Review: See-N-Spell

If you have a struggling speller at home, you know how the inability to spell slows down work across all subjects, as well as limits the vocabulary used in written work.  Rather than spending time constantly looking up more difficult words in a dictionary, if one is readily available, students will simply select a more simple word within spelling ability.  The result is written work that is far below the student's spoken vocabulary.

See-N-Spell is a non-intimidating tool, geared toward those in 4th grade through adult, to quickly look up commonly misspelled words and verify the correct usage, making the lack of spelling ability to be less of an inhibitor when writing.




With this guide, students can:

• Easily find the correct spelling of 300+ commonly used American English words just by knowing the sound of the first letter or first few letters
• Identify the correct spelling and usage of 'sound-alike' words (homophones)
• Quickly determine the correct spelling of commonly misspelled words
• Verify the correct usage of these words

This reference tool is divided into three alphabetized sections:

• Most Commonly Used Vocabulary Words
• Commonly Misspelled Words
• My Special Interest Words

View this sample page to get a feel for the easy layout.

With Spell Check and dictionaries readily available, this guide may seem like an unnecessary tool. However, the idea is to provide an easy and quick reference guide.  Computers are not always accessible, especially with grade school children in the classroom. Thick dictionaries are sometimes intimidating and not always convenient for travel. Spell-N-Check is 40 pages and a standard 8 1/2" x 11" in size. It is thin enough to put in a pocket of a 3-ring binder or to throw in a bag with other books.

The guide does have some downfalls, and those played out in our homeschool.  It only includes 300 words, so it is very likely that a student may not find a particular word.  Since my son is now proficient with a dictionary, he is more apt to reach for that knowing the sought after word will likely be located. He also types a lot of his work, and Spell Check is his best friend (smile). With both of these tools readily available, the reference guide was not utilized much in our home.

However, if there is a word that a student repeatedly uses that is not listed in the reference guide, it can always be added to the Special Interest Words section making this reference tool more personalized. Also, there was a time that using a dictionary was very frustrating and intimidating for my son. I can see how this reference guide would have been more useful several years ago, rather than as a 7th grader. The list of homophones was also a nice addition and I really liked that it included word pairs, such as "advice/advise", "guessed/guest", "pedal/petal", that are more likely to be confused by dyslexics and children with auditory processing issues.

Older ESL students with knowledge of parts of speech but not sure of the English word usage could benefit from the way the words are categorized. See-N-Spell might also be a helpful tool to younger students (say 2nd or 3rd grade) who are strong writers with an advanced vocabulary, but find a thick dictionary overwhelming simply from a developmental standpoint.  The portability of the guide makes it a handy tool for anyone that struggles with spelling, but does not always have access to a dictionary or computer.  Holes to place the guide in a 3-ring binder with other schoolwork would be a great addition.

Each See-N-Spell guide also comes with a free See-N-Read Reading Tool.  A review and some research behind it can be explored by reading a previous review found here.

See-N-Spell is available for $9.99 at the See-N-Read website.

Disclaimer: This review was provided as a result of my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew. I was provided the product free of charge in exchange for my honest review. I have received no other compensation. I strive to give a balanced overview of each product, detailing my opinion of both pros and cons and how the product worked for my family. What works for one family may not work for another. I encourage you to read reviews of other Crew members and research sufficiently to determine if any product will be a benefit to your homeschool. You may read more reviews on this product by visiting here.

Review: Wordy Qwerty (Talking Fingers)

Wordy Qwerty, a software program by Talking Fingers, teaches children spelling rules through a series of engaging lessons and activities.  The intended age range is 7-9 (2nd-3rd grade).  It is available as an online option, or a CD-Rom.

I first heard of Wordy Qwerty a few years back in Sally Shawitz's Overcoming Dyslexia, where it was recommended as a solid spelling instruction tool. Some time later, a friend shared with me how much it helped her dyslexic daughter.  By that time, my son had already started steadily improving his spelling, and I wasn't looking to add another program to the pile of remediation resources we were already using.  However, when I recently had the opportunity to review Wordy Qwerty, I was curious to see what all the fuss is about, even though my son is well beyond the recommended age range.  If nothing else, it would reinforce already learned spelling rules for him, and I could gain some experience with the program to share with others that come to me for advice on helping their kids with spelling. I quickly found out why it is often a recommended spelling instruction resource.

