Spelling Curriculum for a 7 yo

[bonniebeth4]

I know the are already a billion threads on spelling curriculum, but here's another. :001_smile: My dd is in 2nd grade, but her reading level is somewhere around 4th grade. We tried to start off this year with SWO C. She seemed pretty bored with it, so I flipped to the back of the book and went over the end-of-the-year quiz with her. She missed 2 or 3 problems. So, my first thought was to just go ahead and get SWO D, but then I started looking around and there are a lot of other programs out there that look good. And now I'm frozen by indecision. She seems to be a natural speller, but I get worried that I might "miss" something.

I would like a program that goes over rules, and maybe will cover things like word roots eventually (SWO does this later in the series, right?) I was looking at AAS, but I'm not sure where we would start with that. Another recent thread suggests that everyone should start at the beginning of AAS so that the kids get a good foundation, but I don't want to switch to another program that she's bored with.

Any suggestions?

[Macrina]

I have a similar dd and we are enjoying Spelling Power. The placement test is accurate ad my natural speller gives it a thumbs up.

[Mommy22alyns]

Level 1 of AAS was easy for Becca, but it didn't bore her. I don't feel like we got much out of SWO A at all. You can go quickly through AAS1 and move on to 2.

[KarenNC]

Ditto to Spelling Power. We started it when my daughter was 7.5, an advanced reader and speller (we had completed ETC 8 at that point). You may find the tips on Paula's Archives helpful for SP as well.
http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/SPmenu.htm

[dmmosher]

I really like Spelling Power, and you can use it all the way through Grade 12!

[Angel]

My dd is 2nd grade and reading at a 4th grade level (tested by my ps teacher cousin). We had put off formal spelling till now. I just didn't feel it was necessary. Last week we began AAS. Yes, the going is easy so far, but that makes for quick, fun lessons and boosts the "I can do it" feeling. Dd is loving the multi-sensory approach. I figure we will be through the first book before the end of the year, then we'll move on. I wouldn't discount it just because it is suggested to start at the beginning.

[Lovedtodeath]

Okay, I will say it. Don't start at the beginning if she is passing tests! she can probably start in AAS 2.

Did you see the recent thread about programs that get into word roots, spelling rules, reasons for those rules, etc.?

For a natural speller that can handle dictation, I would recommend How To Teach Spelling. It looks like AAS is basically How to Teach Spelling (http://www.epsbooks.com/dynamic/catalog/series.asp?seriesonly=1847M)all planned out for you with bells and whistles.

[joannqn]

My daughter was the same way. Bored with spelling, never getting any wrong, so I pretested and she missed very few. So, I switched to Spelling Power and it has been wonderful for her. I don't follow the program as described. Instead, we pretest an entire group (usually 20-25 words). Then she studies any that she missed, if any, on her own. I add any missed words to the next pretest. She loves that there is no review and boring fill in the blank worksheets to do.

Oh, and the groups are introduced by their spelling rule.

[MerryAtHope]

Okay, I will say it. Don't start at the beginning if she is passing tests! she can probably start in AAS 2.


That's probably true if she knows the phonograms & rules from level 1 already. Here's a link that can help decide. http://www.all-about-spelling.com/which-spelling-level.html

Also, if she does need to start at Level 1 (or if some of Level 2 is review & some is new), you don't have to do everything. You fill in the gaps and make sure she knows the concepts and how to apply them--have her demonstrate or explain it to you on a couple of words & move on to the next concept. I've heard of people finishing level 1 in a week to a month this way, just filling in whatever their kids don't know & moving on to the meatier sections. When you come to something new, then slow down & take however much time she needs. You can customize it to work for you.

Merry :-)

[Lovedtodeath]

AAS has every lesson listed in their scope and sequence online, so it is easy to know what you are missing and fill a couple of gaps in without buying that level.

[ajjkt]

Just to offer a different opinion:
ds is 7 and at a similar level to your dd. He is doing SWR and MegaWords. MegaWords is fairly repetitive, but you can skip some of the worksheets if she gets the concept.

[lindygirl]

We just switched to Sequential Spelling. It seems to work on word families. It has changed spelling from being ds's least favorite subject to him most favorite!

[hitech]

What about Spelling Wisdom?
Suzanne