Angel Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Dd13 is in 7th grade. She is partway through AAS 6, not because she needs to be working a grade behind but because we just aren't getting to it. I love AAS but over the past year dd has moved to more independent study and AAS isn't independent. I don't know if I should ditch AAS without finishing the 6th or 7th book and move on to a different, more workbooky spelling or trudge through the rest of AAS. I guess I'm worried that she is going to have gaps if she doesn't finish with the AAS books. Her spelling skills now are average. If I was to move her into another program, what would be the best fit and where would I start? Or I suppose I could just go radical and drop spelling and focus on spelling in CE1 and WWS. :willy_nilly: Really I should have asked this months ago. Spelling is the only subject that is not going well this year because it's just not going at all. :glare: Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixpence1978 Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 You could look into something like Megawords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Have her take the ayers test, the programs depends on her score on that. I have different things I like based on current spelling grade level. http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Spelling/spellingtests.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murrayshire Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Have you looked at Phonetic Zoo? There is a placement test for it. http://iew.com/shop/products/phonetic-zoo-spelling-starter-set-b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 Thank you for the suggestions! I had not looked at Megawords or Phonetics Zoo. Megawords looks independent, is Phonetics Zoo? ElizabethB - am I supposed to start the Ayers Test with column A and move through all the words? Or start at her grade level? It was a little unclear to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murrayshire Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Megawords looks independent, is Phonetics Zoo?. Phonetic Zoo is independent if you use the audio CDs. (I would just make sure dd is correcting her words correctly.) Some people use it without audio to cut the cost..... But I think the audio is where the heart of the program is. My dd used it in 4th grade and would much rather here the audio than do spelling with me. We took a break from it this year to learn phonograms in LOE but will continue PZ for 6th grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 ElizabethB - am I supposed to start the Ayers Test with column A and move through all the words? Or start at her grade level? It was a little unclear to me. You want to start somewhere around where she will miss at least a few words but not more than 40% of them, so probably somewhere between level N or O and R or U, give 20 words orally from one of those letters that you think she will miss at least one or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 You want to start somewhere around where she will miss at least a few words but not more than 40% of them, so probably somewhere between level N or O and R or U, give 20 words orally from one of those letters that you think she will miss at least one or two. Ok, so it took a little while to get this done this week. I really wasn't sure what her level was so we did quite a few. Here's what we came up with. Level O - 20/20 Level P - 20/20 Level Q - 19/20 Level R - 19/20 Level S - 18/20 Level T - 17/20 Level U - 16/20 Level V - 9/12 But I have no clue what that really means other than she knew more words than I thought!! Call me simple but I couldn't figure out what Ayres was trying to say in that darn book! Can you give me any advice on these results? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Ok, so it took a little while to get this done this week. I really wasn't sure what her level was so we did quite a few. Here's what we came up with. Level O - 20/20 Level P - 20/20 Level Q - 19/20 Level R - 19/20 Level S - 18/20 Level T - 17/20 Level U - 16/20 Level V - 9/12 But I have no clue what that really means other than she knew more words than I thought!! Call me simple but I couldn't figure out what Ayres was trying to say in that darn book! Can you give me any advice on these results? Thanks! Wow, she deserves a break after spelling all those words! Interpreting the results is actually very easy, you figure out the percent for the score (i.e. 16/20 = 8/10 = 80%, then go to the table for that score and see what grade level that score percentage is. I have never had anyone give the same person that many different levels all at once, the results were quite consistent!! I have always liked this test, I am even more convinced that it is reliable, repeatable, and a good spelling test now. Her level Q score puts her at somewhere between 7 - 8th grade level. Level R score, 8 grade level Level S score, 7 - 8th grade level Level T, 7-8 as well Level U, 7 - 8 Level V, 7 - 8 So, that puts her solidly and repeatably in the 7th to 8th grade level based on late 1800's norms, where they should be with someone taught with phonics to read and a phonetic spelling program, but most likely the equivalent of 9th grade spelling norms based on today's averages. I have several ideas for good independent spelling based on these scores, if you want to PM or post the 14 missed words and why they were missed, I can select even better. (For example, dimond for diamond or evidance for evidence) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 Wow, she deserves a break after spelling all those words! Interpreting the results is actually very easy, you figure out the percent for the score (i.e. 16/20 = 8/10 = 80%, then go to the table for that score and see what grade level that score percentage is. I have never had anyone give the same person that many different levels all at once, the results were quite consistent!! I have always liked this test, I am even more convinced that it is reliable, repeatable, and a good spelling test now. Her level Q score puts her at somewhere between 7 - 8th grade level. Level R score, 8 grade level Level S score, 7 - 8th grade level Level T, 7-8 as well Level U, 7 - 8 Level V, 7 - 8 So, that puts her solidly and repeatably in the 7th to 8th grade level based on late 1800's norms, where they should be with someone taught with phonics to read and a phonetic spelling program, but most likely the equivalent of 9th grade spelling norms based on today's averages. I have several ideas for good independent spelling based on these scores, if you want to PM or post the 14 missed words and why they were missed, I can select even better. (For example, dimond for diamond or evidance for evidence) LOL! We did do it over 3 days ;) And I guess I was interpreting the test right after all! I had done as you said with the percentages. I didn't think it would be that easy. I do know which words she missed. I will try to remember why. I picked the words that I thought she didn't know how to spell for the 20. She really surprised me. Q - president - presidant or presadent (can't remember) R - success - sucess S - government, she actually had this and goverment but chose the one without the "n" cause it looked funny with it investigate - investagate T - associate - associet (she said it was because I didn't say associ "ate" so she didn't know it was the same word) business - buisness conference - confrence (I think) U - responsible - responsable senate - senite (I think) elaborate - eliborate or elaborite (can't remember) necessary - nesassary V - principal - she spelled principle testimony - testamony secretary - secritary Thanks for all your help! I do really appreciate it. In case you need the info - she learned to read with 100 EZ Lessons and did ETC books 1-3, 5-6 and then she did AAS Level 1- level 6 les 15. Though spelling has not been consistent for the past two years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 Well, I hate to tell you this, but I think you should continue with AAS based on those words missed and how she missed them. (Most of those words are patterns from AAS 6 and 7.) I would also work on vowel discrimination and reiterate (if it has been taught, I think AAS teaches it) the fact that every syllable must have a vowel. Also, for "success," this shows that you should read the word as a self-check, it would read "susess" as spelled, she also might have gotten government correct with this self-check. But, I would do AAS in a more independent way. I have only seen the samples, but it looks like she could read the lesson in the manual herself and learn the rules and study the words. Maybe she could read and study for 10 minutes a day and then you test her periodically, then work on any words missed the next week or next few days depending on the number missed? There are people using AAS in a more independent way, you might want to start a post for ideas, I know there are folks out there with different ideas and ways on how to do that. I know you can plug words into Spelling City for self testing as well, that might be a good study option. It does look like AAS has worked well for her! She could watch my spelling lessons for a short break from AAS, the last two lessons especially will be a good overview of the things she will learn in last two AAS books, the first 3 should mainly be review: http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Spelling/spellinglessonsl.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted March 9, 2014 Author Share Posted March 9, 2014 Thanks so much Elizabeth! I never thought of her doing AAS independently in some way. I will look into that. I really appreciate all your help! In my heart I felt we should finish AAS (but I am anal that way). I also believe that we need to review the cards more than we do. Like you said, some of that she has been taught and did not remember. Thanks again for all your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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