WRTR - starting spelling and clueless

[ThursdayNext]

Does anyone know what a sample week of WRTR spelling looks like?

Ellie? Anybody?

How many words do you introduce? 5 or 10 words at the beginning of the week, write them everyday and a test on Friday? I have no clue. How do you review the words you've learned?

 

I think I get using fingers for sounds, the marking of words, etc in how to teach. But I have no clue how much to cover, how long to practice it, etc. My mother taught me to read with this method and it worked very well. I'd like to give it a few more chances, but I'm feeling stupid trying to figure out what to do.

 

I am coming back to Writing Road to Reading in a month. My kindergartener is 5, almost 6. We know about 45 of the phonograms, but it takes her a long time to learn new ones. From reading the book, it looks like you're supposed to cover sections A-G, H, and I for Kindergarten. Does that sound right?

[Ellie]

Does anyone know what a sample week of WRTR spelling looks like?

Ellie? Anybody?

How many words do you introduce? 5 or 10 words at the beginning of the week, write them everyday and a test on Friday? I have no clue. How do you review the words you've learned?

 

I think I get using fingers for sounds, the marking of words, etc in how to teach. But I have no clue how much to cover, how long to practice it, etc. My mother taught me to read with this method and it worked very well. I'd like to give it a few more chances, but I'm feeling stupid trying to figure out what to do.

 

I am coming back to Writing Road to Reading in a month. My kindergartener is 5, almost 6. We know about 45 of the phonograms, but it takes her a long time to learn new ones. From reading the book, it looks like you're supposed to cover sections A-G, H, and I for Kindergarten. Does that sound right?

 

Have you read your manual cover to cover? More than once? :-)

 

Which edition do you have? That makes it easier for me to tell you page numbers, because it's all in there. ;-)

 

For a 5yo, you're supposed to cover as much as you can cover. There is no "supposed to." You'll do it again when she's six, and probably again when she's 7. However far you get is however far you get. :-)

 

A "sample week" would pretty much be daily review of phonograms already taught (both written and oral), plus learning new phonograms at your child's speed (I would expect a 5yo to find it more difficult to learn new phonograms than an older child would). The oral review can be done any time of the day, as does learning new phonograms, as does teaching the spelling words. IOW, you don't have to set a block of time and dive in; you want to work with her in smaller blocks of time, 'cuz she's just 5.

 

You *teach* the words; you don't just introduce them. You're going to dictate each word, do the markings, discuss any rules, and analyze the penmanship. There is no required number of words per day; you could try five at a time and see how your dd does. So I would say teach five words on Monday, do oral and written review of phonograms work on a couple of new phonograms. On Tuesday, dictate the five words you taught on Monday as a spelling test; pick up her paper and correct it. If she got them all right, kewl; if she got any incorrect, reteach them. Teach five new words the same way. On Wednesday, do a spelling test of those 10 words, then do any remediation. On Thursday, do a spelling test of the 15 words already taught, remediate, etc. If you have her write the spelling words in a spelling notebook, she can read them each day before you teach new words. On Friday, have a free day. :-) I think 15 words a week would be fine for a 5yo; if you think she can handle it, teach  5 more on Thursday, which would give her 20 words, but don't push. She'll do Spalding again next year, and the next...

 

Six-year-olds can usually do 30 words a week.

[arliemaria]

Have you read your manual cover to cover? More than once? :-)

 

Which edition do you have? That makes it easier for me to tell you page numbers, because it's all in there. ;-)

 

For a 5yo, you're supposed to cover as much as you can cover. There is no "supposed to." You'll do it again when she's six, and probably again when she's 7. However far you get is however far you get. :-)

 

A "sample week" would pretty much be daily review of phonograms already taught (both written and oral), plus learning new phonograms at your child's speed (I would expect a 5yo to find it more difficult to learn new phonograms than an older child would). The oral review can be done any time of the day, as does learning new phonograms, as does teaching the spelling words. IOW, you don't have to set a block of time and dive in; you want to work with her in smaller blocks of time, 'cuz she's just 5.

 

You *teach* the words; you don't just introduce them. You're going to dictate each word, do the markings, discuss any rules, and analyze the penmanship. There is no required number of words per day; you could try five at a time and see how your dd does. So I would say teach five words on Monday, do oral and written review of phonograms wora

 

Alright Ellie.  So if we are also to have excellent penmanship do you recommend alphabet fluency like Don Potter recommends before beginining WRTR?

[Ellie]

Alright Ellie.  So if we are also to have excellent penmanship do you recommend alphabet fluency like Don Potter recommends before beginining WRTR?

 

Spalding doesn't require children to already have good penmanship before they start. :-)

[arliemaria]

I know this may sound OCD, but I really dislike the font of the manuscript in the WRTR 4th edition.  Does this vary by edition?  It looks so primitive.  If I were to use my own font for penmanship would I just make copywork sheets for the words of the week?

I know, I know, I will reread the book--cover to cover.  :)

[Ellie]

I know this may sound OCD, but I really dislike the font of the manuscript in the WRTR 4th edition.  Does this vary by edition?  It looks so primitive.  If I were to use my own font for penmanship would I just make copywork sheets for the words of the week?

 

I know, I know, I will reread the book--cover to cover.   :)

 

Well, just FYI :-) "font" refers to the kind of type used for printed material; "hand" refers to handwriting. :-)

 

Spalding's penmanship is the same, regardless of the edition of the manual. It will be some time before you get to cursive, but when you do, you can model the cursive any way you want. What is it about Spalding's connected writing that you don't like? Couldn't you show your dc the lines that connect the letters to make them "cursive" instead of manuscript and add your own curlicues or whatever?

