for about 10 words sometimes, and I was impressed that he hung on even that long! I really wasn't expecting it. But would I bother doing spelling with him if he were the oldest? Nope.

 

I do recommend learning phonics, as that will help with spelling later. My oldest was an early reader, and he couldn't spell his way out of a paper bag in K-2 because he lacked phonics instruction. In 3rd, spelling started to come together, and now in 4th, he spells pretty well. His spelling level is no where near his reading level, but I don't expect it to be. Some early readers are natural spellers. I suspect my 4 year old may end up being one. He is crazy good at spelling. He keeps shocking me with being good at spelling and writing and liking to sit and do workbooks for an hour (on his own - just grabbing one from his shelf and going to town). My older kids weren't like that at all. :lol:

[LucyStoner]

We followed our early reader's lead on spelling. When he was asking how to spell because he was trying to write (age 4.5-6) we helped him. We set him up with a binder with alpha dividers and called har his dictionary. every time he asked to spell a word, we spelled it and he wrote it in his dictionary. If he asked how to spell a word twice, we pointed him to his dictionary instead of spelling it for him. We didn't do anything more formal until he got a bee in his bonnet to enter spelling bees (age 8). He's a natural speller though. Every kid is different and some early or strong readers are not into spelling. For a natural speller though, simple spelling books and phonetic spelling are crazy making (IMHO).