The program has 20 lessons in all, each covering a different rule, listed below.

20 LESSONS IN WORDY QWERTY (SPELLING RULES)

1. Silent E
2. Sounds of C
3. Sounds of G
4. J or DGE
5. W or WH
6. C or K
7. CK or K
8. CKS or X
9. CH or TCH
10. LL, SS, FF, ZZ
11. OI or OY
12. VE Words

13. Open Syllables
14. Double Consonants
15. Doubling rule
16. ER, IR, OR, UR, EAR
17. I Before E
18. Plurals: Add ES
19. Plurals: Y to IES
20. Plurals: F to VES

With a two talking keyboards (one a computer keyboard, the other a piano keyboard) gently encouraging the child to earn spheres and points to help make a Marveleous Music Machine, the student is taught to recognize patterns in each lesson and then is provided with the rule.  A catchy song for each rule is included to help aid in retention.


Each lesson has six activities and games for the student to complete: Patterns Game, Karaoke, Recycler, Pop-a-Word, Write Stories, and Read Stories. The games are engaging and give the student more practice with the rule. Full game descriptions are available at the website.

Patterns Game. If a student gets stuck on spelling a word, the hands on the screen will show them what letter is next.

It sounds pretty simple, but this is a solid program. I can see why I heard it recommended on more than one occasion.  The instruction is not limited to just spelling a handful of words and rule memorization.  The activities, which also require tasks and skills such as memory and visual tracking, increase fluency and comprehension in reading and writing.

The Pop-A-Word game increases reading fluency by requiring the student to quickly select the right word in sequence before it disappears.

My son is nearly 12, well beyond the recommended age.  However, he is a struggling speller that needs clear instruction and well-explained rules to follow.  Surprisingly, Wordy Qwerty was one of the first things he asked to do each day.  While he felt the presentation a bit young for him (I noticed a few eyerolls during when he had the option to record himself singing during the Karaoke game and talking keyboards really aren't his thing), he said not only was it a great review of the spelling rules, but that he learned some things, too.  I never timed it, but each lesson probably took him 15-20 minutes.  He completed the entire program in a little over a month.

As a parent, I was able to set controls on his account.  For each lesson, I could set a Pass Level percentage.  If this percentage was met, the program would move him on to the next lesson. If a student does not reach the Pass Level, the program has them repeat the lesson. It should be noted that they are only sent back once, and will be moved forward even if they don't pass the second time.  This is done so as to not discourage the child.  Parents are able to keep tabs on the final percentages for each lesson so they know which rules need more work, possibly having the child go through a particular lesson again.

Parents can also set days and times when the student is allowed to log in to the program. I liked the report available to parents that showed the lessons completed and the scores earned.  I did find that sometimes the program was slow to load when moving from one activity to the next, but my son never mentioned it nor complained.  I also felt the parent area could have better navigation tools, but with some trial-and-error clicking, I was able to find the settings or reports I was seeking.

I highly recommend that you have your child try the  sample lesson (Silent E) available on the website. Your student will be able to experience a full lesson and each accompanying activity.  It is an excellent try-before-you-buy opportunity.

Wordy Qwerty is an excellent resource for solid teaching of the spelling rules for beginning spellers, as well as a remediation tool for older students.  A online license is available as a 1-year license for 1 user at $25, up to 5 users for $71.25.  A CD-Rom version, complete with an audio CD of the spelling rule songs, is available for $35. Visit the Talking Fingers website to learn more or to purchase.

Curious about what other TOS Crew members had to say about this product?  Visit the official TOS Crew blog to read more reviews. You can also find previous TOS Crew reviews on other Talking Finger products here.

Disclaimer: This review was provided as a result in my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew. I was provided the product free of charge in exchange for my honest review. I have received no other compensation. I strive to give a balanced overview of each product, detailing my opinion of both pros and cons and how the product worked for my family. What works for one family may not work for another. I encourage you to read reviews of other Crew members and research sufficiently to determine if any product will be a benefit to your homeschool.

Review: AVKO Membership

A few years ago, I was trying find resources to help my son, a struggling speller. My search led me to pick up the phone and chat with Don McCabe, founder of AVKO.

