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So although I absolute love HOD, one area I have not been able to make myself make the change in is spelling. My ds is finishing up AAS 5 and dd AAS 3. My ds is not a natural speller, but I believe dd is. I am tired of teaching spelling 40 min./day. I need to do something else for sure. I've been searching high and low for the next perfect spelling thing and I keep thinking, "Edwena, you have spelling in your HOD manual."

A few questions:
How many levels of dictation before a child is finished with dictation?
I've read in my research that some suggest writing out the sentences in the passage to be dictated. I know HOD does not suggest that? I'm wondering why this is? Is there something negative in doing so? Any info on this would be great.

I actually have my younger 2, ages 7 and 9, copy the passage first, circle any special sounds learned in phonics, then I check it. Then I dictate the passage to them. It has helped them learn the spelling. I feel their copying is studying it.

There are 8 levels of dictation, when they finish those 8 levels they are done. For some kids this is before high school and for others they will still do dictation in high school. As far as writing the passage first before you dictate that to them, that seems like as you get to the longer passages a lot of extra work. What is recommended is that they write the bolded words up on a white board and any other unfamiliar words. I used to have my ds write the word before any punctuation and then the punctuation following it on the white board. This seems to be enough.