Reading, Writing and Spelling
There is no more important component of a child's education
than that which teaches them to write, spell and read competently. At Mars
Hill Academy we use a reading and writing program that employs a multi-sensory
approach in a very classical manner. The Spalding Method, also known as
the Writing and Spelling Road to Reading and Thinking (WSRRT), is a building
block approach that begins with minimal speech units and progresses from
there. These speech units consist of 71 phonograms, which represent the
45 sounds spoken in the English language. This approach also integrates
the teaching of reading, writing and spelling. This method begins with the
teacher showing the class a phonogram card. A phonogram is simply a letter
or combination of letters that represent one sound. For instance, ea is
a phonogram that makes three different sounds as in eat, bread,
and steak.
In initial instruction, the teacher tells the class the particular sound(s),
the students repeat the sound(s), and the students then write the phonogram.
Notice that all avenues to the brain are being engaged. The students SEE
the card, HEAR the teacher give the correct sound(s), SAY the sound(s),
then WRITE the phonogram. Phonogram recitation and assessment may be executed
with verbal or visual cues to aid the memorization process. After children
learn the first 54 phonograms and can write them from dictation (without
the cards), they begin spelling and writing words that are dictated to the
class by the teacher.
A spelling lesson proceeds as follows: the teacher dictates a word and calls
on the children to say the first syllable and first sound of a word. The
students progress systematically through the word, writing one phonogram
at a time. The students then dictate the word back to the teacher in the
same manner. She transcribes the word on the board and then "marks" it
using mnemonic markings. Mnemonic markings are a memory tool, which identify
the phonograms with their specific sounds in a word. Additionally, words
are divided by syllables, thus emphasizing syllabication. They now can read
the word that they just wrote correctly on paper; therefore, their first
reading lessons come from their own writing.
Over the course of spelling instruction, students learn nearly 50 spelling
rules. After learning all the phonograms and rules, children can spell about
80 percent of English words and a higher percentage of the ones most frequently
used. Good spellers are invariably good readers; however, the reverse is
not always true. With the Spalding Method, children are trained to be both.
This is an exciting, systematic and comprehensive approach to reading, writing
and spelling. Arming children with the proper tools for reading at an early
age equips them with the skills for reading fluently and comprehending thoroughly.
The importance of reading for the Christian is so that they may know, understand,
and apply God's Word. It is a rigorous program, but one that trains young
minds to read accurately and efficiently in a very grammatical manner.
