Megawords or Spelling by Sound and Structure

[wehave8]

Which would you do with an 11 yo boy who has been through rules, etc., but still needs help and review?  Also as independent as possible?

Pam

 

[wehave8]

5 hours ago, Paradox5 said:

Spelling by Sound and Structure. Start with Grade 4 and have him copy the rules into a notebook. Worked wonders for my oldest when he was young.

Sounds like a good plan.

Did you ever look at/do Megawords?

 

Pam

[alisoncooks]

I've dabbled with both for oldest DD. (Youngest is about to start Megawords.)

For me, S&S just feels too cluttered, visually. I also prefer the way Megawords teaches.

But if your child doesn't need much repetition, Megawords really does teach a thing to death. Page after page of similar activities (which my dyslexics need). 

[TracyP]

I've used both with different kids.

S&S is more independent. Megawords has far more practice. It just depends what you are looking for.

Kid 1 was going to use Megawords, but we realized it was waaay overkill for her. We switched to S&S, but decided even that was overkill so we dropped spelling.

Kid 2 was using S&S, but it wasn't sticking. He used Megawords for one year and hated every second of it. However, it vastly improved his spelling. He really benefited from all that practice breaking words apart. We went back to S&S after that year, and he is a decent speller now.

Kid 3 is using Megawords as a reading program as much as spelling. We are only a few units in, but I am already seeing huge improvements with his reading. His spelling is improving as well. He enjoys the program and I plan to continue with the series.

My next kids will follow the same general path - start with S&S because it is a very solid program and almost completely independent. If they turn out to be "struggling spellers" I will head right back to Megawords.

Hope that helps!

[homemommy83]

You may be interested in just working through something simple like Natural Speller for a year or so to find the patterns that he needs work on and then go back and finish up with the middle school Rod and Staff program. 

Rod and Staff 6 is a review of rules and many other skills.

7 and 8 is a vocabulary study of Greek and Latin word roots and is great even used a year behind.

Brenda

[Zoo Keeper]

16 hours ago, homemommy83 said:

You may be interested in just working through something simple like Natural Speller for a year or so to find the patterns that he needs work on and then go back and finish up with the middle school Rod and Staff program. 

Rod and Staff 6 is a review of rules and many other skills.

7 and 8 is a vocabulary study of Greek and Latin word roots and is great even used a year behind.

Brenda

My struggling speller has spent the past 18 months working through these lists from Spelling Plus...http://www.susancanthony.com/ws/_pdf/splhnd.pdf

Now he is doing R&S a year behind (7th grade doing the 6th grade book) and doing very well and doing it mostly own his own.  He will jump to the 7th grade book at mid year.

Edited November 26, 2018 by Zoo Keeper

[alisoncooks]

Oops. Wrong thread. Sorry!

Edited November 26, 2018 by alisoncooks

[ByGrace3]

We have used both. Both are great programs. After several years of R&S, I was not seeing as much sticking with my oldest so we switched to MW. MW is JUST spelling, where R&S also includes vocabulary. The exercises in R&S involve more application of the words within context whereas MW puts more of an emphasis on the actual breaking down of the word and its syllables. My older two have flourished with MW-- they need the broken down steps. A more natural speller would be fine with R&S and even benefit from the vocabulary.