Here's our "first day of school" picture:
That wonderfully detailed schedule I worked so hard on has been helpful, but already there are some snags in it - things aren't taking as long as I thought they would, which leaves us with alot of "what do we do now" time. So I'm tweaking here and there - what's the fun of a schedule if you can't adjust it, right? Even if the timing of things has been off, its been a great tool to help keep things flowing and orderly.
The one big hitch is what this post is actually about - our spelling curriculum. Up until now, the boys have been using spellingcity.com. Its free, and about as close to computer games as I generally let them get, so they really enjoy it.
Two problems, though - one, the phone jack where we were going to hook up the computer downstairs doesn't actually have internet on it (long story about weird wiring in our house) and our 8 year old ancient computer doesn't have a wireless card, AND, as fun as spellingcity.com is for the boys... their spelling is terrible. Really bad! Especially Isaac's. He loves to read and has an excellent vocabulary, but just can't get the hang of spelling.
Granted, we could get a wireless card for the computer. But that still leaves us with the fact that spellingcity just isn't cutting it for us. I think it would be great for those who are natural spellers (you know, those homeschoolers who win the National Spelling Bee? That's a stereotype we definitely don't fit, lol!), but for Isaac, he needs something different.
So, I've been looking at several - Spelling Power, Sequential Spelling, and Excellence in Spelling.
I was also looking at Rod and Staff's Spelling By Sound and Structure - I like that it is mostly independent work, and I've found Rod and Staff's curriculums to be very thorough, but we used it last year and it didn't seem to work, either.
I'm torn because My Father's World recommends Spelling Power, and I have several friends that use it and love it. However, Sequential Spelling seems like it might be what will work best for Isaac, since it focuses on building within word families, and it comes very highly recommended by Timberdoodle. And I love how Excellence in Spelling is very much geared toward independent learning, although to get the whole system is a bit expensive. Decisions, decisions!
So, I'd love to hear any and all input on any of these spelling systems! If any of my readers have any thoughts on any of these, please leave a comment and share with me your experiences!
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6 comments:
You know what my recommendation is! : ) I looked on Homeschool Classifieds and found level A for an excellent price if you are at all interested. http://www.homeschoolclassifieds.com/show_sale_category.asp?lng=Language%20Arts:%20Spelling/vocabulary&shrt=Sp&page=4
The price was the only factor when I was trying to decide and we ended up going for it when I found a good deal. I'm finding that it's also serving as a great reminder of the phonetic rules, which I can see being good for Sam when he gets to it.
Spelling Power is the best! You buy one book and it works for all your children. It's really not that expensive and it's all included in the book. It's great because the children don't get bored memorizing words they already know. They get a major boost of confidence because they get words right and only work on the ones they didn't know. My 2 cents! LOL
I choose.....none of the above!
All About Spelling. And I'll tell you why:
1. very little writing. You use letter tiles (laminated squares) and the kids move them around to spell the words.
2. no weekly tests or useless daily activities. My daughter could do all the activities you could come up with and still not know the words.
3. Scripted lessons. Really. There is ZERO prep for teacher or student.
4. Helps with reading too as it teaches all the phonics and rules you could ever need.
5. The best: It's not consumable. In any way. Once you have a level, every child can use it.
Here: I posted about it last year
http://familyrevised.blogspot.com/search?q=spelling
Okay, clearly I have no input on this, since my recollection of learning to spell is using flashcards and holding mock spelling bees (I always did love competition), and even though I majored in English there are still quite a few words that I consistently don't know how to spell. However, I did want to ask, when did Nathan become such a gangster? He looks so tough in the school picture, lol!
Thanks for all of the input! I have to admit... I decided to try Sequential Spelling only because it had the cheapest initial cost ($11.50 at Rainbow Resource). I figure if that one doesn't work, I'll spend a little more on one of these suggestions. But I didn't want to spend $50+ on something that might not work.... I really appreciate hearing everyone's opinions!
Sarah, LOL! You know Michael grew up in the 'hood... it must have gotten into the genes somehow ;-)
How about throwing another spelling idea at you? "All About Spelling". I'm reviewing it for the TOS Homeschool Crew, so I'm sure I'll have a lot more to say about it in a few weeks.
For us, Spelling Power and Sequential Spelling were not good fits. Too much word memorization and not enough rule application. But that is just our opinion. :)
Oops, I see you decided on SS, I hope that it is perfect for your family.
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