Re: Spalding v. Sing, SSRW: My experience (Classical Sources Message Board)

Re: Spalding v. Sing, SSRW: My experience
Author: Barbara Haney	June 28, 1999 at 09:27:04
in reply to: Re: Spalding v. Sing, Spell, Read and Write* posted by KC on June 4, 1999 at 06:39:53*

I really wished I had used Spalding. However, I think it
depends on the type of learner you have. Having just come
out of teaching my last 1st grade student (of 7 children),
I have a fair amount of experience.

The pay off on using Spalding is in 2nd and 3rd Grade.
Students don't "perk" right into reading like they do with
SSRW, but you will have results. I spent many hours making
the charts that are on the teacher video with SSRW, and
they are NOT part of the homeschool package. The SSRW
materials were fine for my daughter, by my son (Mr.
Wiggle)would flee the room and hold his hands over his ears
and scream as if in pain.

Further, the additional materials for the SSRW for the
upper grades is not as good as it could be. Indeed, some of
it is not even technically accurate (I have the series up
through the Trophy book).

I had some Spaulding materials from prior children, and
went back and used those with my wiggly boy. I also had my
daughter go back through them. There was an immense
improvement. There is a big pay off on using the Spaulding
materials in the later grades. I cannot emphasise this more
thoroughly.

Seriously, while many parents enjoy "easy" success with
SSRW, many parents will tell you once you are past the
alleged "sight words" the curriculum leaves a bit to be
desired. It is great for teaching the "ABCs" and CVC words,
but if you have someone who is really ready to read and
understands the basic letter sounds, I'd get the Spalding
materials. Further, on a cost basis, Spalding is much more
economical.

The Phonomes, while perhaps "tedious" for some, are the
"meat" of the English language. Anyone who relies solely on
the SSRW K-3 curriculum will find third grade rather
painful.

As a side note, there is an excellent phonics book one can use with SSRW. It is titled Phonics, by Modern Curriculum Press. The ISBN for the student work book is 0-8136-0107-X It is quite good, and follows the same sequence, (except short is introduced after short i and short a) as the SSRW. I found this workbook to be EXTREMELY EXTREMELY helpful. My children got more out of this workbook than they did the SSRW materials. It is not part of the SSRW program. It can be used without SSRW

One other program that is sort of inbetween the SSRW and
the Spaulding method is the McGuffy readers. It also has a
series of Phonics cards that can be order rather
inexpensively from Hewitt Homeschool Resources. Even if you
order just the flash cards from Hewitt, and never use the
readers, I recommend the flash cards. They have many of the
same Phonomes that Spaulding has, and they are larger,
which is nice for younger children.

Another EXTREMELY great resource for SSRW users is the
Victory Drill Book and exercises that accompany it. These
can be purchased for about $14.00 from either Sycamore
Tree. The vocabulary is EXACTLY the same, it does what SSRW
tries to do. I still use it with mine on reading fluencey
and timed reading exercises and spelling lists. It will
save you HOURS in the Poster production part of the SSRW
series. IT also covers SOME (but not all) of the Phoneme
rules in Spaulding.

Well.. hope this helps a bit. IMHO, SSRW has short term successes, but long run weaknesses. I guess it just depends on what you want to spend your time teaching in the later grades, and how your children learn. My youngest ones are now 6 (wiggly boy) and 7 (prissy girl), reading in level 2 and 3 McGuffy respectively.

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> I really wished I had used Spalding. However, I think it > depends on the type of learner you have. Having just come > out of teaching my last 1st grade student (of 7 children), > I have a fair amount of experience. > > The pay off on using Spalding is in 2nd and 3rd Grade. > Students don't "perk" right into reading like they do with > SSRW, but you will have results. I spent many hours making > the charts that are on the teacher video with SSRW, and > they are NOT part of the homeschool package. The SSRW > materials were fine for my daughter, by my son (Mr. > Wiggle)would flee the room and hold his hands over his ears > and scream as if in pain. > > Further, the additional materials for the SSRW for the > upper grades is not as good as it could be. Indeed, some of > it is not even technically accurate (I have the series up > through the Trophy book). > > I had some Spaulding materials from prior children, and > went back and used those with my wiggly boy. I also had my > daughter go back through them. There was an immense > improvement. There is a big pay off on using the Spaulding > materials in the later grades. I cannot emphasise this more > thoroughly. > > Seriously, while many parents enjoy "easy" success with > SSRW, many parents will tell you once you are past the > alleged "sight words" the curriculum leaves a bit to be > desired. It is great for teaching the "ABCs" and CVC words, > but if you have someone who is really ready to read and > understands the basic letter sounds, I'd get the Spalding > materials. Further, on a cost basis, Spalding is much more > economical. > > The Phonomes, while perhaps "tedious" for some, are the > "meat" of the English language. Anyone who relies solely on > the SSRW K-3 curriculum will find third grade rather > painful. > > As a side note, there is an excellent phonics book one can use with SSRW. It is titled Phonics, by Modern Curriculum Press. The ISBN for the student work book is 0-8136-0107-X It is quite good, and follows the same sequence, (except short is introduced after short i and short a) as the SSRW. I found this workbook to be EXTREMELY EXTREMELY helpful. My children got more out of this workbook than they did the SSRW materials. It is not part of the SSRW program. It can be used without SSRW > > One other program that is sort of inbetween the SSRW and > the Spaulding method is the McGuffy readers. It also has a > series of Phonics cards that can be order rather > inexpensively from Hewitt Homeschool Resources. Even if you > order just the flash cards from Hewitt, and never use the > readers, I recommend the flash cards. They have many of the > same Phonomes that Spaulding has, and they are larger, > which is nice for younger children. > > Another EXTREMELY great resource for SSRW users is the > Victory Drill Book and exercises that accompany it. These > can be purchased for about $14.00 from either Sycamore > Tree. The vocabulary is EXACTLY the same, it does what SSRW > tries to do. I still use it with mine on reading fluencey > and timed reading exercises and spelling lists. It will > save you HOURS in the Poster production part of the SSRW > series. IT also covers SOME (but not all) of the Phoneme > rules in Spaulding. > > Well.. hope this helps a bit. IMHO, SSRW has short term successes, but long run weaknesses. I guess it just depends on what you want to spend your time teaching in the later grades, and how your children learn. My youngest ones are now 6 (wiggly boy) and 7 (prissy girl), reading in level 2 and 3 McGuffy respectively.
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