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Carrie - Preparing Hearts Question re: Spelling/Dictation

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 3:42 am
by MainelyJen
Carrie -

Just a quick question regarding spelling/dictation in Preparing Hearts. My son is very poor speller, in spite of several years of programs based on word lists and all those Explode the Code workbooks he labored over! Currently, we are going through the Phonics Pathways book bit by bit and I'm basically having him try to master the spelling of all words on a page before we move on.

I did a search (by the way, your search function works wonderfully!), but can't seem to find details on spelling in Preparing. I also don't see it on the sample pages which are posted. I know about Charlotte Mason's spelling method, as I read all her volumes years back. Can you share a little about how you've tackled this? Am I correct that there are three dictation levels in Preparing?

God bless you for answering all these picky little questions from your potential customers! LOL You do a great job!

Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 8:15 pm
by Carrie
MainelyJen,

Here's a few links to previous threads that might help::D
viewtopic.php?t=925

viewtopic.php?t=1246

viewtopic.php?t=1221

Blessings,
Carrie

Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 3:58 am
by MainelyJen
Thank you, Carrie, I did read the posts you linked.

I still have a couple questions:

1) Am I correct in assuming that there will be no spelling rules, then, presented at the level of Preparing?

2) Also, are the passages for dictation in Preparing from the living books we will be reading during the year? Or are they just selected quotes, thoughts, etc.?

Thank you!

Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 11:19 am
by Carrie
Mainely Jen,

The dictation passages we are using come from an old dictation book that was the standard for teaching spelling in bygone years!

So, the spelling is controlled by year and within the dictation passages. New words are bolded and in the first level additional word ladder type words are presented for additional focus on a certain spelling pattern. :D

The rules are not formally taught however, as each passage progresses in the difficulty of spelling and punctuation required to rewrite the passage.

I know that Charlotte Mason advocated dictation taken directly from the literature you are studying, and while I agree with that philosophy, the teacher in me cannot quite leap to having that free-flowing of a spelling program. So, for us this is a way to use the CM method of studied dictation while still progressing systematically. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

spelling/dictation

Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 5:10 pm
by ksjk3
Hi, Carrie!
I am new at all this, but just want to say . . . I am so excited about starting Bigger HOD next year!! This is exactly what I've struggled with when doing spelling/dictation. The teacher in me wanted some "controlled word list", but I've heard of the benefits of teaching spelling through dictation. Putting the two together works for me, and I'm so glad you have done all the work for me! Thank you for bringing excellence to your program!

Kristi

Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 8:08 pm
by Carrie
Kristi,

I'm glad that you are looking forward to the dication. I have just finished giving the 6th and 3rd grade spelling portion today for the standardized achievement tests and my kiddos felt very good about it. They laughed out loud at the incorrectly spelled words today, which shows that those words really stand out when all the kiddos are used to seeing is the correct spelling!

Blessings,
Carrie

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 3:56 am
by MainelyJen
So, if I jump into your HOD programs at the level of Preparing, not having used one of the other levels, my son will have missed out on all that ground work of dictation? Is it assumed, then, that the student has mastered all the common spelling words for grades 1-4, for example (ie, making it a grade-level oriented word list)?

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 12:15 pm
by Carrie
Mainely Jen,

We'll have 3 levels of dictation in "Preparing...", starting with the first level at which they taught dicatation (which was grade 2 in the bygone days that this dictation text comes from)! :D It is obvious from looking at the passages that the level of spelling at each grade level was much more advanced than what our kiddos are exposed to today.

So, you'll have the beginning level of dictation in "Preparing..." which is a wonderful transition year into dictation. You'll also have 2 levels above that.

My oldest son just finished the third set of passages that will be included in "Preparing..." this past year in grade 6, so they do get much more challenging as they go. My oldest son didn't start on dictation until the end of grade 3, so he could be farther if we had started dictation earlier. Yet, he spells very well, so the dictation is really working. :wink:

You'll be able to tell fairly quickly which level is best. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 4:35 am
by MainelyJen
Carrie, thank you so much for your patience in answering my spelling questions! I really appreciate it.