AVKO is a non-profit organization dedicated to literacy. You can read more about AVKO philosophy at the website. Also from the website:

AVKO is a non-profit, 501(C)3 membership organization that focuses on the development and production of materials and especially techniques to teach reading and spelling, handwriting (manuscript and cursive), and keyboarding. AVKO is dedicated to the teaching everyone how to read and spell, regardless of their mild to moderate learning disabilities, dyslexia, poverty, or opportunity.

You may be familiar with Sequential Spelling, a spelling program that teach spelling using the patterns of the English language. While Sequential Spelling can be used with any learner, dyslexic students in particular benefit from the breaking down of words. In addition to Sequential Spelling, AVKO provides a variety of support products and information for teaching spelling.

To my surprise, Mr. McCabe didn't spend our phone conversation convincing me his program was my answer. Instead, he simply discussed with me my questions concerning dyslexia. The AVKO headquarters is located less than an hour from my home and Mr. McCabe even offered me free tutoring for my son. He was quick to stress that I could teach my son and he would teach me how to do so if I was unsure. I was impressed at how much time Mr. McCabe spent with me, at a time when I was having trouble getting answers elsewhere. In gratitude, I decided to support the non-profit AVKO and become a member.

At the time, an AVKO annual membership provided a print copy of To Teach a Dyslexic, three e-books, and 25% off any purchases for the duration of the membership. I read the book and purchased a few products, but didn't renew as I felt I gleaned what I was going to glean that first year. When I received a 1-year AVKO membership for review as a member of the TOS Crew, I was curious to see changes in membership benefits have taken place over the last couple of years.

An annual membership ($25) to AVKO gives 25% off all AVKO printed materials for the year, as well as access to a new membership section on the website. While membership does not include access to the Sequential Spelling program, you can develop a spelling program on your own with the information available in the membership area.

Visit the website for a list of the Benefits of Basic AVKO Membership, including titles available for download in the Members Only area of the website.

There are several items that were not part of the membership when I was a member years ago. One of the items I was absolutely thrilled with was The Patterns of the English Spelling, Volume 1-10. This was an item I would have loved to have years ago, but the $360 price tag for all 10 volumes in a printed version was well outside of my budget. I'm thrilled to see this 1631-page PDF document included FREE with membership. Mr. McCabe spent an immense amount of time (over 30 years!) creating this categorization of every word imaginable into word patterns or rimes. If your child is needing work with a particular pattern, you will have no trouble finding words for practice and example. You can see a sample of this PDF file here.

I also enjoyed some of the audio recordings from some of Don's workshops, also new resource with membership. There are six total, a $15 value. Also of interest is AVKO's pairing with Spelling City. With the resources available to members, members will be able to create individualized spelling lists for a completely customized spelling curriculum.

In addition to the main titles, there is also a section of humor, puns, and stories for fun and to use during lessons (dictation, for example). A word of caution – do not blindly print items without viewing and hand them to your children. Some of them contain humor that might not be appropriate for some families.

Is this a membership for you? If you already use or are considering AVKO's Sequential Spelling program, the supporting information in the member's section will certainly be useful. In addition, the savings on future purchases will help offset the cost of the membership. Parents of struggling spellers will find tools to use with their current program or to develop your own program. While there is a lot of interesting information on this site, if you have natural spellers that rarely need to reference Mr. Webster, then you may not find a membership all that beneficial.

To learn more about AVKO, the products available, and the benefits of membership, visit the AVKO website.

Visit the TOS Homeschool Crew's blog to read more reviews on this product and others.

Disclaimer: This review was provided as a result in my participation in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Crew, a team of 100+ homeschooling parents. While the product was provided at no expense to me in order to provide this review, I have not received any other compensation. Furthermore, receipt of the product does not guarantee a positive review. I strive to give a balanced overview of each product, detailing my opinion of both pros and cons and how the product worked for my family. What works for one family may not work for another. I encourage you to read reviews of other Crew members and research sufficiently to determine if any product will be a benefit to your homeschool.

A Review of Bonnie Terry Learning

For over 35 years, Bonnie Terry has worked in special education and currently is director of a private learning center. She is recognized as a top expert in her field. You can read more about her impressive credentials here. Terry's expertise from her many years of working with children who were struggling academically is now available, printed and bound for parents and teachers to use with their own students. I was sent two products for review - Making Spelling Sense and Ten Minutes to Better Study Skills.

