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teachingmyown
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I would like my kids to have more practice with spelling. I do not want to teach spelling or give quizzes.  I don't want to give them workbooks that they will breeze through and then remember nothing.
Anyone have an idea of my best bet?
Thanks!
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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jenk
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We have had good luck with IEW Phonetic Zoo
http://www.excellenceinwriting.com/catalog/excellence-spelli ng-phonetic-zoo
The down side is that it is VERY expensive.  I had some extra $$ one year so I purchased program A. It has helped my ds' spelling so much I went ahead and bought program B... was able to find that one used for a good price 
The pros are that it is entirely independent- I do nothing but plug the kids in. It is also a good program if you have an auditory learner and has helped my very spelling challenged 14yo.
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Jen
with 2 boys, 14 and 8, and a girl expected 1/09
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teachingmyown
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I was looking at it, but got the impression that it wasn't independent. If it is, I may go for it. I like their guarantee. Besides, by the time I buy six workbooks, I am not far off the price. 
How long does it take to go through a level? Would you say it is equivalent to one grade level in a typical spelling book, or does it span several levels?
Thanks!
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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Kristie 4
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Spelling City. It is free online and has heaps of lists to choose from. I want to input my own lists, but I am so disorganised that I have just been pulling already prepared lists. In the perfect world my kids would write down the words they missed so I could add them the next week, but heh, we are doing more spelling than ever...
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Kristie in Canada
Mom to 3 boys and one spunky princess!!
A Walk in the Woods
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teachingmyown
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Thanks, Kristie! Free is good. I will check it out.
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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jenk
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teachingmyown wrote:
I was looking at it, but got the impression that it wasn't independent. If it is, I may go for it. I like their guarantee. Besides, by the time I buy six workbooks, I am not far off the price.
How long does it take to go through a level? Would you say it is equivalent to one grade level in a typical spelling book, or does it span several levels?
Thanks! |
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I have used the "work at your own pace" philosophy and I think my son has been working on it for at least year and 1/2... the goal is mastery so he repeats each lesson until he gets 100%. He is a challenged speller. For example, it took him 8 tries to complete lesson 39, so it may not take another child quite as long to complete.  I have noticed vast improvement in his spelling in school and out. We also have had periods of time when all of a sudden, I realize that it's been a while since I reminded him to do spelling, though he is getting better at doing it without prompting.
Each program comes with 4 cd's, 47 large spelling list cards and a pack of small "zoo cards". The zoo cards are used as collectibles once the child has mastered the rule... at 14, my ds isn't interested so we don't use them. The levels are A, B, and C. Each level is purchased separately and each has lesson 1-47 (the spelling rule is the same rule for each level but the words get harder)- looks like the same card set is used for all the levels.
Examples: Lesson 1 ai/ay rule A: brain, played...B: Wednesday, complaining... C:plaintiff, proclaimed, portrayal...
Every 5th lesson leaves space for a personal spelling list to compile and test frequently misspelled words- we don't use this either.
We have really never used spelling workbooks so I'm not sure how many rules a traditional level would cover. We did try Sequential Spelling from AVKO and while it is a great program, I found it to be WAY too time consuming for us. IEW has been ideal because I have literally turned it over to my ds and do nothing (except occasionally say "have you done your spelling"  ) I think you could be more involved if you chose to be.
The cd is set up with rule, spelling list and corrections (the words are spelled aloud) for each lesson. He studies the words before he attempts the cd. He listens to the rule at each attempt, tries the spelling list then corrects immediately after- and repeats until all words are correct but just does a "test" once per day.
Hope that helps a little.
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Jen
with 2 boys, 14 and 8, and a girl expected 1/09
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teachingmyown
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Thanks, Jen, that does help. I did find this product, called Spellquizer software, http://www.timberdoodle.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=3 78-378, from Timberdoodle that might solve the time-consuming aspect of Sequential Spelling. (sorry, my computer wouldn't let me put in the link!)
If time weren't a factor, which approach to spelling do you like better: Phonetic Zoo or Sequential Spelling?
Thanks!
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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jenk
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I actually like both programs. Phonetic Zoo has worked better for us but I like the idea of Sequential Spelling.
I kept my SS, thinking it may work well for my younger son but haven't started it with him yet.
The word lists in SS are 25 words each after day 7 (seems long) and lessons concentrate on on basic sound patterns... in, ood, ould, out... but the spelling rule isn't given. the word list doesn't repeat but patterns do (example day 5- thinned, thinner Day 6- thinning, thinnest) The instructions say to *speed* student through. Student must attempt to spell the words then correction comes immediately after each word and student will make corrections as needed. Going quickly did not work for my ds and he balked every time we'd do spelling.
OK, so I like Phonetic Zoo better ...for reasons other than time.
I'm not sure that SS would work without the child hearing the word- the instructions are (and emphasis is made to follow instructions- LOL) give each word separately, say the word, give it in a sentence, student attempts, give correct spelling, let student correct his own word, then give the next word... it took a lot of time to do it this way.
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Jen
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Kristie 4
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Sequential Spelling has teamed up with Spelling City so that you can use the lists through them (don't ask me how though- thats where I was stumped!)
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Kristie in Canada
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A Walk in the Woods
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Kristie 4
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Oh, and spelling city gives the word out loud (with quite an accent at times to our Canadian ears!!)
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Kristie in Canada
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A Walk in the Woods
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Kristie 4
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Just a funny note : I typed in growers for my daughter to spell with Spelling City. Well!! They gave her a sentence about a certain type of 'growers' 
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Kristie in Canada
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Matilda
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Molly,
We have purchased the Phonetic Zoo cards only (no audio CDs) and plan to use them on our own and in conjunction with Spelling City. Not quite totally independent, but mostly.
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Charlotte (Matilda)
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with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
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Topic: Independent, yet effective, spelling
