Beginning writers need a resource, a way to find the correct spelling without driving mother nuts with questions. This handbook provides the solution! The 1,400 words most frequently used by kindergarten through second graders are included, which accounts for 90% of their writing needs. Many of those words are not phonetically decodable (does, one, are). A mini-thesaurus section is included to help your budding writer find a better choice than the words good, said, and other commonly overused words. Words are also grouped according to subject, such as numbers, colors, weather, and family. Independence feels good to a child! Paperback, 50 pages, for ages 6-10 years.
How do you look up a word in the dictionary if you can't spell it? Here's the book that solves that problem beautifully. Just look up a word the way you think it should be spelled in this unique handbook of commonly misspelled words, and you'll find it—no matter how you spelled it! If you spelled it right, it will appear in red. If spelled incorrectly, the word is shown in black type, and the correct spelling will appear next to it in red. What a handy help for those who are troubled with spelling words correctly! Great for ages 10 to adult. Paperback book, 330 pages.
Teach your children English from their own daily writing experiences in this "school journal" that I use in my own homeschool. Everyday my children write their journal entries on special lined paper that promotes good penmanship. The top of the page is left unlined for illustrating their writing.
As they fix their mistakes with Mom's help, misspelled words are transferred to the spelling section for a custom-made spelling list to be practiced every day and tested once a week. The teacher's section includes lessons to teach on creative writing, poetry, prefixes and suffixes, antonyms, abbreviations, punctuation, contractions, letter writing, and more.
Dictation is a very beneficial way to teach children to write well, so I've included selections and instructions for dictation: inspirational quotes, patriotic quotes, character-building poems, and scriptures. Comes in a 3-ring binder, which becomes your child's ongoing school journal year after year. Paper line size begins with wide spaced kindergarten lines, and progresses to narrower lined paper for 5th graders.
At the end of the year, we take the journal pages out of the notebook and have them bound (approx. $3-4) at the printer into a treasured childhood book. (The printer commented that these were so precious he couldn't help reading a few pages!) I developed this program for my own children after years of trying different writing and language workbooks, and think you'll find it works very well. Use it year after year, just by replacing the journal paper (250 sheets each).
Hear what others say:
I've tried about every workbook and English program on the market, and my kids were still bored and not making much progress. Then I discovered your journal program. It seemed too simple to work, but I can't believe the results! My kids writing has improved drastically, and they are so proud of their bound journal books and want to show them off to everyone. Thanks!
—SueAnn
If you happen to be a person with a strong visual memory, you remember how words look. You write a word and take a look at it. You say, "That looks funny. Let me try it a different way." But poor spellers can't recall how a word should look. The teacher's guide How to Teach Any Child to Spell offers a simple solution to the problem: pull the child's own misspelled words from the context of his own writing. Categorize and study those words using the child's individualized spelling notebook called Tricks of the Trade. This student book is a large, 90-page workbook that helps your child learn all the spelling tricks as he gleans and sorts misspelled words from his own writing. You'll need only one teacher's guide, but buy a Tricks of the Trade spelling book for each child. Student book is 3-hole-punched so it can fit right in your child's binder. Much needed relief for poor spellers and frustrated moms!
This book brings relief to those older children/adults who need some spelling help. Workbook contains diagnostic exercises that allow you to identify weak spelling areas and practice to improve them, tricks for spelling those commonly misspelled words, proofreading practice so you can learn to spot an error, and an answer key in the back of the book so you can check your answers as you go. Of course, you don't have to spend 30 minutes a day, but I'm certain this book will improve your spelling even if you only spend a few minutes! Written on an adult reading level. Paperback, 183 pages.
Noah Webster considered "education useless without the Bible." That is why this unique dictionary defines every word in the original language and it's biblical meaning. Try looking up such words as "education" or "marriage," and you'll be amazed at how diluted the meanings have become in our modern dictionaries. An excellent resource for the homeschool. 2000 pages, hardcover, all ages.
Spell better and understand what you read by mastering the building blocks of English—Latin and Greek roots. Each lesson presents a Latin or Greek word in all its forms: prefix, root, and suffix. Students divide complex, often unfamiliar, words into these three elements. Then they match each word to its correct definition based on the meaning of its elements. Their final goal is to apply the words correctly to unfinished sentences. The only drawback is that children must pronounce their newfound words correctly in order to use them and no pronunciation guide is included. Nevertheless, this is the best program I have found for learning those essential Latin and Greek roots. On CD ROM Rebuild a 5th century city by learning Latin and Greek roots! Same excellent program as in book form. (Note: no pronunciation guide here either). Mac/Windows.
Popular as a Victorian parlor game, this old-fashioned letter game is our family's tradition whenever we get together for holidays! It is my personal favorite and the game I always want to play. I must admit I am a bit biased, having reigned as the "Anagrams Queen" until my children grew into smart teens who could beat me at it. My sister always provides a huge challenge to keeping that title as well! The game is very simple and can be learned in minutes. Letter tiles are flipped over one by one, and as soon as a word comes to mind, you can claim it. All players are thinking and searching for words at the same time. This is a truly educational game, reinforcing good spelling and teaching vocabulary! Players are also studying everyone's already-created words to see if the addition of a few more letters would make a new word to claim as their own. This takes brainpower and is incredibly fun and challenging. Game set includes letter tiles, plastic storage tube, and full instructions on many game variations. (Product packaged with the title "Snatch-It".) Highly recommended!
Love word games? This short game is played somewhat like Scrabble. Take your letter cards and arrange them into words in this addictive award-winning game for ages 8 to adult. 1-8 players.
