spelling curriculum

[learninmom]

What spelling curriculum do you use?

My boys 10 & 7 have been using Spelling Workout and they both hate it and do anything possible to avoid doing their spelling.

My youngest in grade 2 is in book B but doesn't really seem able to do in independently yet. And his spelling is really lacking.

My oldest is in book D (beginning) and has been for a year because he does everything possible to avoid it. He is an excellent speller but finds the work boring and tedious. He would rather just do a spelling test after reviewing the words himself.

Do you think that Spell to Write and Read would work better for them? How do your children find the work?

[susie in tx]

I really liked All About Spelling (http://www.all-about-spelling.com). It's working really well for my girls.

[LizzyBee]

We use Calvert Spelling on CD. It's painless and it works.

[LoveForLife]

We really like "ALL ABOUT SPELLING", as well. Two of my three boys use it, 7 and 9. It is a nice program, it also reviews phonics rules. We have tried a lot of different programs, Spelling Workout, Spelling Power, Sequential Spelling....... This is the Favorite, they enjoy it and it is working. HTH

Lorraine:D

[King Alfred Academy]

I really liked All About Spelling (http://www.all-about-spelling.com). It's working really well for my girls.
This is working well for my ds7 who was having difficulty with SWO. It is hands on and very visual. There are element for the auditory learner as well. I think it might be too "elementary" for you 10 year old, but you might want to check it out for your younger one.

[susie in tx]

My 9 yo and 6 yo's are doing this.

[keithfamily5]

We started using Spelling Power by Beverly Adams-Gordon. You do test and study sheet every day (we do it 3 times a week). We right the spelling rule down, I say the word, use it in a sentence, say the word again. They repeat the word, write the word and I immediately correct them. If it's wrong they cross it out and write in the words to study column. Then there's a 8 step study form on the back. I usually stop quizzing them after they have missed 4 or 5 words. They copy their rule onto the study form, copy the words they mis-spelled. They say the word, look at the word (is there anything different or funny about this word, blends, etc.) say the word and spell it out loud while looking at the word, close their eyes and say the word and spell it, write the word with their finger (can be done on the desk--we write in grits), then they cover up the word and write on the last blank as a quick test, the last thing they do is use it in a sentence. The next day or next time you do spelling, you pick up where you left off, first re-quizzing any words they missed in the previous lesson.

Okay, now, I started using this because we used Abeka last year and my then 4th grade could ace her spelling test at the end of the week, but a week later was unable to spell the word. Why memorize 30 words for a test if she's just going to lose it after the test. This has been awesome for her. On the other hand my second grader doesn't seem to be getting it so well. I think mostly it's a maturity thing for her. If she's still struggling next year, I'll try her on something else.

The thing I like and my kids like about this program is that it is quick. We are done usually in 15 minutes. It includes "tests" to decide where they are at on the list and even reproducible forms to use. You never have to buy anything else and can use it with all your kids. Sorry this is so long.

Patty

[Suzanne in ABQ]

We hated Spelling Workout. Never seemed to learn to spell anything. I hated the way the words were grouped. No rhyme or reason, imo.

We switched to Natural Speller. It has graded word lists, grouped by common spelling families (I'm sure there's a proper name for that, but I don't know what it is).

Anyway, we do spelling together (6th grade dd and 4th grade ds). I alternate between the two dc, giving them words from their respective lists. They write them down. If they get it right, we just go on. If they get it wrong, I tell them how to spell it and they write it correctly two more times. I also circle the missed word in my book.

For 6th grade dd, I also circle words she's never heard, and mark them as vocabulary words. We keep going until she has 12-15 words circled (this sometimes takes weeks because she's a very good speller). She copies her list, then she alphabetizes it (writing it again). I usually have her write different forms of some of the words, adding different prefixes and suffixes. Then, she looks up the vocabulary words, and writes the definition and an example sentence for each word. Then, I test her again. Usually, just working this much with the words is enough for her to learn them. It usually takes several weeks to come up with a list, but she has gone through about 100 words in the process. She is able to go very quickly through the word lists this way. (She's in 6th grade, but she's almost finished with the 8th grade list.)

For 4th grade ds, I teach him as we go. After I circle missed words and have him write them correctly 3 times, I go on to the next word. But, with every few successful spellings, I give him one of his previously missed words. I keep giving him the missed words periodically until he consistantly spells them correctly a couple days in a row. Then, I erase the circle from the word (with much fanfare). His spelling has vastly improved using this method. He was terrible at the beginning of the year (after wasting too much time with SWO), and I started him with the first grade word list. He has gone through the 1st through the 3rd grade lists, and is almost caught up with where I think he needs to be (half way through the 4th grade list.

Oh, I don't know if this matters, but I have them do spelling on table top white boards. That makes it easy for me to see what they write (since they're both a few feet away from me), and they enjoy it. It's like a game for them.

[Rhonda in WA]

What spelling curriculum do you use?

Do you think that Spell to Write and Read would work better for them? How do your children find the work?

SWR has been a great buy for us. My dd's spelling has taken off-(in our first 4 months of using SWR dd went 2 grade levels higher) and reading has improved greatly. It has been good for us. I bought magnet letter tiles for us to use with each lesson. She likes playing with those.

Also the yahoo group has been helpful for me.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SpellToWriteAndRead/
They can answer all your questions!

We still have SWO A and B which my dd does like-but we use it as a fun workbook only.

[one l michele]

IMO SWR is worth the learning curve and the teacher time will balance out in the long run. Because of SWR there is no need for another phonics program. SWR is efficient, most kids who have used it from K or 1st can test out in 4th or 5th. Leaving more time in middle school to work on writing skills. I really like how SWR makes them think and uses a variety of methods (auditory, breaking into syllables, spelling rules, etc.) instead of memorizing word lists. I think the entire package cost me $130, but I have three kids who will use it and don't need to purchase materials yearly.