 

It's better to teach your dc specifically how to write the letters than to give him a piece of paper to copy. That is, he should be able to look at whatever he is copying and write it in either cursive or manuscript.

[carriede]

I know this may sound OCD, but I really dislike the font of the manuscript in the WRTR 4th edition. Does this vary by edition? It looks so primitive. If I were to use my own font for penmanship would I just make copywork sheets for the words of the week?

 

I know, I know, I will reread the book--cover to cover. :)

I love the letter formation instruction of Spalding (4th Ed WRTR). If DS5 is having trouble remembering how to form a letter, I can describe it and he knows exactly where to put his pencil (tall letter, short letter, short letter with a tall part). I also love the clock face approach. I got the 5pk laminated clock cards from their website and they're great!

 

Occasionally when teaching a new phonogram, I'll show him how to write it, but after that initial time I only use verbal cues to help him. He does not copy anything.

 

FWIW, we do NOT do 4 new phonograms a day. Yesterday was our 16th day of this year and DS5 just got through the first 26 cards (essentially the alphabet). I'm just going to do review the rest of the week, then start the next set next week. He's in K.

[ThursdayNext]

 

You *teach* the words; you don't just introduce them. You're going to dictate each word, do the markings, discuss any rules, and analyze the penmanship. There is no required number of words per day; you could try five at a time and see how your dd does. So I would say teach five words on Monday, do oral and written review of phonograms work on a couple of new phonograms. On Tuesday, dictate the five words you taught on Monday as a spelling test; pick up her paper and correct it. If she got them all right, kewl; if she got any incorrect, reteach them. Teach five new words the same way. On Wednesday, do a spelling test of those 10 words, then do any remediation. On Thursday, do a spelling test of the 15 words already taught, remediate, etc. If you have her write the spelling words in a spelling notebook, she can read them each day before you teach new words. On Friday, have a free day. :-) I think 15 words a week would be fine for a 5yo; if you think she can handle it, teach 5 more on Thursday, which would give her 20 words, but don't push. She'll do Spalding again next year, and the next...

 

Six-year-olds can usually do 30 words a week.

This is so so helpful. I have the sixth edition, read it more than once, but not straight through in a day. If I introduce 2 new phonograms one week, we need to skip new ones the next week and keep covering those 2 and review. Too many new ones and she starts confusing them with any that share a letter. I think it'll be a while before we hit 70 phonograms. She turns 6 in Nov.

[arliemaria]

Well, just FYI :-) "font" refers to the kind of type used for printed material; "hand" refers to handwriting. :-)

 

Spalding's penmanship is the same, regardless of the edition of the manual. It will be some time before you get to cursive, but when you do, you can model the cursive any way you want. What is it about Spalding's connected writing that you don't like? Couldn't you show your dc the lines that connect the letters to make them "cursive" instead of manuscript and add your own curlicues or whatever?

 

It's better to teach your dc specifically how to write the letters than to give him a piece of paper to copy. That is, he should be able to look at whatever he is copying and write it in either cursive or manuscript.

Thanks for the clarification, Ellie.

 

I know this may seem nit-picky, but I dislike both lowercase and uppercase y.  I don't like the u shape and the curved bottom.  The top of the lowercase e looks too large.  The bottom curves of letters the 4-8 curve, just appears too exaggerated.    Same goes for h with its large 10-2.  Perhaps I am crazy.  :)  Looking at our montessori sandpaper letters the shapes are very similar.  Even the large top for e.

 

I do like the q with its sharp "flag" as the book describes.  I think this distinction makes it helpful for children to differentiate between q and p.  

[Ellie]

Thanks for the clarification, Ellie.

 

I know this may seem nit-picky, but I dislike both lowercase and uppercase y.  I don't like the u shape and the curved bottom.  The top of the lowercase e looks too large.  The bottom curves of letters the 4-8 curve, just appears too exaggerated.    Same goes for h with its large 10-2.  Perhaps I am crazy.   :)  Looking at our montessori sandpaper letters the shapes are very similar.  Even the large top for e.

 

I do like the q with its sharp "flag" as the book describes.  I think this distinction makes it helpful for children to differentiate between q and p.  

 

Yes, you are too nit-picky as well as crazy. :-)

[Twilight Woods]

I bought Starting A Spelling Notebook by Mari McAlister on amazon. It helped me understand it a lot more by seeing it in a more visual format even though I read the 4th edition 3 times. :)

 

 

 

[Ellie]

I bought Starting A Spelling Notebook by Mari McAlister on amazon. It helped me understand it a lot more by seeing it in a more visual format even though I read the 4th edition 3 times. :)

 

Of all the publications that are supposed to help people do Spalding, this one is the best. My only quibble with it is that the author does not emphasize enough the importance of reading the manual. Mrs. Spalding told people why her method worked, and how it worked, not just what to do next, and it's important to know those things. Also, if you just look at a break-down of what to do next, you'll miss the wonderful testimonies of teachers and their successes, and the wonderful Chapter 6 (or is it 7? I'll have to go check), where Mrs. Spalding talks about actually reading with the children. :001_wub:

[Twilight Woods]

Of all the publications that are supposed to help people do Spalding, this one is the best. My only quibble with it is that the author does not emphasize enough the importance of reading the manual. Mrs. Spalding told people why her method worked, and how it worked, not just what to do next, and it's important to know those things. Also, if you just look at a break-down of what to do next, you'll miss the wonderful testimonies of teachers and their successes, and the wonderful Chapter 6 (or is it 7? I'll have to go check), where Mrs. Spalding talks about actually reading with the children. :001_wub:

agreed :)