Help me with spelling.

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  • April 11, 2015 at 9:50 am
    MissusLeata
    Participant

    I have 2 boys in school, they’ll be in 1st and 3rd grades next year. I’m having a hard time getting my mind around CM style spelling and LA. Those were my strengths in school. I “got it” really young. So, it’s hard to understand why it’s hard for my kids.

    I’m trying to just follow the CM principles. I’ve used Primary Language Lessons with my oldest this year and plan to finish that book next year. I won’t start my 2nd son on any English lessons in first grade.

    But with spelling, I just don’t know what to do. We used Spelling U See this year and I really liked it. But once the oldest got into the dictation of passages and not just words, he really couldn’t do it. For the younger one, it’s been great and just reinforced his reading skills.

    But I’m looking at buying next years materials, and I’m not sure if it’s worth buying the next level for my oldest.

    I also have Susan C. Anthony’s Dictation book. But is prepared dictation too much for a 3rd grader? Should I just focus on reading and writing and do spelling more in 4th grade? Or should I get a “real” spelling curriculum and see if he loves it as much as I did?

    Help!

    April 11, 2015 at 11:27 am
    nebby
    Participant

    My 4th and 5th graders are still doing copywork, not dictation. We have used some spelling curricula. I think some kids are able to absorb spelling more easily than others. I’d try copywork, see how you think they’re doing and them decide what you need. I really like the Logic of English (the book, not the curriculum) for helping me understand and explain spelling rules when they arise — things like why is there an e in changeable?

    Nebby

    April 11, 2015 at 12:22 pm
    MissusLeata
    Participant

    Thank you, Nebby. We do copy work. In fact, that’s a big part of SUS for my older son. He copies a passage for several days and then is supposed to write as much of it as he can without looking back. I also use some SCM copybooks. SUS is a bit spendy. But the fact that it combines copy work and dictation is nice.

    April 12, 2015 at 6:42 am
    nebby
    Participant

    I think SCM has a nice video on prepared dictation. Have you seen it? It seems like for whatever reason the SUS is not sticking for him well. IMO it’s a lot to have them write it from memory. That’s not really dictation; it’s just memorizing. Whatever materials you use for it, I would pick one or two things to concentrate on each week, maybe periods or spelling two tough words correctly. They have so much to learn at that age. I’d pick 2 to care about and not worry so much if they get the other details wrong.

    Nebby

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