Barton "Happy" spelling rule

[Cindy in MO]

Does anyone else have a problem with this rule? There's a whole bunch of words that this rule does not work for (Words with one consonant between two vowels, like "copy"). Saying the words a certain way helps to make them fit, cop-y, which closes the first syllable. But we really say co-py, so-lid, ra-dish with the first vowel being short, which would make the "Happy" rule apply but it doesn't work for these words. These are words that just have to be memorized, which is nearly hopeless for ds who does not easily remember to spell anything even when there is an easy rule. And is everyone having fun spelling those sight words? We use color, and pictures and stories. At some point I'm going to quit caring if he can spell. For 5 years I have been working and working with ds on reading and spelling. 3 other children, Dh and myself are all natural spellers, so I'm a little frustrated. Thank God for spell checkers.

Thanks,
Cindy

[Laurie4b]

What is the happy spelling rule?

I don't think spelling rules actually help spelling much, particularly, since, as you observe, there are frequent exceptions. What I did with my two kids who have dyslexia, and which has worked, is to use the most frequent words list and the overteaching method of instruction. This takes parental time for about 1-2 years, then their spelling is at least within ballpark.

Here's a link to a post in which I described it. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23896&highlight=overteaching

[proudmamma]

I know exactly how you feel Cindy! There are quite a few rules in Barton that I have trouble remembering myself and I don't have dyslexia or a problem spelling...my frustration is high at times also. I have been working and working for years with my son and sometimes I feel like his memory is nill. I keep pushing on with Barton (we are at the end of level 4) because it is helping my son (12) but it is not near as perfect as I would like it to be. I really wish she had some sort of spiral review built into it so it would help my son not to forget. sigh...

Sometimes I really do feel like the spelling part slows us down. I keep thinking I really should just spend the majority of my time having him read and read and read...and work on spelling later...I don't know!! I also get antsy because it is taking so long to just teach the code with Barton. I mean, wouldn't it be better to teach all the phonograms up front and read, read, read THEN work on spelling after he knows all the decoding rules. That way he could gain skills in reading while working on spelling. The way we are doing it with Barton there are only certain words he knows how to decode and so his reading is held back as well as his spelling!

Well, we had a very bad day yesterday and today so I am venting...sorry!

[Cindy in MO]

Since my post I've been thinking that maybe I shouldn't let the spelling slow the reading down, because I think we can get through level 6 by June. We can always continue to work on spelling after ds is reading. I'll just keep the list of rules handy and remind him to use it if he gets stuck. He mostly knows all his phonics; he needed help with multi-syllable words and so far it's working. Also, spiral review would greatly enhance this program, instead of just having the word lists for the tutor to improvise. Although after all my years homeschooling, I'm kind of used to doing that.

Hope you had a better day today. We have one of those sometimes with a new lesson or ds is tired, so we stop and continue the next day.

Thanks,
Cindy

[Cindy in MO]

What is the happy spelling rule?

I don't think spelling rules actually help spelling much, particularly, since, as you observe, there are frequent exceptions. What I did with my two kids who have dyslexia, and which has worked, is to use the most frequent words list and the overteaching method of instruction. This takes parental time for about 1-2 years, then their spelling is at least within ballpark.

Here's a link to a post in which I described it. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23896&highlight=overteaching

Happy rule: It is for words with a double consonate like: happy, rabbit, funny, etc. When you say the words you don't hear a consonate closing the first syllable making the vowel short, so you double the consonate you hear at the beginning of the second syllable. But this doesn't work for copy, solid, etc. So for the lesson you have to say,
"cop-y and sol-id" which is really not how we say those words. It's just for the sake of spelling them.

We used the overteaching method for many months before Barton. After Barton we will get back to it because ds needs much repetition to remember how to spell sight words.

[Laurie4b]

I see. The "say to spell" method works better on some words than others. It seems easier to use it for a word like beautiful than a word like copy!