Spelling with Lamb 1

Lamb 1 has been begging me to help him learn how to spell. For the past few weeks he asked me about 3 times every day. First I tried the excuse of wait until after Labor Day when the kids are back in school.... After a couple of weeks I asked him what he wanted to know how to spell. We didn't have time to really work on it then. In the car a few days ago he asked to be taught to spell again. These are the words he wanted to know how to spell-in the order that he wanted to know how to spell them-

lime
lemon
decoration
icicle

So I sounded them out for him and helped him with the silent letters and he learned how to spell these words.

Then I decided to teach him words with a pattern like this...

at bat cat hat mat sat...
all ball call hall mall small tall...
big dig jig pig...
bad dad had mad sad...

Then we reviewed how to spell all the names in our family and got going on these variations...
mama mom mommy...
dada papa dad daddy pop...

Lamb 2 was at the back of the minivan and Lamb 1 was in the middle and Ram and I were up front. Lamb 2 was practicing his counting during this spelling lesson with Lamb 1. Sometimes it was difficult for Lamb 1 to hear us. Overall Lamb 1 did really well during this spelling lesson. I think all our work with Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading is starting to pay off. He is also very good with patterns so that part of spelling is easy for him. He is motivated to learn to spell because Aunt Hannah gave him a blank book to write in. He can't wait to write his own book.

I still plan to start Writing Road to Reading with Lamb 1 in September. This informal spelling lesson in the car right before they fell asleep showed me a lot about what Lamb 1 knows and doesn't know about spelling. The next day after this spelling lesson Lamb 1 got out his alphabet magnets and practiced the words we had practiced in the car. He really wants to remember decoration. Lamb 1 has also shown much improvement reading his Dick and Jane books this summer.

I think we made a good decision to take a summer break from homeschooling. It gave Lamb 1 time to play and he learned a lot during his summer break too.