dictation question...spelling?

[Mom2TheTeam]

My son is in 2nd.  We are starting with some light dictation.  I'm struggling to find sentences that he will always know the spelling of all the words.  Of course, if he doesn't know how to spell it, he will always ask.  How do you handle this?  Do you tell them the spelling?  Have them sound it out the best they can?  Help them sound it out?

 

To me, dictation is not so much about spelling, especially when just starting out and learning the process.  I don't want spelling to be a stumbling block for him. 

 

So, how do you handle it?  Thanks!

 

(I've seen Dictation with Dan.  I don't see her address this issue at all in that video, probably because Dan is older. ;))

[ErinE]

I spell the word unless it's something really easy, like pan or cat. I want dictation to be about writing conventions and memory as opposed to spelling.

 

ETA: DD is not a natural speller so I spell 2-5 words per dictation exercise.

[edeemarie]

Spelling was an issue with us when we did dictation. Now we do prepared dictation (you can see a video explaining it here

). It takes the spelling stumbling block out of the equation:)

[edeemarie]

sorry...double post!

[duckens]

Things I do:

1) Tell the number of letters.

2) Divide the word into syllables, and using clue words linked to the Phonics system we use (Saxon Phonics).

 

-----------------------------------

Examples:

 

The word is REMEMBER.

First syllable: re

Second syllable: mem

Third syllable: ber.....and has "'er' like in butter."

 

The word is TRAIN, 5 letters.

Start with tr

"'ai' like in rain"

You know the ending.

 

The word is DINOSAUR

di

no

saur...with "'au' like in sauce."

 

The word is BEHAVE.

be

have....and one more letter on the end (I prompt if she forgets the silent e).

 

I don't always prompt in this way, but if I know it is a word she does not know, or if she is struggling, I do this.

 

***ETA: I don't spell the "special sounds"  (er, ai, au).  I sound them out.  Hopefully dd6 remembers how to spell them.

[chepyl]

I do use dictation to practice spelling, but it is a part of our spelling program. We use Spelling Plus, it has an accompanying dictation book. The sentences only use words from the list they match (they are all numbered) or the previous lists. You can get just the dictation book, it has the lists in it as well. Then you can check the lists for the words you KNOW he can spell and use those sentences. Each list has 20 sentences. As they get more advanced they become paragraphs. It also slowly adds various writing conventions. The first sentences have periods and capital letters. Then they add questions, exclamations, and eventually commas, etc.

 

 

[ByGrace3]

When spelling became an issue in 2nd grade, I began addressing it beforehand. I would identify any problem words, write them on a white board and let my child look at hem and we would discuss spelling strategies ahead of time. I left the words up on the board during dictation so she could reference it.

 

For 3rd grade we are doing more of the same concept-- but we study the word and hen she supplies it without the help for the dictation.

[Mom2TheTeam]

Thanks everyone!  I'll continue doing what I've been doing which is telling him or helping him sound it out depending on the word.  :)

[bbcooker]

We use AAS as our spelling program.  It has lots of dictation sentences for me to use which the student should already be able to spell.  We are in Level 2 of AAS.

[KellieK]

I just tell the spelling to my daughters and after they are done I will go over the spelling rules of the ones they needed help on.

[petepie2]

My 2nd grader really struggles with spelling. He's about halfway through AAS2. If we haven't covered it, then he's just not able to spell it correctly. So I have to spell most of the words in WWE2 dictation. The point of dictation is hold information in your head and then write it down. AAS has dictation, but there the purpose is correctly spelling words in sentences. Spell away!!

[Mom2TheTeam]

He is actually a good speller.  Most of the time, I find sentences with words I think he can spell and usually he can.  I just wasn't sure what standard protocol is when he asks.  Glad to see I was handling it as most do with the understanding that dictation is not about spelling.  :D

[alef]

I prefer prepared dictation. Let the student first use the dictation sentence as copywork, with the understanding that it will be dictated later and they need to pay attention to spelling etc. Then dictate.

[nmoira]

I spell the word if asked, otherwise corrections are made after the fact. Particularly with longer dictations, anything that interferes with the child holding it in their head is an unnecessary handicap if the point of the dictation is to get the thought down on paper.

[Farrar]

One of the Brave Writer dictation tricks is to do it like a fill in the blank, with the hard words already on the page and the student writes the rest.  It can also help make a frame for a longer dictation for a younger student.

[Mom2TheTeam]

I spell the word if asked, otherwise corrections are made after the fact. Particularly with longer dictations, anything that interferes with the child holding it in their head is an unnecessary handicap if the point of the dictation is to get the thought down on paper.

 

I feel this way too.  I would rather him just keep spell it the best he can and keep going. Then, correct/discuss the proper spelling later.  But, my oldest is a perfectionist and he has a hard time moving forward if he thinks it isn't spelled properly. 

 

Maybe I will take the approach of always just spelling it for him if he asks (rather than sometimes helping him sound it out) because I really don't want him hung up on trying to figure out the spelling. I want him working on holding the thought in his mind.

 

Thanks for your input!

[evansmom]

Don't forget to focus on the phonics rules....can't become a good speller if you don't know the rules. This is an often overlooked area of homeschooling/schooling.

AAS does a good job of teaching the phonics rules but you could also get Spelling Through Phonics by McCracken or A Sound Track to Reading. Great books to have on hand.

We keep our phonics rules in a recipe box and in a small 4x6 photo book with the rules written on index cards.  Each child reviews and references the rules when I stop them and ask "what's the rule?".

Good luck!

[boscopup]

If you're using WWE, she says in there to help with spelling. Sit at his side and jump in as needed. If it's a word I think he *can* spell using the phonics/rules he knows, I'll encourage him to do so, but otherwise, I just told him the spelling.

 

Also, when you start WWE2, they are doing the dictation as copywork the day before (except when you dictate their own narration to them on day 4). So it's not cold dictation. WWE3 switches over to cold dictation, and I absolutely help with spelling in that.

 

I'm also a walking dictionary when my son is writing in general. I want him to use strong words in his writing, and those strong words may be above his spelling level. I don't want him to switch to a weaker word that he can spell when I could just help him spell the stronger word and have a better final result. His spelling will catch up eventually. He's just asynchronous - his reading level is waaaaay ahead of his spelling level, so his ideas for writing are also way ahead of his spelling level. The gap is closing as he gets older and gets more spelling practice.

[Mom2TheTeam]

If you're using WWE, she says in there to help with spelling. Sit at his side and jump in as needed. If it's a word I think he *can* spell using the phonics/rules he knows, I'll encourage him to do so, but otherwise, I just told him the spelling.

 

Also, when you start WWE2, they are doing the dictation as copywork the day before (except when you dictate their own narration to them on day 4). So it's not cold dictation. WWE3 switches over to cold dictation, and I absolutely help with spelling in that.

 

I'm also a walking dictionary when my son is writing in general. I want him to use strong words in his writing, and those strong words may be above his spelling level. I don't want him to switch to a weaker word that he can spell when I could just help him spell the stronger word and have a better final result. His spelling will catch up eventually. He's just asynchronous - his reading level is waaaaay ahead of his spelling level, so his ideas for writing are also way ahead of his spelling level. The gap is closing as he gets older and gets more spelling practice.

 

Thanks! He is doing WWE1.  Our MFW Adv suggests starting light dictation.  He is ready for it even though I still have him in WWE1.  MFW gives some help on how to do it and I do like and trust MFW.  They suggest showing the child the text first and I wasn't doing that. I wanted SWB's way of doing dictation.  Hence the question.  :)  I appreciate you telling me.  Now I realize, I really should pull out my WWE2 and read it. That didn't even occur to me. :blush:

 

We are hurrying through WWE1.  I've thought about moving him up.  He was more than ready for the amount of copywork included, but I feel he needs the narration practice.  I'm skipping and doubling up to move him along faster.  I'd like him to be in WWE2 by Christmas. 

 

Anyway, thank you!  I'm going to pull out my WWE2, which I already have ;), and see what she says.  :D