Spelling Question

[krazzymommy]

So, we've switched to using the HOD method of Spelling with my 1st grader. (Beyond) I don't know if my son is doing it right, though. On Day 1, I give him the card and a sentence, and help him look at it, pointing anything "funny" out. But, then what he does is say - "are, a-r-e, a-r-e, a-r-e, a-r-e" and then flips the card over still reciting the spelling and then writes it. I've told him that we don't want to just memorize the sequence of letters (in child-friendly terms) but that we want to really see how the word is spelled, and that he should sound it out when looking at it, and then try to remember each sound as he spells it without looking. He always resorts to saying the letters over and over until he gets it written down. I'm assuming this is not a good way to go about learning to spell, but not sure how else to approach it with him . . . words of wisdom?

[krazzymommy]

I'm so sorry this posted twice!

[creativemommy]

Repeating it over and over may be the way he teaches himself, especially if he is an auditory learner (learns best from listening)?!?!? What would he do with a word like "mat" or "sled" where you can hear all the letter sounds? (The word "are" is tricky since the "e" is silent.)

[krazzymommy]

I haven't determined his learning style just yet. I do know, however, that I am NOT an auditory learner. That might be why I balk at what he's doing. So, that way is okay? We are coming from Spell to Write and Read, which really stresses the WHY behind spelling, so I actually tend to go over why a word is spelled differently than it sounds, if that is the case. To me, I have never thought of just repeating as learning. In this way, it seems that they are more memorizing spelling, not necessarily understanding it? (And I'm not saying that as a bad thing, I'm just trying to learn and understand all these different ways of teaching.)

[MelInKansas]

I haven't used any other spelling method. I think learning rules is probably good, and we do learn rules, although there isn't really an "explanation" of those rules in this method. The first day they are just supposed to look, and copy. That's it. So I guess I wouldn't see a problem with the way your son does it, as the other poster said, if that's how he can remember it. On the other days he doesn't have anything to look at beforehand, but even if he repeats it in his head, that should be fine too. One of the "how" is the fact that each week's list has patterns that the children learn. Without telling them, they realize that the e at the end and the vowel makes the long vowel sound because you've practiced/repeated it. Not that I can say why it was written the way it was, but it has worked really well for my DD learning this way.

[Carrie]

Monica,

One of the main goals for the spelling words is learning to mentally picture the word in one's mind, like it would be written on a "mental" blackboard. This is why we want kiddos to view the word on a white card, written in a dark marker, helping them mentally capture a clear image of the word.

It is alright is he is repeating the letters to himself, since he truly may be auditory. Eventually, repeating the letters to himself for each word he spells will run its course (as words get longer and this will slow him down). Just encourage him to mentally see the word in his mind. Hold the card up in front of him and have him work to picture it. Have him close his eyes and try to see it in his mind. Then, flip the card over and have him write it. This is a precursor to studied dictation, where kiddos will capture entire sentences (and later paragraphs) in their minds.

The ladies were so right that it is also about the child noticing the rule for the week and the pattern in the words.

Blessings,
Carrie

[krazzymommy]

Okay, I'm going to trust you guys on this one! It sure is freeing, I will say that. Spelling (and school) is going so much faster and smoother since starting HOD.