Megawords or Sequential Spelling?

[Veritaserum]

DD8 has been doing Spellwell. It's ok, but I really want something that states specific spelling words. Sometimes Spellwell will mention it in passing. I'd like a lesson more along the lines of words that sound like "xxxx" are spelled "xxxx". You know, like "i before e except after c". I saw the Phonetic Zoo, which seems to do this, but $85+ for one year of spelling is just out of the question. :)

 

ETA: Ideally the program isn't super time intensive. I'm looking for something that we can do in about 10 minutes per day or less. I also prefer "open and go" over something that I have to prepare in advance.

 

And, please share why you voted for the program you did. :)

Edited October 21, 2008 by Veritaserum

[JudoMom]

Have you looked at Spelling Power?

 

It takes about 10-15 minutes a day.

It states the rule before every new list of words.

If you read the quick start guide, it's really easy to implement (takes about 30-45 minutes to figure out). Once you know how the program works, you just open the book daily and give the list words.

It's the only program you'll need to buy--it goes through 12th grade.

[EKS]

I'm voting for Megawords because it fits what you described that you want. We use Sequential Spelling because it is low stress for my son and me.

[Krista in LA]

I voted for Megawords. However, we just started it this year so I might be a bit premature in my recommendation. We started out with Spelling Workout - they did fine on the tests but still couldn't spell worth a darn. We switched to Sequential Spelling. We all loved it and there was some improvement overall in their spelling, but they didn't seem to progress much over a few years. My dd did Calvert's spelling one year. Again, aced the tests but couldn't spell. I went with Megawords this year and so far I think it's filling in the missing link for them. I will remain hopeful for now.

[Tabrett]

Have you looked at Sequential Spelling? It doesn't have any of the things you are looking for. It is only list of words. You say the word, the child writes it down then YOU spell the word correctly immediately to the child and the child checks their word. If it is spell incorrectly, the child rewrites the word correctly beside the misspelled word and you go to the next word. You do the same thing everyday with a new list. The words are similar to each other. Kind of like: in, pend, depend, dependent, independent, dependence, independence. The same words are on the list over and over but mixed up. It helps a child see how to break apart a word and spell it. There are no tests or words to study. You just do a new list everyday. There are also no spelling rules to teach. It's really very simple. The author also suggest you tell the meaning of the words to your child to help expand vocabulary.

[AngieW in Texas]

I have three kids and needed a different program for each of them.

 

My oldest learned very well with Spelling Power. It doesn't give real spelling rules like you mention in your post. It gives a list of words that all have the same sound, but often have different spellings of the sound. It's a test-study-test method. You are supposed to test for no more than 5 minutes each day (using a timer). You first retest all the words that were missed the previous day and then keep testing words within the same list until the timer goes off. You check each word as it is written and have your child correct the word on the spot. If no words are missed, then your child is done for the day. If any words are missed, your child is supposed to use the 10 step study method (the book tells you how to do it) to study the words and then those words are retested the next day. You could type the words into http://www.spellingcity.com'>http://www.spellingcity.com'>http://www.spellingcity.com'>http://www.spellingcity.com and have your child pre-test and then study the missed words and retest that way.

 

My middle dd has done well with Megawords. She can't stand busywork. She is also a perfectionist and can't deal with a program that pretests words. Megawords does teach spelling rules and also teaches vocabulary. It's perfect for her. It starts at 4th grade level.

 

My youngest dd is doing well with Sequential Spelling. It was originally designed for dyslexics and my dd is dyslexic. It doesn't teach spelling rules at all. It teaches patterns. I'm not doing the program the way that it's designed, but my dd prefers to do it this way. I type her spelling words into http://www.spellingcity.com and she tests herself on the words and then retests the words that she misses. It starts at 4th grade level.

[MerryAtHope]

DD8 has been doing Spellwell. It's ok, but I really want something that states specific spelling words. Sometimes Spellwell will mention it in passing. I'd like a lesson more along the lines of words that sound like "xxxx" are spelled "xxxx". You know, like "i before e except after c". I saw the Phonetic Zoo, which seems to do this, but $85+ for one year of spelling is just out of the question. :)

 

ETA: Ideally the program isn't super time intensive. I'm looking for something that we can do in about 10 minutes per day or less. I also prefer "open and go" over something that I have to prepare in advance.

