I'm giving list 2 to my 8yr old DD. I have skipped several units trying to place her. The words are pretty easy as she had similar spelling words in CLE learning to read program. She herself said the spelling is too easy and seems bored with it. Right now we are on unit 14 list. I chose this one because she puts the 'r' first in words with 'or' 'er' 'ir' 'ar'. She has done well with 'or' words the first try, catching herself when she starts switching the two letters. After 3 days of doing the lists she is spelling the words correctly, maybe having only 1 wrong in that 3 days. Should we jump to a new list after 3 days? Unit 32, 33,&34 lists would be where she left off in CLE. Should we jump to those & then What after that? Anyone ever do Sequential Spelling?
Becky
Beyond spelling
Re: Beyond spelling
The spelling lists in Beyond aren't meant to be hard... it's meant to prepare the child to know how to study dictation. The actual spelling they learn from it and cement in their minds is a bonus IMO. I wouldn't skip any of it, but would make sure I'm following the directions each week.
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kidsforHim
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Re: Beyond spelling
That makes sense. I skipped ahead only after giving her the word lists orally and she'd get them all right without one bit of hesitation. I did the oral thing just to see how she would do with the words, NOT to replace the instructions in the guide.
Today now, doing unit 14 'or' words, she did get a few wrong and I could tell she had to concentrate more on spelling the word. When we do pick a word list I've followed the directions in the guide, otherwise the previous lists I gave orally and we just moved on if she spelled all the words correctly. They were honestly almost identical to words she had in CLE. She does not have one bit of trouble spelling them in her writing outside of school & she does love to write notes and such. I just didn't see the point of doing words that she already can spell & her writing in her free time shows it.
So, we are on unit 14 for spelling but behind in the rest of the guide, & will finish the spelling lists before we finish the guide, what then?.. But then... language arts can be of our own chosing anyways for the guides if we so desire, right?
Today now, doing unit 14 'or' words, she did get a few wrong and I could tell she had to concentrate more on spelling the word. When we do pick a word list I've followed the directions in the guide, otherwise the previous lists I gave orally and we just moved on if she spelled all the words correctly. They were honestly almost identical to words she had in CLE. She does not have one bit of trouble spelling them in her writing outside of school & she does love to write notes and such. I just didn't see the point of doing words that she already can spell & her writing in her free time shows it.
So, we are on unit 14 for spelling but behind in the rest of the guide, & will finish the spelling lists before we finish the guide, what then?.. But then... language arts can be of our own chosing anyways for the guides if we so desire, right?
Re: Beyond spelling
Where are you in the guide? You could always do both lists for the ones she has more struggle with... like since she's missed some of the or words you could do list one the first week and list two the second week. Like I said, it's more about the process than the product in this case.
Or if you already have the Bigger guide you could just start her in dictation once you get finished with the spelling list.
Or if you already have the Bigger guide you could just start her in dictation once you get finished with the spelling list.
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kidsforHim
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Re: Beyond spelling
We are in Unit 6 this week. I didn't think of using words from the other list.That's a good idea. I also do have the Bigger guide.
Re: Beyond spelling
I am wondering if your dd is writing sentences fairly easily? If she is writing several short sentences quite well, with proper capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, she may be ready for Dictation Level 2. However, since she placed in Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory, I am assuming that using either Spelling List 1 or 2 would fit her better overall for the rest of the guide. The spelling in HOD incorporates many more skills than the pretest/posttest method of spelling incorporates, which makes it higher level, as well as a stepping stone (as MomtoJGJE mentioned) to dictation.
Carrie had this to say about pretesting...
I'll just pop-in to mention what I've found to be true from my public school teaching days where we pretested kiddos every week. We discovered that pre-testing is a less than accurate read on whether our kiddos actually "know" the word or not. Sometimes they may really know it, and other times they may just have guessed and gotten it right or have "known" it in the short-term only to have "lost" it in the long-term.
So with any of our guides, we actually don't recommend pre-testing. We feel the words in List 1 and List 2 are so important to know that we like all kiddos to go through them, whether they seem to know the words on the list right on the first day or not.
At our house, we don't pretest the kiddos but rather have a first grader do List 1 and a second grader do List 2, no matter whether that child is a terrific speller or not. This is because these words are so important to know that it's good practice to go over them and to practice the activities that are designed to help a kiddo visualize the word in his/her mind at the same time. Both of my oldest two sons were terrific natural spellers. They went through the lists anyway, and it didn't hold them back in their spelling abilities or spelling scores in end-of-the-year testing at all. It taught them to visualize words and to "see" them in their minds before spelling them.
My oldest son only missed one word all year! Yet, for me it was worth it to be sure the techniques were practiced prior to the visualizing needed for studied dictation.
My third little guy is not a natural speller. His hearing issues have made it hard for him to hear the sounds. He did all of List 1 as a first grader and will do all of List 2 as a second grader too, moving steadily forward each week. Anyway, you get the idea. So, in your situation I would recommend doing the spelling plans as written, with no pre-testing, as the visualizing technique is as important as knowing the words themselves.
