Well, we are doing All About Spelling – but I put the words into ANKI – a free “flashcard” program. But it is more than that, it is a “Spaced Repitition System” or SRS. Basically, when you see a flashcard, you tell it if you forgot the answer, or got it right but found it hard, good or easy. It then uses an algorithm to determine when you should review that card again. It is cumulative – the more often you get something right, the longer it will be before you review it again. We have some cards that won’t be reviewed again until January 2014! (You can browse the cards…) That way you are spending the time on the cards you NEED to review.
So I setup the AAS cards (and other subjects) in ANKI. It shows me the card, and I ask the child to spell it (they can’t see my screen.) If I were really motivated, I could have used an audio recording of me saying the words for them to spell and have them type it in, then see if they got it right…. but I just do it like AAS would have you do it.
The problem with any SRS system is that they are designed to be used regularily, preferably daily. So when you miss for a bit, you get a backup of cards to review. We see it a little bit on Mondays. But I’m worried that after 2 or 3 months, it will be daunting. I’m worried that it may seem like too much. (Now one good thing, if you had a card that you were supposed to review after, say 10 days – but you didn’t do your reviews until 20 days had passed – and you got it right – it takes that into account… so you get the “credit” so to speak of remembering it after 20 days and uses that in its calculation of when to see it next.
I think I’ll try to do a spelling review maybe once a week, and just time how long we do it. Maybe do it like a spelling bee or something. And then the same thing in the fall – just time the reviews….
