The question came up among a group of homeschooling moms, “What is your least favorite subject to teach?” My immediate response was, spelling! Is anybody else with me on this one? I dreaded teaching the lists, administering the tests and trying to keep up with finding new and innovative ways to help each one of my children practice each word in a way that would help it stick. Certain apps, methods and techniques seemed to work for awhile. To be honest, they required quite a bit of work on my part. Yes, even the apps because I would have to be diligent to type in three separate lists into the program each weekend and well, with a toddler and newborn in the house at the time, it just was not getting done. So even though I know there are piles of effective spelling programs and helps out there, I needed one that would work well for a large family and that required little prep work for mom.
Enter Spelling Power.
When I made my frustrations over teaching spelling known, a mom within earshot mentioned why she was a fan of the program, Spelling Power. She introduced it by saying, “you only teach your child words that he does not know. He doesn’t have to constantly go over words that he does know.”
I was sold.
How frustrating it must be for children to be writing and rewriting words over the week, that they already know when they could be using that precious time to study words that they do not know. Now note, now that I have been using this program for several months I will tell you that at times your child does repeat words they have already gone over, but in a different way. If they know it, they write it down and go on, they don’t have to be drilled on it for a week until the test on Friday. But, they do go over it to make sure your child really does know it. If they do, they can move on, if not, then they will review that word until you are certain they truly know how to spell it.
Here is how it works:
First: Read the manual. Hilarious, right? I said I was looking for a program that would not require much work from mom and then I find out I have to read a novel to figure out the program works. Well, it is worth it. Once you understand how to administer the placement tests (they seriously are not that daunting) and how to use the program, you will find yourself only needing ten to fifteen minutes a day, per child, for spelling. Understanding the ins and outs of it will bring you to a place of confidence in using this program.
Second: Place each child in the correct level. Using the lists provided, all you do is have your child write the words down. Once they spell a certain amount wrong, they are done. You look and see which level they will be placed in and then next time you do spelling you start there. Sure, if you have an older child they might need to write fifty or so words down before they get many wrong but I didn’t receive resistance over this with my sixth grader. He was just excited he was able to “skip over” these words then and start later in the book.
Third: Once you understand what level your child is in, you then find the list they need to be on. Each day you go over a new list. If they get any wrong, then there is a ten-step learning method they go through to learn how to spell it, (it takes only minutes to do). If they got two out of twelve words wrong, then they only have to “study” those two words that day. Then, you go over them the next day along with the new list. If they get it wrong again, they go over it again. If not, they move on.
Finally: This book works for all ages. It includes all the words your child should know how to spell from first grade through high school. Once they know the words, they are done. This program has been a tremendous blessing in our homeschool and has worked particularly well with my boys. I love how effective and easy to use it is.
If you want to try out Spelling Power, you can buy it here!
