For Grade 1...Spelling Workout vs. Explode the Code

[Pretty in Pink]

TWTM recommends Spelling Workout. How similar is this to Explode the Code? What are the differences?

[FlockOfSillies]

ETC is more phonics-oriented. SWO is obviously spelling-focused, with some proofreading and creative writing. (I don't have my kids do the creative writing in SWO.)

 

ETC is b/w, with silly hand-drawn pictures. My kids love the pictures, and think they're hilarious; other kids may hate them. SWO is printed in two-color process. It's more "slick" than ETC.

[LanaTron]

FlockofSillies is right, though. ETC is intended to be a phonics program, whereas SW is a spelling program, with spelling rules and the like.

 

I, however, am using it as a spelling program for my younger two dc. They do enough writing of the words, that they do learn to spell them. I don't think they are learning specific rules, although you could probably stress that if you want, in the higher level books. Once my dc get into 5th grade, we use Megawords.

 

I tried Spelling Workout with my older two when they were younger, and they both hated it. I even tried it again at a later time with dc#2, and it still was a bust. It is one that I have walked away from and never looked back. Some people love it, though, so YMMV.

[jonnia]

We use both, actually. ETC is a favorite, though we switched to its online format several months ago in order to cut down on the amount of writing in our day. (Still building stamina in our little hand muscles) Though I'm not convinced that Spelling is necessary for us for 1st grade, my son was really wanting to take spelling tests for some reason. I picked up Spelling Workout, which has turned out to be a nice fit. He's learning from it, too.

 

If you only do one of these programs this year, I would strongly recommend ETC for phonics. You can easily add spelling to the mix later on.

[coralloyd]

ETC is not really a spelling list. I'd use both also. Right now I use the SL spelling list and ETC. Next year I'll use R&S spelling and ETC.

[usetoschool]

We worked our way through ETC but didn't really enjoy it. It was a few years ago but as I recall it was kind of dry and repetitive. The pictures are interesting but if I remember right we sometimes had a hard time figuring out what they were supposed to represent. It is a reading program. I did like the emphasis on syllables and syllabication rules in ETC. You can go to CBD and look at the samples and see if you like the way it looks and presents ideas. We like Spelling Workout. Each lesson includes a reading passage, a list of words, exercises like alphabetizing, crossword puzzles, vocabulary exercises, and finally for each lesson, proofreading. There is also a box with the spelling rule to read or discuss and all of the list words follow the rule. A lot of the reading is above the grade level so unless the kids are good readers they won't be able to do it independently. There are 36 lessons in each book and a review at the end of every 5 lessons. My 4th grader is up to level F and we have had to slow down because the spelling list is some fairly advanced vocabulary which I am happy about. He is learning the definitions of words he won't come across in most of his grade level reading. It also introduces cursive about half way through book B, writing the words in manuscript and cursive for a while and by the next book, if I am remembering right, goes to cursive exclusively. My kids can write in cursive but don't read it as well so I actually like that. Sometimes they do the pages in cursive but mostly we just print.