PeacefulChaos Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I'm looking for ideas that are not the norm - not AAS, not Spelling Workout.... I may or may not change spelling up next year, and I'm just curious as to what is out there and what experiences people have had with different programs. TIA! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 If not Spalding, then Spelling by Sound and Structure (Rod and Staff), 4th grade and up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I use Phonics Road but it also has grammar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 I used Apples and Pears, which I loved for my weak speller particularly. It teaches 3 or 4 spelling rules that work every single time. It teaches kids to "chunk" words into morphemes. It helps with visualizing the word due to repetition, which my weak speller needed. I like it, because it's the way I think natural spellers tend to spell. There is also built in dictation, work with homophones, and similar things. It's surely too much for a natural speller, though I used it with one. My son with spelling issues improved significantly. We're using Spelling Power now. It also seems to be pretty good for visualization. I haven't used it long enough to know for sure, but it seems like it's working well here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy_of_4 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 My 7yr old uses BJU and my 6yr old uses Spectrum spelling. I plan to switch my 7yr old to Spectrum once he finishes the BJU book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 It was difficult to get DD to spelling capability, but a combination of Latin and R+S Spelling by Sound and Structure is getting us there. I am grateful for those curricula. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 We use AAS up through level 3/4 then my dd switched to R&S, and my ds will switch to Phonetic Zoo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 Apples and Pears for afterschooling my 11 yr old with some spelling issues. It has really helped! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALB Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 My dd has been using R&S and I'm pretty happy with it. She can do it independently and it doesn't take her too long. I would guess she is a natural speller, though, so I think any program would have worked fine for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountains27 Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 I have recently gone over to Sequential Spelling for both my 7yo and 8yo. The 7 yo is about at a late first grade level and the 8 yo is around early 3rd grade. They do it together and so far it has worked. The older of course gets more of the spelling words right on the first try but the younger is keeping up and I think the process of this program makes it possible to teach two different age kids at once b/c it isnt about getting the spelling right on the first try, it's learning from mistakes. Also as a busy single parent it's awesome to be able to get two kids spelling covered in one lesson! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 You asked for different. I don't use a program anymore. The boys are reasonable spellers, provided they have interest in the words, use the words frequently in sentences of their own construction and copy them enough. The interest in the words and frequency of use was a problem, so I started this year having them pick their words from whatever literature selection we are using for writing during the week. They highlight them from the text, copy them into their notebook and they copy them daily. We spend one day on the study of these words and their meanings, synonyms, antonyms, etc. Two days we spend using the words in original sentences. I test on the fourth day. So far the response has been positive, and they seem to go out of their way to make the words useful in their own compositions. Very seldom do they misspell them on either the test or in their writing. I've been doing this for about four months now, and spelling has gone from being a chore to pretty easy for me. They use the dictionary voluntarily now for words they want to figure out from what they are reading, because it isn't a big, scary book anymore. Their sentences are now remarkably improved in complexity, and they seem to go out of their way to use their new words in their own writing. I've been very pleased. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyz Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 We have moved from Phonics Road to Megawords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TX Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 We use Soaring with Spelling. It is meant for the student to use independently and is rather painless. Susan in TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 I used Abeka with DD until she was in, I think, 7th grade level and then I stopped formal spelling. I would pull words out that she misspelled in her seatwork and we worked on those. She has a natural ability to spell. My boys I have tried a few things, but the only thing that really worked, especially for my middle was Apples and Pears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Spelling Power, and I like it because it's at their pace, only focusing on the words they don't know. I do throw in words I see misspelled in other work too. SP is inexpensive and easy to implement. