Product Description

The only book you will ever need to teach spelling. Lists for grades 1 through 8. Latin and Greek roots and word lists can be used to build vocabulary in higher grades as well. Word lists are organized by both sight and sound patterns for use with students having diffiulty with long-term retention. Includes phonic, spelling, and punctuation rules, as well as teaching tips. Activities include practice with grammar, dictionary, and composition skills. Allows individualized pace. This award-winning book has been popular with homeschooling families for over a decade.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #60387 in Books
• Published on: 1989-09-10
• Binding: Paperback
• 92 pages

Review
Everything necessary for spelling instruction for grades 1-8 is included in this book. Basic word lists are given for each grade with words containing similar patterns grouped together. Special word lists (e.g., calendar words, contractions, measurements, homophones, latin roots)) are also provided. Kathryn Stout strongly advocates keeping separate those words with similar sounds which are formed by different letter combinations (e.g., though, bow, sole). Lessons can be developed from the word lists or with words of your own choosing. Instructions are provided for teaching spelling and for studying words. (This is not a student text but a parent/teacher resource book.) Spelling rules are provided with charts that include suffixes and prefixes along with phonic and writing rules. -- Christian Home Educators' Curriculum Manual by Cathy Duffy

If you use a book at all, use an all-in-one book rather than a grade by grade series. One example is the NATURAL SPELLER by Kathryn Stout. -- Dr. Beechick's Homeschool Answer Book by Ruth Beechick

About the Author
An honors graduate of the University of Delaware, Kathryn Stout holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in special education. during her eight years in public schools, she taught, tested, and developed programs for students who did not respond to ordinary strategies. She has fourteen years of homeschooling experience and serves as a consultant to homeschooling families.

Customer Reviews

The ONLY spelling resource you will need - grades 1-8
I have been homeschooling my oldest daughter for five years, and, due to her learning disabilities, we have spent alot, and have tried everything available. Natural Speller was a breakthrough for us. It is a parent/teacher resource book, with the parent/teacher pulling together weekly spelling assignments from the Word Lists in Natural Speller, based upon the child's specific needs and areas of weakness - no need to teach what the child already knows!

I know of several other families in our homeschool circle who have very advanced children, and they are completely satisfied with Natural Speller. It presents the perfect approach, for any child, for any ability level. Natural Speller presents spelling in the context that our words have patterns and rules, and when a child knows these patterns and rules, he can figure out a new word that he has never seen, perhaps never even heard, before.

From the Introduction pages "...Gradually, spelling lessons should progress from patterns used in reading to paterns that will extend a child's vocabulary. Just knowing that 'un' means 'not' adds a multitude of words to a child's reading and spelling vocabulary. Use the list 'Common Affixes and Their Meanings' to help a child's vocabulary grow."

There are many helps and lists...How to Teach Spelling; How to Study a Word (Great ideas!); Basic Word Lists - Grades 1-8; Activities: General Practice, Dictionary Skills, Grammar Skills, Building Vocab., Writing; Special Words Lists: Abbreviations, Calendar Words, Homophones, Irregular Verbs, etc.; Foreign Words; Phonics, Spelling and Writing Rules; Teaching Helps: Practice With Rules, Spelling Charts, Common Affixes and Their Meanings, Letters, etc.

That may look a little complicated, but Natural Speller is really VERY easy to use - several very good books have gone by the wayside in our homeschool because they were too time consuming to implement. Natural Speller is well organized, concise, and simple to use.

We highly recommend this resource - as if you couldn't guess!!

The best spelling program!
I've tried different spelling programs, and this one is the best! It includes 1-8 grades, very easy to use, and easy to see our progress. I love it!

Homeschool Speller
I've had trouble with the homeschool spelling programs offered in the past. This has been an answer to my prayers. The Natural Speller outlines how lessons should be done each day. It has word lists for all levels at a glance. This is a great feature for a mom schooling 4 kids. It has been a tremendous help to me as a teacher. A lot less frustrating than other programs I've used.