Making Spelling Sense
Grades 1-3, struggling older students
120 pages plus appendix
$37.00













Making Spelling Sense focuses on spelling the 500 most used words with spelling patterns. Once the basic spelling patterns are mastered, students should be able to spell thousands more words beyond the 500 taught in the book. Terry removes the mystique of spelling by pointing out that consonants and vowels combine in only 8 different ways to make words. The book consists of the following parts:

Part I: The eight spelling patterns in 50 spelling lessons for the 500 most used words in the English language.

Part II: Suffixes, Open and Closed Syllables, Prefixes

Part III: Additional Word Lists

Part IV: The Appendix, Practice Test Sheets

A DVD is provided that explains to the teacher how to teach the patterns and use the book. Each lesson is covered in the same 2-page format. Ten words that follow the pattern are introduced by having the student write the word and identify the pattern. On the second page are two puzzles that use the words on the previous page. Any spelling rules or tips that may be needed are noted at the bottom of the first page. Terry has incorporated a helpful pretest and test procedure where the students first write each sound, next write the word, and then the spelling pattern before testing for the lesson. Making Spelling Sense utilizes visual, auditory and tactile modes of learning.

For my struggling speller, I used those lessons in Making Spelling Sense that aligned with our current program as a supplement. My son appreciated the puzzles the most! I found that everything was well laid-out and easy to follow. I particularly liked the pretest method described earlier. As far as the approach, my son seems to do better with a focus on spelling rules rather than patterns. However, Making Spelling Sense referenced many of the same rules and was compatible for re-enforcement. Pattern recognition is also a component of my son's current spelling program and can be effective for many students. I asked Terry about using this as a supplemental program, rather than a stand alone, and she had the following to say:

"I always believe in making things as relevant as possible. The books can easily fit into any other program you are working such as Orton-Gillingham. They are a great supplement/addition to the program. I like teaching patterns because there are only 8 of them to retain vs a whole bunch of rules."

I also inquired about Making Spelling Sense II, the next step of her spelling program.

"Yes, a stronger speller can jump into book II without going through the first one. The lessons are all based on the patterns too. The second book gets into more difficult words and after completing it, there is a list of 113 sets or pairs of common homonyms that can be used for further spelling lists and a list the most 500 most frequently misspelled words that you can do with the same pretest sheets and pick out activities from earlier lessons to do with them."

If your student is having trouble with the spelling rules, focusing on the eight spelling patterns may be what they need to get them over the hurdle.

Ten Minutes to Better Study Skills
Grades 1 and up
58 pages, single-sided
$37













This book includes quick and easy exercises used to improve writing and study skills. Thirteen different forms are included with detailed instructional sample pages. Each form helps the student to organize information simply and visually. Once information is categorized, students are better able to write about or study the material. Various study aids and references are also included. The sections are as follows:

Part I Getting Started, supplies needed and planning calendars

Part II The Nitty Gritty, various forms and examples

Part III Study and Writing Tips, general study and note taking tips

Part IV Easy References, spelling, grammar and writing tools

The exercises are easy and non-threatening to the student, yet teach the important organizational skills many students are lacking. For example, one form is called the Hamburger Paragraph. The top of the bun represents the topic sentence, or main idea. The ingredients equals the details of your main idea. Lastly, the bottom of the bun is a conclusion or restatement of the topic. Students can put their thoughts in each category, before writing a paragraph. Giving a starting point with organized ideas, it is then easier to focus on how to express the information in complete written form. Some of the forms in this book can be used as early first grade and others through high school.

Both of my very different kids lack in the area of organizational skills. This is such an essential precursor to learning. Terry has included many simple forms all in once place for easy reference for a variety of ages. These forms can be used with any subject. For example, my son was doing a science lesson and I had asked him to repeat to me what he had just learned in the lesson (how flight works). He knew the information, but was having trouble organizing his thoughts for a complete verbalized answer. I made a copy of the Cause and Effect form, which consists of two rows of five boxes with a line connecting each box row. The Cause is on the left and the Effect on the right. Together we decide on each factor of flight and what effect it had. In the end, our form looked like this:



The Cause box doesn't necessarily have to be filled in with the information from the previous Effect box. This is just how we did it. Seeing the step-by-step cause and effect visual on the form helped my son to better explain the process.

