Spelling?

[mojomom]

My dd is 7 and we just started HS'ing this year. We have math down, just doing a review until our math curriculm comes in. We have reading and writing and social studies and science down FIAR.
I am wondering though if I should do spelling words with her like she had in PS? Does anyone do a regular spelling list and if so how do you do it and where do you gett he words from?
Thanks,
Vickie

[littlest birds]

I did and then realized it was not what would make dd a good speller, so now we don't. It seems artificial. I decided lots of reading and writing a lot did more for spelling improvement than separate spelling work.

One thing I did buy that I think helps spelling very much is a "Wordly Wise" workbook designed for vocabulary. Dd thinks its fun to learn new words and do the activities in this book because they are interesting. Drilling the same words over and over in any form isn't interesting. Learning should definitely be engaging and interesting.

We once studied contractions and how they work in a way similar to traditional spelling study. It just kept coming up and getting in the way because she didn't know how to use them. After making a list, showing how they areput together, and writing with them a bit, she did do better with them.

[wemberly]

When I taught elementary school, I asked the kids to make their own spelling lists--I encouraged them to look through their own writing and books they were reading to produce a list of 6-10 words each week--it was a big success and the approach was favored by both the kids and the parents. I plan to encourage Elliott to do the same (in an informal unschooling kind of way) as he becomes a more proficient writer and reader. If you do choose a traditional spelling curriculum, there are plenty of spelling books to choose from. Why not ask dd what she wants to do. I was really surprised by the amount of thought the kids I taught put into making their own lists--I think they learned so much more because they were interested in the words they chose.

[Monda]

We do lists based on grade.
Here is the link where we get our lists,

Every Day Spelling Lists by Grade

[Marsupialmom]

For my daughter: I use Phonics Pathway. I pull words that help teach/reinforce a rule we are learning. I pull words randomly. If she has a hard time with a word I put it on a list and we work on it. I don't like traditional list were they are studying words they already know. If they can spell a word why waste the energy to study it? With her I use a dry erase board call a word if she spells it wrong we erase it and I have her spell it twice correctly. I will pull words for review. We do it as long as she has interest for it (she is only 6). I have thought of buying Spelling Power. They have list and you test and collect the words that they cannot spell and then study those.

I also put words on index cards for both of my children to play hangman on.

My son does sequential spelling www.avko.org. All other ways did not work. This finally gave us success.

[UnschoolnMa]

We don't do spelling lessons (unschool) but an approach that I thought was cool was that a kid would write down words they were unfamiliar with as they came across them and that would become their spelling/vocab list for the week. Just an idea

[Dar]

I have cites somewhere for research showing that spellig word lists have absolutely no impact on later spelling skill, basedon comparing school classrooms that explicitly studied spelling words and those that didn't. Obviously homeschooling is a different thing, but I think the same conclusion would hold true.

Strong spellers tended to be kids who read and wrote a lot, and who viewed spelling as a sort of puzzle to figure out. Weak spellers tended to be poor readers and writers and saw spelling as basically arbitrary, and requiring lots of memorization. Also, strong spellers were kids who took ownership and responsibility for their writing, especially the editing process, whereas weak spellers generally saw editing as the teacher's job.

Dar

[APMomof3]

We do spelling words. We found a list of 1st grade words (my son's "grade") abd I let him spell the words to me outloud at first. He only missed 5 out of 100 words. So we did those 5 words and now we are doing the 2nd grade list of words.

[littlest birds]

Dar, it's good to have someone to agree with


My understanding, also, is that a lot of spelling is visual--most good and excellent spellers actually assess their spelling based on a sense of what "looks right." This would mainly be gained from reading in context to simply be very familiar with much of the English language. (I might try ways to develop small-scale visual discrimination using patterns, games, and art activities if a child seemed to not grasp spelling well.)

FWIW My opinion is affected by the fact that I am an excellent speller (even winning competitions back in my own school days). I did not become a good speller through drill work--not a bit and beyond a doubt.

[reeseccup]

I'm with pretty much a combo of every one here esp. with my dd. We as parents believe in adding uncommon words into our daily lang. whether by a new book, a new discussion or by looking up unusual animals or places to us.

Just last night while we were playing outside, I was speaking (what little I remember) Spanish, German and Jap. with our kids and dh was doing French. We commented on how some of the words are similar to our in English ect. As for vocabulary, she's not much into doing the boring write over and over words, don't blame her really. Instead at this point, I just encourage her to read words she sees( sounds them out) then puts it into proper contexted so she pretty much understands what those words mean without it seeming like a boring lesson (although she loves lessons).

I am looking at this program, not because she has issues with words, but I think it'll help her over all. http://www.avko.org/ There is some "free" stuff on it and she breezed right though it even though many of the words were "new" to her, I would just stop at a word she could say, but didn't understand what it was and explain it to her.

What I did was make up a short story with the words, so we got all giggly and had a good time with new words. I also make sure when we go to the library to get simple to read books I know she can read with out any help and some that are more challening for us to read together. I've found her pushing her limits and reading the more challenging stories on her own before we've had a chance to read together.

Reading and writting is the best way to learn how to spell and understand words. A dictionary is great, but putting a word into context is better imo.


NOW for my teen, that's a different story.

[mojomom]

Thank you all for the many responses I love have a variety of options to choose from, my HS style has been leaning towards the eclactic I think I can be a little relaxed about spelling and focus on reading and her gaining knowledge with words that way.

[Openskyheart]

When my kids were in school, They completed each spelling chapter in their spelling books, they studied their spelling words, took the tests on Fridays, aced them, and then promptly forgot how to spell every word on the lists. They rarely spelled their spelling words correctly in their everyday writing.

So, in our homeschool, we decided to do no spelling whatsoever. Just read, write, etc. My son (10) has done very little writing up until very recently, but, interestingly enough has decided that he wants to learn to spell. He's decided that he does want to learn to write because it will give him "more options." (Go maturity!). And, after some discussions about what he does and does not want to do with regard to writing, and what he thinks will help him with his writing, he thinks spelling will be the key.

Well...I already know that memorizing lists of words, and taking a test on Friday doesn't work. He is already a good reader, and already reads daily, so reading a lot hasn't helped him with his spelling. Hmmmm....I needed something completely different. Here it is:

www.avko.org

It is a completely logical spelling curriculum. There is zero studying and memorizing involved. The learner just sits down, listens to a dictated word, writes it to the best of his/her ability, listens and sees it spelled immediately after writing it, corrects it (if necessary) his/herself, and then listens for and writes the next word.

It is truly amazing. I'm floored by this method. Very quickly (within a few weeks) My 10 y.o. son, and 8 y.o. dd (who's decided to participate too), are spelling multisyllabic words with consonant blends and vowel digraphs, etc. without ever sitting down and memorizing anything. And - my son is writing - spontaneously, because he knows how to spell things now. He really did know what he needed.

I wouldn't use this program for a child under 8, though. The words get very complex very quickly.

Laura

P.S. My father is an excellent writer, voracious reader, and a terrible speller. Go figure.

Laura