lindsey Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 I got Rod & Staff so he could work mostly on his own, but it's way easy. I flipped ahead some and it's still just effortless--busywork at this point. Should I get a higher grade? A more challenging program? Do some kids just...learn to spell well on their own, by reading and being corrected while writing? He's in 3rd, last tested at an 8th grade level for reading so I'm not too worried about getting a higher program, I'm just not sure what's advised. Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 Some kids are perfect spellers just from reading and do not need a spelling program. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 I used Spelling Power for a while (which I am not necessarily recommending) because it allowed me to give a placement test (up to grade 8 I think, maybe it was grade 12). Then the way it was structured, the student didn't have to spell any word he already knew how to spell. It worked well for my mostly natural speller. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 I never would have needed a spelling program. If I've seen a word, I can spell it. (Autocorrect frequently makes me look worse than I am, which annoys me tremendously.) Maybe find a placement test or two online for different programs? I'd say that if a child can spell at a level similar to their reading level, there's no need for a program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 Some kids learn to spell from reading and don't need a program... other kids are great readers but spell abysmally... and everything in between. I think it's pretty individual. Do whatever he needs. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clemsondana Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 We combine spelling with vocabulary, so that he's learning to spell words that are new to him. We do either wordly wise or vocabulary with classical roots, but I'm sure that there are others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 I don't recommend Spelling by Sound and Structure until the fourth grade level. :-) The thing with Rod and Staff is not that the spelling lists are very difficult. It is that the exercises are quite challenging. Children could have good spelling skills but not understand things like syllabication, prefixes and suffixes, dictionary usage, root words, and more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 :spam: reported Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insertcreativenamehere Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 My 4th and 6th graders are excellent spellers and despise busywork. I use Natural Speller with them which is somewhat similar to Spelling Power. It has grade level lists. I only make them practice words they can't spell correctly orally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted October 7, 2016 Share Posted October 7, 2016 (edited) If they have a placement test for spelling, I would use that. I wouldn't base placement on reading ability, as one can be a great reader but struggle with spelling--these are opposite skills, so it depends on the child. Edited October 7, 2016 by MerryAtHope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted October 8, 2016 Share Posted October 8, 2016 After spending some time doggedly insisting on spelling, I realized I could ditch it for my DS12, who reads and spells naturally. For DD8, it's not clear yet if we'll need it or not. I do think it's not needed for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherGoose Posted October 8, 2016 Share Posted October 8, 2016 My natural reader is not a natural speller. The one who wasn't a natural reader spells well. It depends on the child. I say use the placement test for whatever curriculum you are using, and start there. If your first grader tests on a 5 th grade level for spelling, I would not worry about spelling in first grade. Have them do plenty of writing as tolerated but don't worry about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misty.warden Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 I don't recommend Spelling by Sound and Structure until the fourth grade level. :-) The thing with Rod and Staff is not that the spelling lists are very difficult. It is that the exercises are quite challenging. Children could have good spelling skills but not understand things like syllabication, prefixes and suffixes, dictionary usage, root words, and more. This exactly. Unless you're also using their phonics/reading which teaches those things beginning in the second half of first grade, most kids that age will not know what they're supposed to do in the exercises. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 As others have said this entirely depends on the child. Just because a child can read at a very Advanced level, that may not translate into being a great speller, and vice versa. Depending on the child you may be able to ditch formal spelling or just do some light spelling or you may need to separate out reading at one level while working on spelling at a different level. How is your child's spelling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dramorellis Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 Both of my older children are advanced readers but have solidly age appropriate spelling skills so those things are not typically related. While my son has an adult reading level, he is still in R&S 4 and it is challenging. He does do it independently but frequently I need to walk him through things. There is a big jump in difficulty from 2 to level 3. So my 6 year old is able to do level 2 and it is not a significant challenge, I am dragging it out because I know a few lessons into level 3 would be too much for her. Only you know how his spelling is so taking a look at the samples might be helpful. Some children are natural spellers and some need more hand holding and still others need intensive scaffolding. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsey Posted October 9, 2016 Author Share Posted October 9, 2016 I didn't look for a R&S placement test, so I will hunt for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsey Posted October 9, 2016 Author Share Posted October 9, 2016 Okay, I found an IEW/Phonetic Zoo? one and he missed five. That's helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsey Posted October 9, 2016 Author Share Posted October 9, 2016 This exactly. Unless you're also using their phonics/reading which teaches those things beginning in the second half of first grade, most kids that age will not know what they're supposed to do in the exercises. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk We are only a couple of months in but the activities are crazy simple. I've flipped ahead in the workbook but not the teacher manual, I just assumed it'd go over teaching the new terms and things? Need to check that out tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 10, 2016 Share Posted October 10, 2016 I didn't look for a R&S placement test, so I will hunt for it! I don't believe there is a placement test. The publishers assume that children in fourth grade will be using the fourth grade text, children in fifth will be using the fifth grade text, and so on. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted October 10, 2016 Share Posted October 10, 2016 I have a natural speller and she did AAS in a super-accelerated, once-over-lightly way. It was just right. Quick, easy and thorough. She took 2 years to go through all 7 levels. Not the curriculum I would choose for a natural speller because it is pricey, not insependent and has lots of parts, but I already had it. My other child needs it. I like the rules and the phonics reinforcement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My4arrows Posted October 11, 2016 Share Posted October 11, 2016 I have one who is a natural speller and I chose to advance him into a higher level. In 1st grade he used rod and staff third grade and flew through it. Then in 2nd grade is using the 4th grade. It is definitely more challenging for him. The words themselves aren't but the activities are. IEWs phonetic zoo is different from RS as it does not have the activities that go along with it and is solely based on spelling. If you feel he is a natural speller, then it wouldn't be a good fit IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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