First grade spelling help for advanced reader

[Guest sterling]

Hello-My first grader reads at a higher than first grade level (not been tested, but I am thinking around grade 3 or 4).  However, even though the reading level is high, spelling is a challenge. 

 

We are currently using Spelling Workout B.  Work gets completed with few errors, BUT there is little spelling retention.

 

I have looked for other spelling curriculum, but most that I have found is geared toward teaching reading. I guess the supposition is if a child can read, then he can spell (or vice-versa).

 

Could anyone please recommend a curriculum and/or approach to teaching spelling?   I am not afraid of using something more "labor intensive" for me than Spelling Workout is. :)

 

Also, what would be some reasonable benchmarks of where a first grader should be for spelling?

 

Thank you!

[dragonflyer]

My first grader is also ahead in reading.  I found that he learned to read so quickly that he skipped over most of phonics.  I am using All About Spelling and started at level 1 to make sure there were no gaps.  I have been really pleased with how well AAS has worked for us.

Benchmarks depend a great deal on educational philosophy.  There are many I have met who are content to let spelling be caught through reading with little formal approach, there are others who believe that 1st graders should be writing paragraphs with perfect spelling.

From what I have seen in the local public schools, 1st graders should be able to sound out basic CVC words at this point, and should be learning to spell words with consonant blends by the end of the year.

[Ellie]

Reading skills and spelling skills are not related. I would expect a little 6yo person to not have much spelling "retention." It takes more years for correctly spelled words to be more permanently filed in children's brains. :-)

 

You could do Spalding with him; then you'd have a complete English literacy course in one fell swoop. :-)

[mamakelly]

I don't even start spelling with my kids until 2nd grade.

[Eagle]

We use, and really enjoy, All About Spelling. It has review built in for added retention. It is teacher-intense, but very thorough.

[HomeAgain]

I have the same thing here.  We don't tie spelling to reading.  Reading is done for pleasure (on own/being read to) or comprehension (material at a lower level than fun reading).  Spelling is done to learn rules.  Writing is tied to spelling.

 

Mine blasted through AAS 1, and the retention was high, but we needed something different/more.  I found an old series called Spell Correctly that goes through the rules, but not as overtly.  Each week has 5 parts: introduction, word usage, checkpoint from previous week, fill in the blanks, spelling test.  It's nifty.  It doesn't spell out the rules so when we need it, I do.

 

Each week he does the exercise from the book in one of three ways: orally, with tiles, or written.  Each week I pick a copywork piece from our lit book or a poem/nursery rhyme that focuses on the rule, but doesn't use the same words as the spelling book if I can help it.  It's short, but it helps to cement the rule that we go over every day that week. On Friday he does the spelling test, either with the tiles or orally, and writes the copywork from memory.

[ByGrace3]

All About Spelling. Spelling and phonics are two separate subjects....while phonics rules are the basis for both.

[eternallytired]

I've been using All About Spelling.  While I'm pleased with my kids' retention, I'm switching for two reasons.

 

1. My oldest needs my one-on-one (he's ADHD, and the interaction keeps him on-task), but he's flying through the AAS levels and doesn't need all the fiddly hands-on.  To avoid draining my budget just on spelling, I bought How To Teach Spelling, which looks much like AAS but without all the extra parts.

2. My middle is more visual.  She's a fast learner, but she does well if she can SEE something.  She also doesn't need my supervision.  I'm going to move her to R&S's workbooks.

 

I'll still be delighted to use the first level or two of AAS with my youngest, but I'm not sure we'll go all the way through level 3 again; at that point I feel like it's too intense unless your child really struggles with spelling.

[abba12]

I like the look of rod and staff spelling, intend to begin it next year so no actual experience with it.

 

You may already realize this, so ignore me if that's the case, but make sure you don't falsely assume your childs reading level will match their spelling level. I was an advanced reader as a child, many grades above my age level. But my spelling was abysmal. By 5th grade I could read any average adult text, but flunked basic spelling tests unless I memorized the words themselves. My teachers tried to put me on the advanced spelling lists, it didn't work out well at all. A 3rd grade reading level definitely does not mean a third grade spelling level, so, start at level one of whatever you use and move forward, the words will be easy to read but perhaps not so easy to spell.