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Erin
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| Posted: Nov 20 2006 at 2:52pm | IP Logged
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humanevitae wrote:
| I use the Writing Road to reading and it is heavy on phonics.I am also one who does not enjoy teaching reading. I hate the mechanics and slow pace of it. |
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Nicole,
Hope you don't mind me moving this over here, I didn't want to highjack Bridget's thread.
I use the Writing Road to Reading cards to teach the phonics, mind you we never get very far into the double phonograms as they are usually more interested in reading books by then and I have never finished  I have tried to use the spelling as it makes sense to me but the dc hated it particularly dd. As I have done the 'courses' and it all makes sense to me I had to do some serious letting go here.
Now all my dc are fine readers, but not good spellers. They can often pick up their mistakes and do very well on spelling tests but when they are writing a story they are in too much of a hurry to spell correctly even the 11 and 13yr olds. I am still not interested in teaching the Spalding spelling program as the dc really hated it. However I wondered would it be worthwhile going back and teaching them the double phonograms? They would be willing enough to do that I think.
How far along have you used the program?
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ALmom
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| Posted: Nov 20 2006 at 7:16pm | IP Logged
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Erin - we used it for spelling. My oldest hated it and we dropped it after a very short time. She is not a good speller but can ace any spelling test from sheer memory.
The other children had vision problems, some visual memory issues at one point which made spelling particularly difficult. I also had the benefit of advice on how to do the program. So like everything else we do, we modified heavily  .
Instead of the books and no erasures and forming all those tedious charts etc, we enlarged and laminated the spelling rules, the marking guidelines (and for me, I laminated a bit of the guidance on how the dialogue works). Then I used the blank charts, allowed the children to fill them in with pencil - and erase as much as they wanted. I asked them about markings and guided them to be successful so we didn't have to redo the chart from misplaced red markings.
I dictate the spelling words using the Sanseri suggested dialogue (and we did do some quicky review of the stuff she recommends prior to each list) but do allow erasures and ask for the how to mark the word before they actually do it. I hint at things if needed so they are successful. I do this for 1 or 2 years spelling and then we revert to stuff as usual. It is very parent intense which is the hardest part for us. However, it made a huge difference in our 2nd dd spelling and she is our best speller despite an early visual memory problem (therapy for eyes and other things did improve this on her so she no longer seems to have this problem) problem.
I have one child who can spell well regardless -but I'm having him do the program with his brother this year, mostly because I'm dictating anyways and having them quiz each other on phonograms saves me time.
Janet
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humanaevitae
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| Posted: Nov 20 2006 at 11:17pm | IP Logged
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Erin,
I wrote the wrong name! We use Spell to Read and Write by Sanseri. I was wondering why the posts above didn't sound the same!
This is our 2nd year using it and my son and I really like it. Zero teacher prep beyond learning the basic method. Rules make sense and have helped me become a better speller (I love to read but spelling  )
It works great for my son as it makes him concentrate on how a word is put together and why it is spelled that way. He is a fast reader and doesn't notice the individual words when he is reading!
It also helps him pronouce words correctly. I am often embarressed as I know what the word means and have a general idea what it looks like but am not sure on how to say it! Now Dh can pronounce words but isn't sure on their meaning!
However if your kids already spell well when they take the time I don't know if it is that important. When they proofread their papers are they able to self-correct their errors?
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aussieannie
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| Posted: Jan 10 2007 at 11:26pm | IP Logged
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Erin wrote:
| Now all my dc are fine readers, but not good spellers. They can often pick up their mistakes and do very well on spelling tests but when they are writing a story they are in too much of a hurry to spell correctly even the 11 and 13yr olds. |
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Erin, my oldest does this - he excels at his spelling tests, in 6 years he has never gotten less than 80% (our pass rate) and often it is in the high 90% range. Yet when he writes he has spelling mistakes everywhere! Simple words often too! I say, "Jack, you know this one....Jack what were you thinking of? you know that!...." and on it goes. It puzzled me GREATLY. I still don't know the why's but I do find something that has helped a bit. Instead of doing a list down the page of his spelling mistakes to write 3 times each, I make him go through the passage and where a spelling mistake is underlined, I make him re-write it under the passage the way he thinks/knows it ought to be spelt and I found that 3/4's of the words he would spell correctly again - since making him do this he has improved, and again, I don't really know why that is working but it seems to be.
We use the Spalding method too (LEM's version of it) and we teach the multiples - I do think that helps them, myself. It is one program that I like and the children do well with.
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ALmom
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| Posted: Jan 11 2007 at 10:25am | IP Logged
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I think both the programs by Sanseri are the same (I just have an older version where the spelling book tells you what to pull from the other stuff and from what I hear the newer version just puts everything all together better in one place and there is less copying/laminating to make it work and they have a seperate book designed for those of us who would never use the program to teach reading and just want it for spelling- ie it sounds like the newer version does for you some of the things I jury rigged to make the program work for us. I think it also has updated some of the y sounds - We did this ourselves when I taught it.)
