We didn’t have time to do spelling every day this week. Is it important to finish every worksheet?
About Anthony Barr
While it is important to work on spelling consistently, it should not be a burden to you or your student. Feel free to start a new lesson each week even […]
Read MoreIn lessons where chunks overlap, which one should my student mark?
About Anthony Barr
Some words will have overlapping chunks or letter patterns. In general, we suggest marking vowel chunks before Bossy r chunks, but Bossy r chunks before consonant chunks. We also suggest […]
Read MoreMy student does fine in her spelling book and when she’s copying word for word, but if she writes something on her own, her spelling is horrible. Why?
About Anthony Barr
Copying and creating are two very different activities for the brain. Copywork and dictation help the student develop a visual memory, as the brain is focusing on the way the […]
Read MoreThere are no spelling tests. How can I tell if my student is making progress?
About Anthony Barr
Please do not treat the dictation exercises as tests. Instead, look for increased accuracy and the ability to complete a page in 10 minutes or less. You should also see […]
Read MoreShould I keep a list of words that my student misses?
About Anthony Barr
No, this is not necessary. Commonly misspelled words will come up again in future lessons. This program encourages visual memory, not rote memory.
Read MoreShould I be concerned about careful handwriting?
About Anthony Barr
No. While the handwriting should be legible, the purpose of the writing is for the student to be able to process words quickly into written form and store the correct […]
Read MoreShould my student erase during passage dictation?
About Anthony Barr
When students are completing dictation, it is important not to erase. Give the student the chance to write the word multiple times, if needed, in order to see which one […]
Read MoreShould my student erase during copywork?
About Anthony Barr
It is important to copy words correctly, so the student should erase if necessary.
Read MoreMy student wants to do the copywork in cursive. Is that okay?
About Anthony Barr
No. Copywork should be printed in order to develop visual memory. When students read, everything they see is in print, so they should use printing while learning to spell.
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