For my daughter, I see a lot of potential with the forms that help create an outline for research papers. She is an excellent writer, but often times has trouble organizing her thoughts before writing. For fiction, a write-where-your-imagination-leads-you approach is sometimes effective. With a research paper, it is usually not. The outline form will help her organize thoughts and topic components in a way that is not overwhelming prior to writing .

I especially liked the Study & Writing Tips section for quick reference while doing writing assignments. This section included references such as writing a bibliography, essay writing tips and general writing tips.

For the typical homeschooler, I felt both of these titles were on the pricier side. However, for those with struggling students, this may be a small price to pay to get your child on the right track, not to mention much cheaper than tutoring. A tutor or teacher, with many students, may get more bang for their dollar. Both books come with a limited reproduction permission for reproduce up to 50 copies per year to use with the purchaser's own students.

If your student struggles in the area of spelling or study skills, these products may help them get on a better path to learning. All Bonnie Terry Learning products come with a 60-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. Visit the website to read more about these products and others offered, including learning games. For free teaching and homework tips, stop in at Bonnie Terry's blog.

Be sure to visit the Official TOS Crew Blog to read more reviews on these products and others offered by Bonnie Terry Learning.

A Review of SpellQuizzer

I used to think that good readers would naturally be good spellers. For some kids, that's true. Other kids, however, may accurately read a word hundreds of times yet still not be able to spell it. This has been the case with my son, who had up to seven grade levels between spelling and reading abilities at one point. For him, just seeing and reading a word isn't enough.

In addition to detailed phonics and spelling rules instruction, my son requires repeated practice before finally mastering a word. He can spell some quite complicated phonetic words but be completely stumped by seemingly less difficult words, making his spelling lists rather unique. While I encourage each of my children towards independent work, giving daily oral spelling quizzes requires my undivided attention.


SpellQuizzer is a downloadable spelling software that give students independent spelling practice. Dan Hite, SpellQuizzer creator, originally designed the program to assist his own kids in learning their weekly spelling lists. SpellQuizzer allows parents to enter and save custom spelling word lists for their students. Once entered, students can then use the program independently for spelling practice.

It sounds like a pretty standard spelling program. However, there is one unique feature that differentiates SpellQuizzer from other spelling practice programs. With SpellQuizzer, words are entered with a microphone, allowing the parent to record both the word and a sentence in their own voice. You can't get much more custom than that!

If users do not have a microphone and computer speakers, a reminder phrase can be entered instead of a recording to prompt the student what word they are to enter. For example, for the word “book”, the phrase “something that has pages that we can read” would prompt the student what word to enter. The phrase feature can also be used in conjunction with a recording. I highly advise users invest in a microphone, easily found for around $10, to use with this program rather than rely on just the phrase feature. Without the recording feature, the value of the program decreases considerably.

The program is very simple for kids to use. To quiz, students click on the "Quiz me on a list" button, select the appropriate list and individually type in each word as given.

If the word is correct, the student moves on to the next word. If it is incorrect, the program shows how the student spelled the word next to the correct spelling before moving on. At the end of the quiz, students are given a score along with an option to re-quiz on those words that were incorrect. To see SpellQuizzer in action, you can view a demo of how the spelling practice works.

Entered lists can be modified any time, adding or deleting words. One feature I liked was the ability to select words from saved lists to create a completely new list, perfect for quizzing on previously mastered words. Users can also share and download lists from the SpellQuizzer site with other users. I was particularly interested in Dolch (sight) words, which are difficult for my son to learn, only to discover these are already available for download at the SpellQuizzer site, saving me even more time.

My son had first try at using SpellQuizzer. As a mentioned earlier, he needs a lot of repetition of each word before mastering. The time-saving potential of using SpellQuizzer was very appealing to me. Once the word and sentence were recorded, only taking a few seconds, I could add it to any practice list at any time. I was sure to add silly and custom sentences to make practice more fun. Since my son is a Lego fanatic, many of my sentences incorporated this love.
The spelling curriculum that I currently use with my son on a daily basis incorporates review of both missed words and previously mastered words. New words are quizzed with each lesson. With SpellQuizzer, I add any daily words missed to a running list. The following day, before spelling work starts, I have my son review words missed in previous lessons on SpellQuizzer.