Blessings,
Carrie
And this...
The spelling lists in Beyond/Bigger include many of the Dolch words and sight words (which are commonly used words that should be known well prior to proceeding into studied dictation). So while the kiddos are cementing their phonics skills, we also teach the habit of visualizing and spelling correctly a body of commonly used words. The exercises in the Beyond and Bigger guide are also stepping stones for training a child to hold a mental picture of a word in the mind, which aids in holding the mental picture of an entire phrase/sentence in mind which comes next (when a child begins studied dictation).
This is why, even for children who are great natural spellers and who rarely miss a spelling word, it is wise to go through the spelling exercises as written in the guide. The mental exercises are equally as important as spelling the word correctly. At HOD, we are always looking ahead to the skills that will be needed the following year, and training the child in the guide before for the skills that will be needed in the future!... This is also because the physical practice of writing the words builds fine motor skills too for a young child! Plus, using the words in sentences helps kiddos learn to use a word in context, works on understanding what a sentence is, and provides practice in copying from a correctly written model. Also, looking at the word cards and checking one's work is practice in beginning proofreading skills. So, many skills are being worked on beyond the mental picturing.
Finally, this thread may help as well...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5645&p=41357#p41357
So, if it were me and I'd placed my child in Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory as her best placement for the year, I'd probably just begin with whatever unit we were currently doing using Spelling List 2, following the LA plans. Then, when I began BHFHG, I'd start her on Dictation Level 2. This will prepare her nicely for dictation in a consistent way that will have nice long-term effects! HTH!
In Christ,
Julie
Carrie had this to say about pretesting...
I'll just pop-in to mention what I've found to be true from my public school teaching days where we pretested kiddos every week. We discovered that pre-testing is a less than accurate read on whether our kiddos actually "know" the word or not. Sometimes they may really know it, and other times they may just have guessed and gotten it right or have "known" it in the short-term only to have "lost" it in the long-term.
So with any of our guides, we actually don't recommend pre-testing. We feel the words in List 1 and List 2 are so important to know that we like all kiddos to go through them, whether they seem to know the words on the list right on the first day or not. At our house, we don't pretest the kiddos but rather have a first grader do List 1 and a second grader do List 2, no matter whether that child is a terrific speller or not. This is because these words are so important to know that it's good practice to go over them and to practice the activities that are designed to help a kiddo visualize the word in his/her mind at the same time. Both of my oldest two sons were terrific natural spellers. They went through the lists anyway, and it didn't hold them back in their spelling abilities or spelling scores in end-of-the-year testing at all. It taught them to visualize words and to "see" them in their minds before spelling them.
My oldest son only missed one word all year! Yet, for me it was worth it to be sure the techniques were practiced prior to the visualizing needed for studied dictation. My third little guy is not a natural speller. His hearing issues have made it hard for him to hear the sounds. He did all of List 1 as a first grader and will do all of List 2 as a second grader too, moving steadily forward each week.
Anyway, you get the idea. So, in your situation I would recommend doing the spelling plans as written, with no pre-testing, as the visualizing technique is as important as knowing the words themselves. Blessings,
Carrie
And this...
The spelling lists in Beyond/Bigger include many of the Dolch words and sight words (which are commonly used words that should be known well prior to proceeding into studied dictation). So while the kiddos are cementing their phonics skills, we also teach the habit of visualizing and spelling correctly a body of commonly used words.
The exercises in the Beyond and Bigger guide are also stepping stones for training a child to hold a mental picture of a word in the mind, which aids in holding the mental picture of an entire phrase/sentence in mind which comes next (when a child begins studied dictation). This is why, even for children who are great natural spellers and who rarely miss a spelling word, it is wise to go through the spelling exercises as written in the guide. The mental exercises are equally as important as spelling the word correctly. At HOD, we are always looking ahead to the skills that will be needed the following year, and training the child in the guide before for the skills that will be needed in the future!... This is also because the physical practice of writing the words builds fine motor skills too for a young child! Plus, using the words in sentences helps kiddos learn to use a word in context, works on understanding what a sentence is, and provides practice in copying from a correctly written model. Also, looking at the word cards and checking one's work is practice in beginning proofreading skills. So, many skills are being worked on beyond the mental picturing.
Finally, this thread may help as well...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5645&p=41357#p41357
So, if it were me and I'd placed my child in Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory as her best placement for the year, I'd probably just begin with whatever unit we were currently doing using Spelling List 2, following the LA plans. Then, when I began BHFHG, I'd start her on Dictation Level 2. This will prepare her nicely for dictation in a consistent way that will have nice long-term effects! HTH!
In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
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kidsforHim
- Posts: 167
- Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2014 6:25 pm
Re: Beyond spelling
Here is a sample of her writing. She just started to write letters to her daddy telling about her school day. Keeping it just as she wrote it:my3sons wrote:I am wondering if your dd is writing sentences fairly easily? If she is writing several short sentences quite well, with proper capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, she may be ready for Dictation Level 2. However, since she placed in Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory, I am assuming that using either Spelling List 1 or 2 would fit her better overall for the rest of the guide. The spelling in HOD incorporates many more skills than the pretest/posttest method of spelling incorporates, which makes it higher level, as well as a stepping stone (as MomtoJGJE mentioned) to dictation.
