Student is scoring 35% on the READ 180 spelling program, with teacher comment that student needs to improve concentration and attention to detail. Otherwise, same teacher says student is scoring 70% on high frequency words from word wall with the comment that student’s effort and tenacity to learn to spell words is excellent. The words on the READ 180 are: place,fell,smoke,ball,tall,sure,were,their,there,water,very,with and shakes that student misspelled. I have a feeling she is having trouble with very and vary, their and there (because they sound alike), words with silent e, w’s and wh’s (because she has a hard time hearing difference). Now they want me to help with the spelling at home because of her score. I am already doing a reading/ spelling program at home and even though I know what she is probably having trouble with, there are areas we have not gone over yet such as silent e words in reading, so I wouldn’t expect her to spell it yet. So, I guess I am wondering how to respond as it doesn’t seem the READ 180 is teaching her spelling and they are expecting me to do it (without the knowledge of how the program works and without seeing past errors).
Spelling question
I haven’t seen READ 180 so I can’t comment on it, but it sounds like she hasn’t mastered basic decoding skills if she does not understand vowel-consonant-e words. What grade is she in?
Spelling question
I would send a note to the teacher and say that, indeed, you *are* working on spelling with her at home, and have been for some time, but with a different program, and that she’s progressing nicely with it. She has not mastered the skills as tested by the Read 180; it may be better for her to keep progressing with theprogram she is being successful with (and to heck with those test scores… don’t say that in the letter ;-)), especially since she has been having success (and this is a big part of her positive attitude), *and* (duh!) you already have the materials so you can work with her effectively.
(Not hearing the difference between wh/ and /w/ … welp, if you check the dictionary, most of them reflect the fact that most of us have stopped *saying* them differently. Unlike my mother, we were not tutored in enunciating “whether the weather is what you wish, while you are willing, wash this dish” or something like that…)
Basically, the read 180 is testing her inappropriately.
Is she getting help for her audiory processing issues? Speech therapy could help with teaching her the difference between the sounds. Programs such as Earobics can help with auditory discrimination.
I would also ask for a meeting with the teacher so that you can get your questions answered and coordinate the help you are giving her. Consistancy of services is important so that she doesn’t get confused and frustrated.