Spelling Question for 2nd Grader

[Heart_Mom]

Hello, Ladies!

I am doing Bigger half-speed this year with my 2nd grade, 7 year old daughter. I used Beyond with her last year, but used a different spelling program. This year, I wanted to use HOD's spelling with her. The easier Beyond list looked a little too easy for my daughter, who is a natural speller, so I started her right onto the harder Beyond list, along with the gently once weekly Grammar lessons. Everything has been going fine. Sometimes I would add in the starred words from the easier list if I thought she might need to review them, but we've pretty much been doing the harder list. We have just started Unit 14, and I'm noticing that the easier list has some words in it that she might not be familiar with yet.

So I'm trying to decide how to proceed from here. Here are some options I'm considering:

1. Move to the easier lists now, then when we get to the end of the easier list, go back to Unit 14 and do the harder lists to the end.
2. Do the Unit 14 easier list one week, then do the harder Unit 14 list the next week, continuing that way until we get to the end of the lists.
3. Do a combination of both the easier and harder lists at the same time. So, for instance, this week I would do all the words from Unit 14, that I think she might not know. That would probably end up being about 2-5 words from the easier list and all or most of the harder list.
4. Some other option?

She spells very well naturally and only needs a little exposure to a word to have it down pat. I'm a little tempted to do option 3.

Any thoughts or suggestions for me?

Thank you!

[Heart_Mom]

Bump.

[MelInKansas]

I did the exact same thing - I started with list 2 because it seemed like she could get it and list 1 was too easy. Once we got to unit 14 I switched to list 1. But I have a 1st grader, so we will go through list 2 for Bigger (I think). List 2 was going to be way too difficult for her, even in units 11-13 she was missing a lot of words so that seemed like an obvious choice for me.

I guess if you think there are only 2-5 words from list 1 that she wouldn't already know, then do your option 3, just add those into the list 2 words. And if she is still doing well and able to get all of the list 2 words in a week's time. Since the words are only reviewed 3, or at most 4 times it would be pretty important that she could get them quickly. When you've done the review weeks does she nail all the words easily? That's the other thing I would look at. My DD is having trouble right now, we are on a review week. She obviously needs to be back at list 1, I think maybe she needs a little more drilling.

[Carrie]

Heart_Mom,

A couple of thoughts sprung to mind as I was pondering your post. One is that as parents and teachers, we can often be surprised by which words our kiddos know and do not know how to spell. So, it is can be hard to guess accurately which words our kiddos should do from any given list on any given week. With this thought in mind, it is good to just do all of the words on the list each week, even if your child seems to already know them. There are so many other skills woven into the spelling part of the plans each week that go far beyond learning to spell the words.

So, one idea I am thinking that would utilize the philosophy I've shared above (and also address your situation) would be to do only one word list each day as planned in the guide. I wouldn't double up lists or delete words you think your daughter knows. However, since you are going half-speed, one option would be to do spelling every day. In this way, you could do list 1 for the first week that you're doing a unit and then the next week that you're still doing the same unit (since you're doing Bigger half-speed), do List 2 of the same unit. This would keep you from having to double up word lists or delete words, but it would also allow you to get through both lists in a unit. Anyway, this is just one thought. You'll know best what would suit you well.

Blessings,
Carrie

[Heart_Mom]

Heart_Mom,

A couple of thoughts sprung to mind as I was pondering your post. One is that as parents and teachers, we can often be surprised by which words our kiddos know and do not know how to spell. So, it is can be hard to guess accurately which words our kiddos should do from any given list on any given week. With this thought in mind, it is good to just do all of the words on the list each week, even if your child seems to already know them. There are so many other skills woven into the spelling part of the plans each week that go far beyond learning to spell the words.

So, one idea I am thinking that would utilize the philosophy I've shared above (and also address your situation) would be to do only one word list each day as planned in the guide. I wouldn't double up lists or delete words you think your daughter knows. However, since you are going half-speed, one option would be to do spelling every day. In this way, you could do list 1 for the first week that you're doing a unit and then the next week that you're still doing the same unit (since you're doing Bigger half-speed), do List 2 of the same unit. This would keep you from having to double up word lists or delete words, but it would also allow you to get through both lists in a unit. Anyway, this is just one thought. You'll know best what would suit you well.

Blessings,
Carrie

That sounds great, Carrie! That way I'll be sure that she's really getting each word list thoroughly.

I am currently doing spelling full-speed with my daughter using the spelling lists from Beyond, even though she is half-speed in Bigger (for the left side).

I think it makes the most sense to do what you mentioned above, so in my case that means that I'll continue doing the spelling lists full speed. One week I'll do list one, then the second week I'll do list two for that unit.

Is it okay that she will not be finished both lists in Beyond when she finishes her 2nd grade year? I'm thinking it's probably okay, but I want to okay it with you!:D

Thank you so much and Merry Christmas!!!

[Carrie]

Heart_Mom,

It should be fine for your daughter not to be finished with the lists by the end of grade 2, unless she has to take a standardized test at the end of grade 2. If she does need to take a standardized test at the end of second grade, then we'll need to rethink your progression. I really dislike planning a child's educational path to fit a standardized test schedule, but I also do not want your daughter to be unfairly scored in this area, simply because she was not exposed to certain grade 2 words.

Often once kiddos reach studied dictation, they progress much more at the rate that fits them as a speller. Prior to that we just want to be sure that they have all of List 1 and List 2 words down pretty well (as they are such commonly used words and many of these words can be frequently spelled incorrectly). This is why I don't like kiddos to rush through the lists that come prior to studied dictation.

Blessings,
Carrie

[Heart_Mom]

Heart_Mom,

It should be fine for your daughter not to be finished with the lists by the end of grade 2, unless she has to take a standardized test at the end of grade 2. If she does need to take a standardized test at the end of second grade, then we'll need to rethink your progression. I really dislike planning a child's educational path to fit a standardized test schedule, but I also do not want your daughter to be unfairly scored in this area, simply because she was not exposed to certain grade 2 words.

Often once kiddos reach studied dictation, they progress much more at the rate that fits them as a speller. Prior to that we just want to be sure that they have all of List 1 and List 2 words down pretty well (as they are such commonly used words and many of these words can be frequently spelled incorrectly). This is why I don't like kiddos to rush through the lists that come prior to studied dictation.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thanks for reassuring me, Carrie! Unless my state's currently laws change, my daughter will not be required to take a standardized test at the end of 2nd grade. And I agree with you that choosing the best plan for a child based on a standardized test is not a good thing! I want to make sure she has a good foundation in spelling.

I'm also pretty comfortable with not completing list 2 by the end of 2nd grade because she really has good spelling in general. Once she's written a word a few times, she tends to have it down pat!

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions!