Cursive copywork, spelling, written narration

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  • June 8, 2015 at 6:38 am
    andream
    Participant

    I will have a newly turned ten year old in August beginning grade four. She has completed the Hymns in Prose cursive Copywork book. Should I try to find something else to continue this or let that be enough? She doesn’t ever write in cursive on her own, she does have beautiful print.

    second question:  we began dictation with spelling wisdom last year, it was enjoyable and I loved the passages, but we only got through about 15 for the whole year. I know it’s not about finishing the book, but teaching the child. Her spelling in her free writing is really not good at all. She is one of those kids who wants to spell it all right and she’s a naturally good writer. I hope she won’t start limiting her vocabulary in her writing to things she knows how to spell. I am considering adding spelling power. Do you think it would be too much to do both spelling wisdom and spelling power?

    Question 3: we will also be beginning written narration this year. I have tested the waters twice by giving her readings from aesops fables, I think she did really well. I told her not to be concerned about spelling, punctuation etc. just to get the words down on the paper. My plan is to have her do one written narration per week from the books used in the Beautiful Feet early American history program (I’m mainly doing that for my 7 and 5 year old and adding on some living books for her).  I thought I’d have her write it, then we can look it over together and discuss a few things like punctuation and capitalization. Then she can watch me type her narration (with correct spelling,etc) and the next day she can copy the correct narration into her history notebook with the picture from the chapter.  Does this sound like a good way to start written narration this year?

    June 8, 2015 at 8:30 am
    psreitmom
    Participant

    I have a very poor speller. She just turned 12 and she has dyslexia. Her reading is improving, but the spelling needs a lot of work. Recently, a friend told me that her son did not do well in the spelling part of his achievement testing. She had him do Spelling You See for a year and had him retested and his spelling had greatly improved. So, I am going to try SUS this coming year with my daughter. The samples I have seen look very much CM. There are no word lists and they don’t focus on memorizing rules, which drives my daughter crazy……TMI, with her processing difficulties. SUS does some vowel chunking, copywork, and dictation. I am looking forward to trying it. I will give my review at the end of next year, but thought I would mention it. HTH

    June 8, 2015 at 2:20 pm
    Melanie32
    Participant

    I think your plan sounds lovely. 🙂

    I don’t think I would do Spelling Wisdom and Spelling Power together. I think CM style dictation is much more effective than memorizing lists of words. Most poor spellers will pass the tests and then promptly forgot how to spell the same words. Dictation has helped my spelling challenged child more than any other methods or curriculum.

     

    June 8, 2015 at 5:46 pm
    andream
    Participant

     

    Thank you both for your replies.

    Thank you for mentioning spelling you see. I really like the look of that. Sounds cm friendly.  I like that it tells you what to do each day, looks pretty user friendly.

     

    anyone else have a comment about cursive copywork.

    June 9, 2015 at 5:47 am
    Melanie32
    Participant

    The cursive decision is entirely up to you. If you feel that she has a good grasp of cursive and you don’t mind if she continues to write in print, then you can feel free to stop cursive instruction. If it’s important to you that she write in cursive, then I would continue the cursive instruction.

    June 9, 2015 at 6:34 am
    andream
    Participant

    Ok, thank you. If I do want to continue cursive copywork, does anyone have a recommendation on a book to continue with? We have finished the SCM Hymns in Prose book.

    June 9, 2015 at 6:19 pm
    cedargirl
    Participant

    we use the Startwrite program. You can download it or order a cd. it allows you to create tracing, or copy work pages in a variety of fonts in print or cursive. We do D’Nealian print and cursive, so having the freedom to create scripture or good lit chunks for them to do is lovely. allows you to customize. Even does Handwriting Without Tears fonts.  I enjoy making memory verse pages for us. A good product to follow up your SCM books.

    June 9, 2015 at 9:01 pm
    Steph3433
    Participant

    If I am correct, copy work can be anything you or the child chooses.

    ex.  A passage from a book she is reading, poems she enjoys, scriptures, etc.

    As far as a book goes,  you could look at Sandy Queens homeschool copy work books.

    Hope that helps.

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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