I would also say that if your child is just misspelling words when putting a draft together, that isn't really a spelling problem - that is normal. I'd just expect the child to do their own proofreading after the assignment is written and then assess based on the final copy.
I have found that using the advanced phonograms and knowing the spelling rules myself helps. Once we revert to other programs, I do find myself asking the same kind of hint questions from spelling rules that I did with Sanseri. I never made my children memorize the rules - but eventually they do become familiar.
When I use the program, I do not get bogged down in a lot of the extras in the program I have. We review phonograms and spelling rules, I dictate words, and any charts that are relevant to that list of words. Sometimes I test for spelling by asking them to write sentences. Some children just have to concentrate so hard to put thoughts together that they don't spell really well until the final draft. By doing some of the sentence testing, I do give them a chance to practice this skill on a smaller scale than an essay or paragraph.
It might help to see if there are any patterns to the spelling mistakes and then emphasis those relevant rules. Sometimes doing the 2 letter phonograms all at once can be confusing unless you know when one or another is used. Some tend to be used in the middle of the word and some at the end - knowing this as they learn the phonograms is helpful.
Janet
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theresa-lynn
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| Posted: Jan 12 2007 at 11:06am | IP Logged
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We've been using SWR (Sanseri) too, and have really been enjoying it. We only do very short lessons (15-20 min at most) and this has worked well for us. My dd is 6 years old, and the other reading methods have not worked very well for us. For some reason, learning to spell first and then read as a by-product is a good method for her.
I have learned a lot from this approach and am spelling better now because of it  I never did learn to spell very good as a child.
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Erin
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| Posted: Aug 04 2007 at 12:10am | IP Logged
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Resurrecting an old thread. Can you tell I'm still not happy.
Does anyone know whether Sanseri and Spalding are vastly different or is Sanseri perhaps an easier re-write of Spalding?
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graciefaith
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We use SWR too. We love it. Yes, SWR is more user friendly than WRTR. If you visit their Yahoo group, there are many trainers and Wanda Sanseri herself who will help you and answer all of your questions.
This is our first year homeschooling and so our first year in SWR as well. I love how it lays a great foundation for the English Language. My dd is on list I and although SWR isnt her favorite subject, she is learning so much and is an excellent speller. Even though she isnt reading yet, i know it will come in time. We keep the lessons as short as we can(15-20min). I spread out the enrichement activities throughout the week so the lessons can stay short.
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Erin
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| Posted: Aug 05 2007 at 2:51am | IP Logged
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Thank you Grace
This is what I needed to hear. Now I have been doing a bit of searching trying to find out just what exactly is the layout etc of Sanseri's program to compare. I already own the Spalding cards and WRTR an old, old book try a bit more than 15 years. In it is has the spelling rules/notebook and a list that you go through with the children introducing the rules as they are relevant to the spelling list.
Now it isn't the most user friendly, however Sanseri's program is quite expensive it appears and when you add freight and the conversion rate  But I can see that my dc would really benefit from doing something that would explain the rules to them I couldn't say that they are great spellers at all 
I found this site that had some game ideas with the phonic sounds but I wasn't too sure whether this was what came in Sanseri's kit, is it? I have already something similar that I made Could I perhaps buy part of the program or do I need the full kit? Oh and where is the best place to buy it?
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graciefaith
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That is Britta's blog and she sells SWR. Those ideas are mentioned in the SWR manual. Her website is
I bought my stuff from Britta.
That looks like all the single and multi phonograms to me. Have you been to the Yahoo group? I would post this exact question and you can get a much better answer than from me.
Yes, the program is a bit pricey but for a good foundation that will benifit them throughout their lives, i think it's worth it. Definitely post on the webiste or even email Britta personally and she will help you out. I did that and she helped me a lot. YOu can get her email from her website.
HTH!!
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chicken lady
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We use WRTR, I do not teach it, my dc go to a reading specialist. We have vision issues here. From my understanding teaching WRTR from Spauling is very intense if you try to teach it at home. I really don't know if it the best way to go, we do because my friend a former HS mom (kids are grown) teaches it to our HS community and she teaches my dc for free. I am just grateful for the help getting my dc reading and writing.
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Erin
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Gracie
Thank you so much I contacted Britta and she is so lovely and helpful. It just thought I'd share an article that Britta directed me to on the comparisons between SWR and WRR.
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graciefaith
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I'm so glad Britta was able to help you. I'll have to bookmark that site as i find many people who ask the difference between those 2 programs. Thank you for that!
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Erin
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Glad that was helpful  I just joined the Yahoo group.
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4Real Forums : Language Arts Come Alive
Topic: Writing Road to Reading