Since we've started using SpellQuizzer, my son has been mastering his missed words at a much faster rate. I am very happy with his progress! After each quiz, I ask him to tell me how many words he missed on the first quiz and how many on the re-quiz. The improvement each time is very encouraging to him and I've noticed he's now paying closer attention to the correct spelling when he misses words so he's better able to get the word correct on the re-quiz. Since writing is laborious for him, he's happy to type his words and I'm happy for the added typing practice.

My daughter is natural speller and I no longer do much spelling work with her. For her, we used SpellQuizzer with a completely different application. I discovered the recording time allotment was actually quite lengthy and the answer entry was not just limited to one word. Instead of spelling words, SpellQuizzer was used as a Latin practice and science quiz tool. In both cases, my daughter input the information on her own, which in itself was a learning opportunity. For Latin study, she mostly used it as a quiz for verb forms. For science, vocabulary word definitions were recorded and the term entered as the answer. Since spelling counts on her science exams, this application is very useful. SpellQuizzer gave my daughter a break from the standard flashcard study method and she was very excited to have a new independent study tool.

While we enjoyed the program as is, this is a fairly new program that is still being improved. One feature I'd really like to see is a tracking feature. Unless I supervise the quiz, which negates the time-saving appeal, I need to rely on my son to communicate what words he was regularly missing to maintain a list of words needing the most practice. Relying on this communication wasn't regularly successful as he'd often forget. Instead, I'd either keep a careful eye on his writing work for other subjects or give an in-person quiz to check on progress. By doing so, I could keep the list edited to the most troublesome words. I asked owner Dan Hite if he had any plans to add this feature and received the following response:

"I've had a few people request a reporting feature for the software. I'm considering adding something along those lines to version 2.0 which I hope to get out by the end of the year."

While there are no guarantees this feature will be added, it is encouraging that the software designer is considering adding it as a future improvement.

Also, because this is a downloadable product, rather than stored on a CD-Rom, I inquired about losing the program with a crashed computer. Hite explained the following:

"Users can always re-download and reinstall the software. If they lose their registration key they can just request the key again from the software's Registration screen. Key delivery is automated so the process of retrieving a lost key is simple."

It is helpful to know that SpellQuizzer has the customer service in place should something happen to the computer on which it is installed.

Overall, my family has really enjoyed using SpellQuizzer as a study tool and will continue to use it in various applications. The software sells for a one-time fee of $29.95, which also includes any future updates and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you would like to try before you buy, a 30-day full trial is offered at the SpellQuizzer website.

For more reviews on this product, visit the TOS Crew Official Blog.

A Review of All About Homophones

My dyslexic son has finally started making progress in spelling with the help of All About Spelling (read review here) and other resources. However, as his spelling improves, a new problem has surfaced. He'll correctly spell a word, but not the correct one contextually. For example, he may write, "I went over to there house," or "I want to go to." For a child that is finally learning how to spell words correctly, it's a bit frustrating to hear, "Well, that word is spelled correctly, but...not in the manner that you used it." While I am ecstatic that my son is spelling well enough to have this problem, it has become apparent that I need to start teaching homophones. Homophones are words that sound the same, but are neither always spelled nor mean the same.


All About Homophones: Your Complete Toolkit, authored by All About Spelling's Marie Rippel, is an excellent resource for teaching your children about the confusing world of homophones. Most children, and many adults, have trouble with homophones. This is one area in writing where spellcheck will not help you! All About Homophones tackles 101 pairs or sets of homophones throughout its 241 pages with graphic organizers, worksheets, puzzles, games, and more. This is a multi-level resource, covering grades 1-8.

An introduction and clear instructions are provided for all of the activities. There are six different graphic organizers from which to choose. Graphic organizers are visual tools for learning. Students can get creative by drawing pictures, including definitions and writing sentences in a way that helps cement the different meanings of the homophones.

Each of the 101 worksheets covers a homophone set with ten fill-in-the-blank sentences. Also included on the bottom of each worksheet are interesting facts, fun activities, tongue twisters and more relating to the homophones being taught. Marie Ripple gives many ideas and suggestions for implementing the worksheets through vocabulary, creative writing, speaking, art/drama and other exercises, staying true to the multi-sensory method of her spelling program. There are fourteen crossword puzzles that correlate to the words taught on the worksheets, giving students several different ways to practice using the homophones they are learning.

