Dd doesn't get it!, Need help with spelling Options

[hsmomma]

Dd is still having trouble with spelling. I can have her rewrite the misspelled words 10xs and she still gets it wrong. I'm not talking about a day later, I mean 30mins later! Any suggestions?

[chocolatechic]

One thing that helped Kirs is the

Say, spell say method

For instance.... say her word is "hope"

She would say the word out loud, spell it out loud, then say it again. They copy the word (I made Kirs do it 5x's)

Then move on to the next word.

[Again]

Story time!

In high school I took German in 9th grade. I did pretty will in it. ...... until we got to possessives. I just did not get it....your, our, mine, etc. I tried tutoring, extra study, etc......I just didn't get it. It drove me nuts.....and drove down my grade.

Now fast forward to college.....I took German.......and you know what??? I got it! I really, really got it!!!! It was so darn easy!!!! All that I can figure out is that I was not developmentally ready to understand while I was in High School. My brain was not ready to process that bit of information.

Now, another thing......is your Dd sound in her phonics? So much of Spelling is just phonics put into practice. I'm sure there are other more organic reasons for poor spelling.......learning disabilities kind of things.....but, I'm not familiar with that stuff.....maybe someone else will give their 2 cents.

[barbchan]

I remember when I was getting ready for a spelling test I studied like this...

I would say the word outloud but pronouce every single letter, even the silent letters. So, for instance if the word was animal I would say the short a sound, the n sound, the short I sound, the m sound, the short a sound, and the l. That's not a very good example but I hope you catch my meaning.

When the test was given I would remember in my head how I sounded it out and then spell it that way. I don't ever remember actually studying for a test or needing to with this method.

Good luck!

[Tressa]

My dd is having a really hard time with spelling, too. She can read the word fine but when she goes to write the word it comes out all wrong. She can spell it right one day and the next day it is completely wrong. It is frustrating.

We work a lot on phonics. And a lot of times I just sit next to her while she is writing her work. I will stop her and ask her "Now, does that look right?" She will catch the word and then spell it right.

A friend of mine gave me other ideas that have seemed to help, too. She suggested that my dd paint the words or form the word out of playdough. Another was to take the word and make a picture out of the word. I have also had her write the words on a cookie sheet covered in salt. These are just some fun ways to practice spelling words.

[Sherinova]

Have you tried working with word families (am, sam, ham...) or building on a word (I'm sure there's a real name for this) (am, sam, scram, scrammed) I don't even know if that is a good example, but I saw this approach when I was looking for a spelling program.

[hsmomma]

I have tried some of these things. Sometimes I feel like I'm teaching Helen Keller! My brother wrote them a note on the chalkboard that said, "Hi, kits!", so dd looked at it and said KITES. Meanwhile this month she acts as if she's just learning to read. She can't even sound out 3 letter words such as pan.
I guess she's just having a set back. I started giving her spelling words daily. Whatever she misses, she must write 10xs. Later in the day, I ask her to spell the words orally. I am only giving her 5 words a week. I think phonics confuses her. She writes exactly what she hears. She spells any as eny, tall is toll. I guess they are a little difficult, but we have been at this for quite sometime. She still misses the same ones no matter how much she studies them.

Maybe I just need more patience.

Keep the suggestions coming. I love hearing different ideas. It helps me anyway. She just may not be ready yet, then one day she'll surprise me. Thanks for all your help.

[apples]

Have you tried AVKO Sequential Spelling series. Here, students can learn whole word families easily and quickly by never studying for a spelling test and not forgetting the set of words that have been marked for learning for this week, and then forgotten after the test on Friday.

AVKO Spelling

[hsmomma]

Thanks, Sandra. I will take a look at this and see how it works. I've never seen it before.

[donnamichelle]

I have found that the best way to help my kids to "get" something they are struggling with is to try and put it to music. I take lots of kiddie songs and change the words for what we are trying to learn. My oldest thinks this is the most humiliating event ever- but he learned the states and capitols to the tune of twinkle twinkle little star! I am not sure exactly how to tell you to use it for spelling but maybe it is an idea you can work with. (Also- as frustrating as it is I have learned that if my boys can't get it and I keep on and on and get frustrated with it- they do to. Some days it might help if you just drop it until the next day. Kids get burned out too.) We also used to play a game where instead of calling an object by it's name we would spell it out. I started adding another object in the same family ( example: kitchen items- pan, cup) until we had 5 words. I would say "Can you get mommy a C U P?" and see if he knew what I was spelling. When he brought me a cup I would have him say "Here is a cup- C U P - cup." It seemed to work as he thought it was a big game. I have a friend who swears by LABELING everything in her house. She says her girls absorb it all and they don't even know they are learning anything. Hope some of these help!

[skot]

Just an idea, maybe use crossword puzzles, because you have to spell a word correctly in order for the rest of the words to fit.

I know that crossword puzzle books are everywhere, and for all ages.

[Dr. Pepper]

Some of these suggestions may/may not apply to your child but nevertheless they are some ideas to reinforce the words rather than writing them so many times.

Rainbow words: Copy the spelling words using a different color for each letter.

Colored vowels (blends, consonants): Write the word in pencil but use a colored pencil or pen to write the vowels (or consonants)

Boxed Words: Write each spelling word on graph paper. Each block represents a letter.

Write the word and then write the plural form of the word

Write the word and then write whether it is a noun, verb, adjective adverb or preposition.

Write the word and then write a word that is opposite of this word.

Write the words in ABC order.

Write the word and then write what page it is found in the dictionary.

Type each word but use a different font for each word.

Type each word but use a different font color for each word.