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Jo Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 12yo (dyslexic): Apples & Pears 11yo: Simply Spelling (I think you can purchase the ebook again w/o emailing the author) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jobos12 Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 We used Words Their Way - I was hoping that that hands on sorting would suit DD10, who is a bit more of a hands-on learner. It's ok....but it's not really sticking. It took a lot of work to get it working in a way that I was happy with, and this is what we ended up with: Day 1: Pre-test Day 2: Sort words into groups, discuss spelling patterns and rules, copy words into book Day 3: Either copy words, or colour the spelling pattern in printed bubble words Day 4: Worksheet on using words in a sentence Day 5: Test Like I said, it's not really sticking, and I have a suspicion that just repeated copying would actually achieve the same thing. That, coupled with a current independent do-it-by-myself attitude, means we are dropping it, and switching to an Aussie workbook for spelling. My DD13 is just copying out about 5-6 words she mis-spells anywhere in her school work. Simple simple simple and it's working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 My daughter did a few of my spelling rules, studying language Spelling Bee words, then straight to middle school words in Natural Speller, occasionally I would explain the rule, the book is a nice list but skimpy on rules. My son uses Spelling Plus, it focuses on the most common 1,000 words by arranged by pattern and rules are handily included. I taught my daughter the same type of thing that was in this book at the lower levels, but she did not need as much practice, just an occasional mention of things at the k-6 grade word level. For my son, I use the book because he needs a bit more explicit and repeated spelling work and the book is nicely organized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PentecostalMom Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 Spelling is my nemesis. I am an excellent speller and my 8yo is not. I tried a wide variety with my older ds in elementary, and ended up using Apples Daily Spelling Drills for Secondary Students in Junior High. That worked like a charm with him. We had been through Abeka, BJU, and Rod & Staff with no success. With my 8yo, I have tried R&S, Spelling Workout, and Building Spelling Skills to no avail. I just purchased AAS to see if it works for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 We use Spell to Write & Read which was in several years ago. We're not far enough in for me to have formed an opinion yet, but I think it's going to be good for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 My older son is a natural speller with a spelling bee hobby. We use a few of the less outrageously expensive products from www.hexco.com. Etymanotes, Verbomania (bought used), the supplements and Bee Prepared. He also is using ebooks for various source languages. And reading this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1494936941/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 My younger son seems to have caught the bee bug so we will just keep to our spelling bee prep routine- hosting spelling club, reading a ton of books, playing a lot of word games and practicing for the spelling bee with homemade flash cards, spelling binders and word lists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFM Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 For my DD who seems to naturally grasp spelling, Spelling by Sound and Structure. For my DS who has spelling issues we used Apples and Pears this year (I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WORKS BUT IT WORKS). I love it. We will go through each book and he doesn't complain and he is improving. We have done Spalding as well and it is very solid. However, we moved internationally during the year and I needed something that was not so teacher intensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfABunch Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Words Their Way. Spelling through sorting. I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Another vote for Spelling Power (big orange book). What sold me was the pretests & only practicing the words you don't know. My kids finished the 12th grade lists in 9th grade, so we called spelling 'done'. I didn't follow the instructions in the book to a 'T', but the word lists were perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaceful Isle Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Steck Vaughn Linking Words is wonderful. It helped my non speller to get confidence and do well. Rainbow resource has them. You do not need the teacher guides, imho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bree Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 We have been using Heart of Dakota the last few years and there are studied dictations in the back of the guide they use for spelling. It has been great for my ds, he is a natural speller. My dd on the other hand takes after me so she needs a little more help there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 For my dd9, I use Apples & Pears. (For those who wonder why it works, it works b/c it builds visual memory AND phonetic thinking in a morphemic context.) For my boys, 12yo dyslexic and 8yo (probable) dyslexic, I use the 1919 Pearson. I reformatted it in cursive worktext, and added phonogram work. I rely heavily on visualization, but go at a slower pace than Apples & Pears. My 12yo couldn't keep the A&P pace...and my 8yo needed cursive in spelling or no cursive at all so I chose cursive in spelling. (He is not a pencil-lover, and needs one uniform handwriting all the way through his schoolwork, and you can't get around the printing in A&P.) You can find my reformatted version linked in my siggie. Essentials in Spelling Grade 2 is complete. Grades 3 and 4 will be done by the end of summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daffodil Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 We've been using AAS, but we're about to give Apples and Pears a try because my 9 year old is so frustrated with spelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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