All About Homophones is rounded out with instructions and printouts for six card games, a list of book resources, a student record sheet, tongue twisters, a list of the riddles and puns from the worksheets, answer keys and a 6-page mega list of homophones found in the English language. You can see a 32-page sampling covering each section of the book by clicking here.

All About Homophones has proven to be an excellent resource to help my son learn these frustrating sets of words that sound the same, but have different spellings and meanings. A couple of times a week I would integrate a worksheet right into our spelling lesson, either before or after. Since the worksheets and activities were short, he didn't mind the extra task and it was easily completed while I was setting up our spelling materials for the day or cleaning up. We haven't had the opportunity to try any of the games yet, but I'm sure they will be a welcomed addition. Furthermore, this tool isn't just for beginning or struggling spellers. My 12-year-old daughter is a strong speller and writer, but there were many homophone sets included which she would benefit from the practice.

While I have seen short workbooks and picture books addressing homophones and other activities on the internet, this is the most comprehensive resource on homophones I've seen. All the work is done for you, there is no prep time, and it's written in a direct and easy-to-use style. If you are teaching several students at different levels, this is one of those rare resources that can be used by all. It is also a great choice if you have a beginning speller, giving you the tools to teach homophones right along with your spelling and language arts instruction for many years.

All About Homophones is available in a softcover for $29.95 or as an ebook for $27.95.** The ebook is great for quickly printing off just those pages you need, when you need them. If you have a copier at home, the softcover will appeal to those who need to hold resources in their hands and physically flip through the pages. This product comes with a thirty-day, no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee. Be sure to visit the All About Homophones website where you will find sample pages, articles, and free resources. Don't miss the very fun Homophone Machine and discover just how common homophones are in the English language! You're student will knot bee thee only won who gains incite from this grate free tulle! (Your student will not be the only one who gains insight from this great free tool!)

**For a limited time, get $10 off!

Just enter the coupon code "FUN" in the customer code box during
checkout. The coupon code is good for one week, now through
Monday, February 2, 2009.

To read more reviews on All About Homophones, visit the TOS Homeschool Crew blog.

A Review of All About Spelling

My son has been given a gift of looking at things from an out-of-the-box perspective. He's always coming up with different ideas, building interesting creations, and generally runs a path all his own. He is also very logical in his thought process, allowing him to apply that creativity in a very systematic way.

Usually this unique perspective is an asset. However, it can sometimes be a challenge, especially when it is applied to something like spelling. You see, my son is dyslexic. Like most dyslexics, he is intelligent, creative and mechanically inclined. Like most dyslexics, he struggles with spelling. The English language, where "ough" in tough, bough, cough and dough sounds completely different, does not appear to be a logical language. Children are taught the basic sounds of the letters without rules and then expected to learn to spell words that don't follow the sound patterns they are taught. Not only is this difficult for any learner, the dyslexic child is completely at a loss.



All About Spelling, by Marie Rippel, is a comprehensive spelling program with a multisensory approach. Based on the Orton-Gillingham method, spelling is explained in a logical fashion with rules the student can understand. All About Spelling gives instruction in customizable, step-by-step lesson plans with built-in daily review.

The levels and word lists in the All About Spelling program are arranged by concepts and spelling patterns rather than by grade levels. Currently four of the six levels are available, with Level 5 due to be released in 2009. By the end of Level 6, the student will be spelling at the high school level. Children as young as preschool can successfully use the program. It is also ideal for older children who need remedial work.

Each level includes a teacher book and student packet. Letter tiles are necessary for all levels and need only be purchased once. An optional phonogram audio CD-Rom, used to properly hear and learn the phonograms, is also available. The costs are as follows:

Level 1, $29.95
Level 2, $29.95
Level 3, $39.95
Level 4, $39.95
Letter Tiles, $9.95
Magnets for Letter Tiles, $5.95
Phonogram Audio CD, $14.95

Additional student packets and spelling games are also available.

I could make this an extremely short review by summarizing my thoughts in one sentence:

I love this program!

I can confidently recommend this program to anyone looking for detailed spelling instruction.

How it Works...
All About Spelling uses magnetic color-coded letter tiles along with a flash card system of phonograms, sounds, key rules and words. After some initial cutting and organization of cards at the beginning of the program, there is no teacher prep work other than gathering whatever new tiles and cards are introduced in the lesson. Lessons are scripted and well laid-out, making this program extremely easy to teach.

