3 Simple Ways to Spelling Success: Thoughts from an All About Spelling Graduate

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My daughter has reached the end of the All About Spelling journey. She's just finishing up Level 7, the final book in the Orton-Gillingham based program, and is ready to spell in the real world.

She and I started the course four years ago at a time when we were at a spelling LOW. We had been using a traditional program. You know the type...the kind that provides a lengthy list of meaningless words to memorize and a weekly test to prove mastery. And although she was an avid reader, an exceptional writer, and scored well above average on all the other language portions of her state achievement tests, she just couldn't seem to grasp spelling. She plodded along in the "regular" spelling program for a few years until one day, she and I both became too frustrated. I pulled the plug and ordered All About Spelling.

3 Simple Tips for Using All About Spelling With Multiple Ages

Two years ago, as I watched my daughter struggle with spelling, I went searching for a program that would unscramble letters for her. I needed a tool that would put sounds in their proper order...something that would set them all straight. 

I found All About Spelling and watched with thankfulness as words FINALLY became clear to her. (You can read all about that here>>> and more here>>)

Since then, two of my boys have joined her in an ongoing quest to learn HOW to spell...not WHAT to spell. 

Admittedly, with three different children doing three different levels of All About Spelling, it can sometimes be difficult to keep all the curriculum organized in a user-friendly way. By implementing three simple tweaks to the program, I've established a smoothness to our spelling time, making All About Spelling more manageable for multiple ages. 

All About Spelling, Level 4: Spelling for the REAL World

"I like the fact that spelling time isn't just a workbook with a bunch of words I have to memorize.  I'd rather learn HOW to spell than WHAT to spell." (Sweetie Pea, fifth grade)

Exactly, my dear girl! Exactly!

At only ten-years-old, my daughter has GOT IT!  In just two short sentences, she has masterfully worded the very ESSENCE of what spelling time should be about...learning HOW to spell.

DIY Phonics Manipulatives with Duplo® Blocks

Got a Lego® lover at home like I do?  

A few years ago, while perusing an edition of Family Fun Magazine, I came upon an article about using Legos® or other building bricks to encourage creative writing.  The picture showed dozens of bricks with handwritten words on them.  These words were rearranged and stacked together to make silly sentences and short stories.  

All About Spelling, Level 1 Review

For the first few years of her education, it was quite apparent that while my Sweetie Pea (4th grade) looooooved and excelled at reading and language arts, she struggled to enjoy and thrive at spelling. There seemed to be a disconnect between her ability to read phonetically and her ability to spell phonetically. This was later confirmed with the results of her mandatory state achievement tests. Although she scored at sxactly grade level for spelling, all her other language skills far exceeded that.

Aquadoodle Spelling

Spelling can have a tendency to get a little repetitive and boring.  With a little intentional thought, I was able to make it a tad more interesting a few weeks ago with the use of our Aquadoodle mat.  Sweetie Pea has long since outgrown her desire to use the mat for play, but eagerly awaits her opportunity to use it for school.

Although we do have three doodle pens, they always seem to wind up in that mysterious black hole where all small toys eventually end up.  Such was the case when we went to look for them the other day.  A cotton swab and a shallow bowl of water made for a nice stand in.  

Sweetie Pea enjoyed her daily spelling list review by writing out all her words on the Aquadoodle and then watching them as they quickly evaporated away.

Shaving Cream Spelling

Currently, Sweetie Pea is the only one old enough to have a scheduled spelling list each week.  To add a kinesthetic element to her daily review, I passed out old cookie sheets, squeezed a dollop of shaving cream onto each one, and allowed the kids to use these make-shift "chalk boards" to write out words or pictures.

Sweetie Pea had to use this as a time to practice her week's words.  She was instructed to use her finger as a pencil to write out a word on her list, swipe the board "clean", and write a new word until she had practiced her entire list.

Although Super Boy doesn't have an official list, he was able to practice his phonics skills.  I dictated a simple one-vowel word to him, and he wrote it out phonetically.

The other two Littles enjoyed a bit of free-style time while the older ones worked on their lessons.