Dear daddy,
I got up 7ish and started shcool 7ish. I ended at 1:48.
I scored my math too, and I
got evry one right!!
Dear Daddy,
I got up at 8:48,
I strated 8:49, (?),
I finshed at 11:57,
and I scored my math too.
I'm feeling a little guilty.
After writing this post I was badly feeling the need to simplify things. I found a used sequential spelling and ordered it. (the DVD) I was just feeling overwhelmed and needed some help getting school done. It came this week so we have been trying it out. I'm just tonight finding your post.
I do appreciate your response. It does help me understand how the HOD spelling is to work. Teaching spelling this way and on to Dictation does appeal to me, just not sure of ME keeping up with it and getting it done. She placed in both Beyond & Bigger but I felt Beyond might be the better placement. Maybe I was wrong. She is enjoying the history very much, as well as the poems. The copywork seems to be just about right. There have been a few time when she has done several lines of the poem though.
I'm open for any more thoughts,
Becky
Re: Beyond spelling
It sounds like your dd is placed well overall. As far as the poetry copywork, if she is ready for more than one line, she can do that now. The goal is for the child to copy the entire poem within the week, as soon as able, or at the latest by the end of the school year. As far as the spelling, I'd encourage you not to start something different, non HOD-related, mid-stride. You were wanting to simplify, and I can tell you, there is nothing more simplified than teaching dictation - and nothing makes dictation easier than having first completed at least one of the two provided spelling lists and their accompanying activities from Beyond. I'd probably either start Spelling List 2 where you are in the Beyond plans now, or order the Bigger Hearts guide and start dictation Level 2, if you think she is ready. Dictation literally takes 5 minutes. There is nothing easier to teach, shorter to do, and more effective in retention than dictation. I formerly did Spelling Power, R & S Spelling, and textbook spelling, and all of them were wayyyyy longer and far less effective. I want to encourage you not to let the joy of Beyond be stolen away from you by rethinking placement all year. Moving forward and increasing her copywork, as well as either doing all of Spelling List 2's activities, rather than pretest/posttest, or using BHFHG's Dictation Level 2, will give her a wonderful year that is solid academically! HTH!
In Christ,
Julie
In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
-
kidsforHim
- Posts: 167
- Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2014 6:25 pm
Re: Beyond spelling
Oh, I did do the activities as scheduled in the lesson plans once I found what I thought was a good starting place for her. I do understand NOW how the spelling was to be done. She just wasn't challenged at all & really dreaded it. Dictation just might be the thing for her now.
I know it wouldn't take long... it's just that it's one more thing & if I can get her something she can use on her own it eases up my work load & my brain
I can not handle a lot coming at me, waiting for me right now, though in & of themselves they don't take much time. Circumstances in my life right now require that I let go, back off. At this point, there IS no option but to homeschool, so somewhere in their schooling I have to ease up or drop some things. While I see the benefit of dictation, it does require my mouth. Quite frankly I'm afraid some days it wouldn't get done, maybe even some weeks. 
It's difficult to know just what to let go. I have no 'help' to turn to; family, helpers to have come to my home etc.. So while I might chose a different spelling for now, it in no way reflects what I think of HOD spelling. In other words, it's not that I think the spelling in Beyond, OR doing dictation isn't good enough. I love the concept behind it & honestly have always wanted to try it. It is one of those places where I had to make a choice, and to discern just what is the path God wants me to take for the best of my child and myself, really for my whole family at this stage in our life. Having said all that... It's not totally out.
Thank you for your insight and thoughts. I don't take it lightly. I have learned so much just from reading others posts here on this board. I think I've had to get 'unschooled' myself!
I know it wouldn't take long... it's just that it's one more thing & if I can get her something she can use on her own it eases up my work load & my brain
I can not handle a lot coming at me, waiting for me right now, though in & of themselves they don't take much time. Circumstances in my life right now require that I let go, back off. At this point, there IS no option but to homeschool, so somewhere in their schooling I have to ease up or drop some things. While I see the benefit of dictation, it does require my mouth. Quite frankly I'm afraid some days it wouldn't get done, maybe even some weeks. It's difficult to know just what to let go. I have no 'help' to turn to; family, helpers to have come to my home etc.. So while I might chose a different spelling for now, it in no way reflects what I think of HOD spelling. In other words, it's not that I think the spelling in Beyond, OR doing dictation isn't good enough. I love the concept behind it & honestly have always wanted to try it. It is one of those places where I had to make a choice, and to discern just what is the path God wants me to take for the best of my child and myself, really for my whole family at this stage in our life. Having said all that... It's not totally out.
Thank you for your insight and thoughts. I don't take it lightly. I have learned so much just from reading others posts here on this board. I think I've had to get 'unschooled' myself!