Each lesson is divided into sections. The teacher is introduced to what will be covered in the lesson and materials needed. Before starting on new material, concepts from prior lessons are reviewed. Using the card system provided, focus is put on those items not already mastered. Following the review, a new teaching is introduced through interactive learning. New teaching is followed by applying the concept using the tiles and then on paper through dictated words, phrases and sentences. You can see a sample lesson from Level 1 here.

It is recommended that most students start with Level 1 or 2. Concepts and rules introduced in these levels are foundational to the program. Students skipping the first levels will miss out on important building blocks needed later.

Level 1 Scope and Sequence
Level 2 Scope and Sequence
Level 3 Scope and Sequence
Level 4 Scope and Sequence

A Comparison with Other Programs...

Previous to using this program, my son had already received some Orton-Gillingham instruction. Orton-Gillingham has been a proven method for successfully teaching dyslexics, my son included. Dyslexics must have clear direction, specific rules and instruction on breaking words into syllables in order to properly hear the sounds. Both our prior program and All About Spelling meet these objectives. However, there are several distinct differences.

All About Spelling focuses just on spelling. Many beginning and remediation programs combine reading and spelling together. Quite often a child having trouble spelling also is missing the phonics base that leads to successful reading. My son, however, is a stealth dyslexic, a concept developed by Brock and Fernette Eide. This means that he can read, and read well. At one point, there was a six grade discrepancy between spelling and reading. He is not in need of reading comprehension or fluency work. Other programs we've used had a large portion of the program devoted to reading skills integrated with the spelling instruction. All About Spelling has shorter lessons that cover just the material my son needs.

All About Spelling is written for the parent or teacher that does not have training in teaching the Orton-Gillingham method. The lesson plans are clearly written, not intimidating and give the parent confidence that they can teach their beginning speller or remediate their struggling speller. Our previous program was geared more towards the tutor, though also parent-friendly. The method is not difficult nor complicated to use, but some programs give that appearance.

The biggest difference is in the cost. While some may think All About Spelling is pricey at roughly $175 for Levels 1-4, cost and value are definitely relative. I had explored Orton-Gillingham tutors in my area only to find that the going rate was approximately $500 a month for 5 hours of tutoring. Remediation is not a fast process and most students will need 1-3 years of instruction. At $6000/year, tutoring was not affordable for our family. As an alternative, I started using a 10-level program that would ultimately cost about $3000 when completed. I was thrilled to find something affordable, though the cost was still out of budget of some families. All About Spelling is a tiny fraction of that price and so far is just as effective. I'm absolutely elated that All About Spelling is providing an affordable way for homeschooling parents to help their struggling spellers and give beginning spellers the foundation they need.

Pros and Cons...

The pros have already been discussed and fair outweigh any negatives. The biggest complaint I had was not only trivial, but has been remedied by All About Spelling. All of the cards used in the program needed to be cut from provided pre-printed card stock. Because there are a significant amount of cards used in each level, this wasn't a quick task. I am happy to announce that All About Spelling will now be printing the cards on perforated cardstock.

Some parents may not like that this program is not one that the child can use independently. It requires a parent to conduct each lesson and direct the student through the activities. This isn't a con for me, since it is what my son needs. Furthermore, All About Spelling takes a significantly less amount of time than what we had been using. However, those needing a completely independent spelling program for their child will not find it in All About Spelling.

Conclusion...

Obviously, I'm thrilled with this product. This is an excellent product for *all* students. My daughter has always spelled above grade level, but I wish I had used this program with her when she was just learning to read and spell to give her a stronger foundation. My son is happy to use the program because he sees his own improvement in spelling. He's even surprised himself by spelling some more complicated words correctly, giving him further confidence. I will continue to use All About Spelling with my son and look forward to the release of the last two levels.

Visit All About Spelling to view FAQ covering many more topics not in this review. The site also has some excellent articles on teaching spelling.

Read up to 100 reviews on this product at the TOS Crew's Official Blog.

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Do you think your child is dyslexic or has a learning challenge? Resources to check out:

Stealth Dyslexia
Eide Neurolearning Blog
Hoagies' Gifted/CAPD (CAPD is often the root of dyslexia)
Hoagies' Gifted/Dyslexia
LearningAbled
GreatSchools/Schwab Learning
Bridges4Kids