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I'm thinking about going ahead and having my 3rd and 4th graders do dictation in addition to their R&S Spelling. The only exposure we have to dictation is when dd finished R&S Spelling 2, we tried out the dictation from Bigger (I had the guide here at the time) for a few weeks. Then we ended up not using HOD for her 3rd grade year, so she did R&S Spelling 3. My dd is the type who will get 100% correct on spelling tests but asks me how to spell words all the time (even words that I feel like she should already know). She's gotten used to hearing me say, "Look it up!"

When dd was doing some of the dictation from Bigger, she always got it all right. Then there's ds, who will be in 3rd grade. He seems to remember how to spell words pretty easily. What levels of dictation would I start them in? Does the Preparing guide include the same level that is found in Bigger? If so, I'm thinking I should go ahead and buy the Preparing guide.

I'm having trouble with the idea of letting go of R&S Spelling, so if anyone wants to try to persuade me, go ahead! But I figured dictation only adds a few minutes to our day, so it's not a big deal to do both for a while, right? (Though if we end up dropping the Spelling it'd be nice to do so before they write in the books so I can sell them!)

Anyway, thanks for info you can give me on dictation placement.

BHFHG includes Spelling List 2 and Level 2 of dictation, and PHFHG includes Levels 2, 3, and 4 of dictation. We used R & S Spelling with Wyatt, along with dictation, and eventually dropped R & S Spelling. He had just passed his R & S Spelling test and then misspelled 2 of the words that had been on the test wrong within his own writing. I asked him about it, and he said "I just pass the test and forget those, Mom, but that dictation stuff is harder - that I have to really think to do". As a former Spelling Power and R & S Spelling user, it was tough for me to let go of the "lists", but I decided to give it a year of just doing dictation to see what happened. 3 years and counting - I have not gone back to the lists. Dictation has improved Wyatt's spelling so much, but it has been gradually over the years of doing it. He now tests far above grade level in this area on standardized testing, which he used to test average or below. You have to know, but I'd encourage you to give dictation a try solo rather than doubling up unnecessarily - I think you'd be surprised at the fruit.

Also, I used to "help" when my dc were doing dictation, and it was no help at all really. For example, I'd say as they were beginning to write, "Hmmmm, I think you've forgotten something at the beginning" (which they knew meant they'd forgotten to indent). I also would give hints, like, "Hmmmm, I think you may want to look at that word again" (which they knew meant they'd misspelled it). I stopped doing this when I realized they were never correcting those habits but were rather depending on me to hint at the errors and give them second chances to fix them. Since I've stopped "helping", their writing has improved across the board in every area. I share this only to guard other moms against the tendency to want to be "helpful", but I know this could very well be just a thing I struggled with.

I think I'd start your ds in Level 2 and see how it goes. If it's super easy, I'd fast forward to Passage 50 of Level 2, and see how that goes. If that's super easy, then I'd put him in Level 3. For dd, I'd start with Level 3 and do the same, if she's flying through, she could start Level 4. HTH!

Here are some other threads about dictation, in case they are helpful...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5661
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5186

In Christ,
Julie

Thanks, Julie!

I've decided to give just dictation a try this year! I think my dd will be pleased with that decision. She groaned when she looked at R&S Spelling 4 and saw how much more work it involves than grade 3 did! I'm going to go ahead and get the Preparing guide and plan on starting dd on level 3 dictation and ds on level 2 and see how it goes!