 

And, please share why you voted for the program you did. :)

 

I use All About Spelling. It lists specific words, it teaches using the Orton Gillingham phonograms and teaches the rules that go with them that hold true most of the time. We spend about 15 minutes per day. And, once you have it set up (will take a couple of hours), it is open and go every day--the program tells you what to do. I also like that it incorporates dictation phrases & sentences, reviewing previously learned words and patterns as well as the latest words. This way kids don't just memorize a pattern for that lesson but then forget it--it keeps coming up & they really learn it. I wrote more in a review on my blog.

 

Hope you find what you're looking for! Merry :-)

Edited October 22, 2008 by MerryAtHope

[Veritaserum]

I use All About Spelling. It lists specific words, it teaches using the Orton Gillingham phonograms and teaches the rules that go with them that hold true most of the time. We spend about 15 minutes per day. And, once you have it set up (will take a couple of hours), it is open and go every day--the program tells you what to do. I also like that it incorporates dictation phrases & sentences, reviewing previously learned words and patterns as well as the latest words. This way kids don't just memorize a pattern for that lesson but then forget it--it keeps coming up & they really learn it. I wrote more in a review on my blog.

 

Hope you find what you're looking for! Merry :-)

 

Thank you all for responding. It looks AAS might be just what I'm looking for. :)

[claire up north]

I use Sequential Spelling and love it, but it does not give the spelling rules at all. If you are very serious about having the rules all laid out, I would take a pass on SS.

[cillakat]

Megawords is an evidence based comprehensive program that addresses syllabication/syllabification, spelling, vocabulary, root words.

 

SS is simply that.....sequentially spelling. It'll help some kids spell well, not all. It doesn't address root words, comprehension, vocabulary, rules, syllabication.

 

Megawords gives you skills and the conceptual framework to attack new unknown material. SS only gives you knowledge of covered material with no framework or knowledge to attack new material.

[nmoira]

 

Megawords gives you skills and the conceptual framework to attack new unknown material. SS only gives you knowledge of covered material with no framework or knowledge to attack new material.

I don't think this is an accurate assessment. Megawords explicitly teaches the same patterns SS does, while SS "programs" the child through repeated exposure. So SS does teach patterns that can be applied beyond the list words. Of course some children might respond better to one method or the other. We've used both programs with my oldest, switching from SS to Megawords only because it seemed more efficient (i.e. quick) and a good match for her learning style.

[KathyBC]

I hope I can jump in with a question. My ds has completed SS level 1. I've read that everyone should just begin with Megawords 1. Is this the case, or should we begin with a different level?

[nmoira]

I hope I can jump in with a question. My ds has completed SS level 1. I've read that everyone should just begin with Megawords 1. Is this the case, or should we begin with a different level?

Yes, start with Megawords 1.

[KathyBC]

Thank you!!

[cillakat]

"I don't think this is an accurate assessment. Megawords explicitly teaches the same patterns SS does"

 

Therein lies the difference. You said it better than I did:) Megawords teaches explicity. SS teaches implicitly. Some will get it with implicit teaching (many many 'get' phonics instruction that way).

 

Some simply won't. Some need explicit instruction to understand the conceptual framework. Others just need exposure to it and the framework seemingly builds itself with varying degrees of exposure.

 

:)

[AngieW in Texas]

My middle dd is an Aspie and needs explicit instruction. It has actually been very difficult to find a Spanish program for her because all the programs out there seem to conversation-based and depend on kids picking things up by osmosis. My middle dd can't seem to learn anything other than math that way. She needs to have all the rules laid out for her in order for her to understand. She doesn't make inferences well either. Megawords is perfect for her.

 

My youngest gets confused by all the rules and does better with patterns. Megawords confused her, but Sequential Spelling teaches her to spell by using patterns.