perfect for struggling learners

by Guinever
(Lexington, KY)

Product: Sequential Spelling
Levels Used: first level
Dates Used: just starting out in September 2008

Likes: I really like this spelling program for my 2nd grader who is a "struggling reader." He reverses letters in both reading and writing. This program is recommended for children with dyslexia (can be used for others as well).

All I have to say is that the method is working for my son. This is a multi-sensory approach that WORKS for kids who have learning glitches and trouble processing information. This is not a hands-off program where you just hand your kids a word list that they copy over and over and memorize and get ready for the test.

This is time intensive for the teacher--at least 20 minutes a day of concentrated work; will take longer per lesson if the child dawdles, day dreams, has to go to the bathroom, breaks a pencil, etc!!! I usually fold laundry in between words. LOL.

The kids hear the word (when you read it aloud and use it in a sentence), they write the word and then spell it out loud for you and then they correct it immediately if it's wrong, then you write the word on the board for them so then they can see it. (when writing the words on the board, it is recommended to use different colors within the words so the kids can "see" the word families.)

Sequential spelling has broken down words into word families rather than grade levels so kids can spell much longer words that might be expected of them from other curricula. I am really liking the program for my son.

Dislikes: Time intensive. If I didn't see results, I wouldn't bother to do it because of the time involved.