Inside the Guide: Beyond Little Heart’s Language Arts Box of Plans
This “Inside the Guide” series provides a quick snapshot of Beyond Little Heart’s Language Arts box of plans! It’s a handy “how-to” reference, just one box of plans at a time. Here’s your quick-start “Inside the Guide” for… Beyond Little Heart’s Language Arts box of plans!
Quick Start Info
Time It Takes: 15 minutes
Days It’s On: Days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
Description: Beyond’s Language Arts box of plans teaches spelling and grammar. Guided lessons help first and second grade children learn to spell using Charlotte Mason’s methods four days a week. A step-by-step, multisensory approach emphasizes picturing words mentally. A choice of two lists helps parents customize spelling to match each child’s needs. Each list follows a spelling pattern and includes high-frequency words commonly used in daily writing use. Additionally, basic grammar, mechanics, and usage lessons focus on one rule or concept in a low-key conversational way once a week.
(NOTE: Additional language arts concepts such as copywork, poetry, and reading are taught in other boxes of plans that will be addressed in other posts.)
A Handy How-To
Both word lists contain carefully chosen words from the Dolch word list, Fry’s word list, and other grade level lists of high frequency words. Each unit includes 10 spelling words, eight that follow the pattern and two that are target words that do not follow the pattern. First graders typically use List 1, and second graders typically use List 2.
Children study 10 white index cards each week, and each card has 1 spelling word on it written in black permanent marker. This stark contrast ensures children’s “mental blackboards”, as Charlotte Mason would say, see and learn to picture the word with attention to its letters and shape. The way spelling is done in Heart of Dakota is a stepping stone for Charlotte Mason’s method of studied dictation.
Day by Day Breakdown of the Beyond Little Heart’s Language Arts Box of Plans
Day 1: Children study the word on the index card. When children indicate they are ready, remove the card. Children write the word in black marker on a white markerboard. If they misspelled the word, right away, erase it and show them the card again (to erase the incorrect “picture” immediately). When they indicate they are ready again, remove the card again. Children write the word again; repeat these steps until they have written the word correctly. Continue this process with the remaining nine spelling words.
Day 2: Parent say the first spelling word and orally use it in a sentence. Children then attempt to write the word from memory. If they misspell the word, erase it immediately to erase the incorrect “picture”. Then, show them the index card, allowing them to study it (seeing that correct “picture” again). Then, children rewrite the word. Repeat until they spell the word correctly. Continue this process with the remaining nine spelling words.
Day 3: Parents choose three words the children need to practice the most. One word at a time, children use the word in a sentence they orally make up and say. Parents write the sentence on a markerboard for them. Then, the children look at the markerboard to copy the sentence on paper. If children make mistakes, parents help them erase and fix them.
Day 4: Parents say the word, use it in a sentence, and children try to write the word correctly. This time, if it is missed, erase it, and show the children the index card again. Have children fix it on their papers, and while looking at the index card, do the fun activity to review the missed words. The activities rotate each week.
Day 5: Parents teach the provided grammar, mechanics, and usage skill-based lessons. Lessons utilize guided conversations between parents and children. Lessons are purposefully kept short and focus on one concept each lesson. This exposes children to a variety of language skills in a low-key way. The concepts are introduced, but not meant to be mastered at this level.
Box Specific Notes
I know we probably all grew up doing spelling lists by studying them and taking a test, but the way the plans are written in the Heart of Dakota guide is totally different. The plans apply the idea of the mind being like a camera taking a “picture” of the word each time it sees it. This process is a stepping stone for dictation, which is harder than spelling words since dictation involves “picturing” entire sentences. We automatically apply this practical concept every time we grab a scrap of paper and jot down a word to “see” if it is spelled right. If it doesn’t “look right”, we try writing it with a different spelling until it “looks right.” That’s why this method of teaching spelling is so powerful! So…
Tip #1: Follow each part of the spelling lesson’s plans carefully. Using words in sentences, copywork of sentences, studying a word and having it taken away then, fixing errors, etc. all prepare children for dictation the following year.
Tip #2: I wrote all the spelling cards before the start of the year and put them in a recipe box with indexed tabs labeled “Unit 1”, etc. The next year, I had our babysitter write the cards for list 2. Easy peasy! Be SURE to write neatly with a black Sharpie on white index cards.
Tip #3: Stick with the same list all year. Don’t do both lists or a mish-mash of the lists. Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory includes spelling lists 1 and 2. Bigger Hearts for His Glory has spelling list 2 and dictation level 2 to choose between. So, whatever list you choose, there’s a good path forward.
Tip #4: Be patient! Two of my sons had speech therapies for several years due to being born prematurely. They both managed to eventually thrive with HOD’s spelling/dictation plans using CM style methods. I highly recommend giving it a patient try, and then I am certain you will see the fruits of it given time!
Tip #5: Don’t pretest! And do the spelling… even if your kiddos are good spellers. Click here for a post by Carrie explaining why!
Tip #6: One of my sons actually started purposely misspelling words, so he could do the fun Day 4 activities! He could read the Language Arts Day 4 plans, and he rarely got to do the fun activities because he rarely misspelled words. I told him I was glad he had (sheepishly) shared he’d done this, and then I told him that if he spelled all the words right, he could still do the fun activities with 3 words of his own choosing. That worked great!
Tip #7: Handheld white markerboards with black dry erase markers and erasers work wonderfully well for spelling (and many other subjects too)!
Other Helpful Links:
Spelling List Samples from Units 1, 15, 30:
Why Heart of Dakota Does Spelling Lists Before Dictation
To order the spelling and grammar, just order the Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory teacher’s guide! Both are a part of the Beyond Little Heart’s Language Arts Box of Plans for free!
Or, order the entire Economy Package, which includes the guide and so much more!
