English Archives - Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau

How do homeschool kids learn to spell? These days, fairly easily! Thanks to all of the spelling curricula, games and software products just waiting for them to discover, that is!

Spelling is one of those academic areas where some children may need just a little bit more help than others. Readers, for instance, may naturally become better spellers on their own, requiring less formal instruction. Other kids, however, might not catch on as quickly, so having a separate workbook or organized spelling program may the ticket they need to help them along.

No worries, though, because anyone (even adults!) can become a better speller when given the right tools. And as a bonus, spelling is one of those areas where playtime can really equal learning, so there are lots of ways to enjoy doing it, too.

Because spelling can be taught so many ways, products that can help are varied — in fact, some may not look like spelling help at all. Spelling may be taught alone, within the realm of a complete language arts program, or even in the context of another course (like history or literature) as words are taken from readings and learned right along with everything else. Some parents prefer to look at published word lists, selecting a few each week and making up activities and games (like crosswords or word searches) involving the spelling words. Others like to make a note of words that students get “wrong” and quiz just those instead. It is really about what works best for you and your child. The main thing is to realize that memorizing words and giving weekly spelling tests are not the only way to do it.

Below, you’ll find just a few of the many, many spelling resources available in the marketplace. Some can be pricey, but many are free and inexpensive, too. Check these lists and then look for others on your own.

Don’t forget to COMMENT or LINK UP to let readers know exactly what has worked the best for you!

Examples of spelling curricula and books:

Soaring with Spelling

Building Spelling Skills

Examples of spelling software (pre-screen and use at your own risk):

Ultimate Spelling

Spell Quizzer

Click N Spell

Kids Spelling Software

Spelling software downloads (many free)

More software downloads for spelling (most free)

Even more software downloads for spelling (all free)

Gemm Learning (software for spelling with dyslexia)

Software and online games for spelling (no download required)

Examples of video games that teach spelling:

Learning to Spell

Spelling Challenges and More

Bookworm

Wordmaster

Scripps Spelling Bee

Remember, spelling goes hand-in-hand with reading and writing, too. That’s why you might want to check out the whole language arts spectrum of resources before making your decision.

Thanks for stopping by! And don’t forget, as always, the Try-It Tuesday Linky closes in 7 days.

Jun 07 2011

Popular Language Arts (“English”) products

When teaching homeschool Language Arts, parents have many choices to make. One of the most important is whether to purchase a complete Language Arts (LA) curriculum or to use individual components for each content area. (Refer to this article if you aren’t exactly sure what Language Arts means.)

Using an entire LA curriculum can make planning easier for parents and instruction easier for students. Having a total system from the same publishing house means not having to re-learn everything once each new component is added or when changing from book to workbook.

On the other hand, not every student learns every subject exactly the same way. In LA particularly, because so many areas are covered (spelling, vocabulary, grammar and so on), children may benefit by having a variety of materials available to prevent the challenges that may arise by learning from only one author with a single style, or a specific publisher alone.

With this in mind, it may be wise to explore a variety of different LA resources before settling on just one. Parents are also advised that if one product or system isn’t the right fit for a particular child, there are plenty of others to choose from.

Here, you’ll find a list of some of the most popular language arts products in the homeschooling world. Begin with these, then find others on your own.

Clicking will bring you directly to the supplier/publisher’s web site, but keep in mind that many of these titles may be purchased elsewhere:

Language Arts Through Literature

Easy Grammar

Writing with Ease

Language Smarts (read QSH review of this product)

Saxon Phonics, Grammar, Writing

Mar 08 2011

What is “Language Arts”?

Homeschooling has a vocabulary. It includes homeschooling terms as well as other words borrowed from the world of traditional education. When first beginning to homeschool, it can be helpful to learn what some of these terms are.

What is meant by Language Arts?

Language Arts is the area of the curriculum in which students are taught the range of skills needed to become proficient in using the language. In the elementary and secondary grades, Language Arts is often used when referring to reading and writing. In upper grades, Language Arts usually includes oral communication, as well.

Those from a traditional school background may be accustomed to using the word “English” instead of the phrase “Language Arts”. Sometimes, parents may also use these words that refer to all of the different components of Language Arts:

spelling
vocabulary
word study (or phonics)
reading (or literature)
writing (or composition)
grammar

These are all part of the Language Arts.