Institute for Excellence in Writing - Phonetic Zoo Spelling Level A - Review

Institute for Excellence in Writing is one of my favorite homeschool curriculum companies and I was so thankful that my oldest daughter had the opportunity to review Phonetic Zoo Spelling Level A [Starter Set] from them recently. Spelling hasn't came easy to her and I was looking forward to finding a curriculum that finally worked. 

What is Phonetic Zoo Spelling Level A [Starter Set]?

Phonetic Zoo Spelling Level A [Starter Set] is a self-teaching spelling program.  It is phonics-based and it uses auditory input to ensure that the correct spelling of each word is absorbed by the brain. The audio CDs allow students to work independently much of the time, while allowing for the repetition needed for mastery.

The Starter Set package we received included:

5 audio CDs as well as MP3 downloads
 - The CDs come in a hard case for protection

Lesson Cards with three levels of spelling words
 -  The lesson cards are are card stock and very sturdy. Each card has Level A, B, C spelling words printed on them. They also include an animal and a spelling rule.

Personal Spelling Cards to keep track of misspellings
 - These cards also include an animal and spelling rule

Zoo Cards that serve as a way to practice jingles or as rewards

A downloadable Phonetic Zoo Teacher’s Notes PDF file

A spelling and the brain video seminar link

How We Used It

The first thing I did was download and print the teachers manual out. I then spent time reading it over to ensure that I would be directing my daughter how to use the program properly. I found that it truly was going to be a self-teaching program.

My daughter used the program about three times a week. She devoted a notebook to all things related the the program and followed the instructions on the CD. Each lesson explained a spelling rule and included a corresponding card that also included the rule.

During each lesson she would have to listen the the words and write them. She would then have to cross out the words she missed and spell them the correct way. She would have to do this until she didn't miss any. I loved this, because it helped her understand how she was misspelling the words and allowed her to learn the right ways. She missed a ton of words at first, but I was very impressed at how much she was beginning to get right just based on the spelling rules she was learning and repeating the steps. Once she was able to spell everything correctly she could receive a little spelling card. She could display them on the wall or she could place them in a collection using a print out provided in the teachers manual. The print out is six pages and serves as a "Phonetic Zoo." The pages are sorted according to vowels and consonants. My daughter was able to take her card a place it on the pages and they serve as a "door" to a "cage." For review she could open the door to reveal the spelling rules as well as sample words. It was a great way for her to review what she had previously learned and help her to remember the spelling rules.

Final Thought

Phonetic Zoo Spelling Level A [Starter Set] has been a true blessing to my daughter. At first she was a little hesitate with wanting to use it. After she started to understand the process of it, she truly enjoyed it. I think she began to be proud of herself when she started to witness the progress she was making. It was a little hard for me to step back and let this actually be a self-taught program, but I seen the benefits of it with my own eyes and seen how important it really was to let her use it and prosper with it on her own. I recommend it to any parent that wants their child to understand spelling rules and spell better. 

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Spelling You See Review

Hello friends, I'm so excited to share a new review with you all today. My daughter and I recently had the opportunity to review Spelling You See: Jack and Jill (Level B) from Spelling You See.

Spelling You See is from the same fabulous company, Demme Learning, that brought us Math-U-See.

So, you're probably wondering, what is Spelling You See: Jack and Jill (Level B)?

Well friends, it's amazing!

Spelling You See: Jack and Jill (Level B) is a spelling program that uses fun and engaging nursery rhymes to teach spelling skills. It not only teaches spelling skills, but it also introduces new words that help expand vocabulary.  I love that the nursery rhymes tell a story. This is helping my daughter develop an understanding of the sequences and expanding her reading skills, as well as teaching spelling. The nursery rhymes are easy to say which makes them easy to learn.

What is the age range for Spelling You See: Jack and Jill (Level B)?

Spelling You See products are meant for elementary ages, or for remedial work for older students. Placement is not based on grade but on the student’s level of language development.

How are we using Spelling You See: Jack and Jill (Level B) in our home?

I want to share with you, that my daughter has never really been a big fan of spelling. She is a struggling reader. It has always been a struggle for her to read and of course if you have trouble reading, you probably struggle with spelling. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect the day we started Spelling You See: Jack and Jill (Level B).  I can tell you though, that day one was a huge success and after only a few weeks my daughter started reading better and spelling better. What a HUGE blessing!

We started doing lessons daily. We studied each rhyme for a week. One daily lesson consists of two facing pages. I would first start out by reading over the Jack and Jill Instructor's Handbook. I then would read the week's rhyme to her and then she would read it back to me.  She then would have to copy a short phrase or sentence and then fill in a set of letter boxes, focusing on short vowel sounds.  My daughter did so well with the lessons and we never felt the lessons to be a struggle. Because the lessons went so smoothly, my daughter became more engaged with it and at times asked is she could do more lessons. This was definitely a first for us. A first that I'm very happy that happened.

What do I love the most about Spelling You See: Jack and Jill (Level B)?

I'm positive that our success came from the lessons being nursery rhymes. My daughter loves nursery rhymes, so reading them and learning to spell the words was exciting for her. Everyday when her daddy would return home from work, she had something new to show him. It was fun for the whole family to share in her success and it inspired her to continue trucking on through the workbook. I also love that the lessons aren't terribly long, which helps my daughter retain the information she is learning. I also felt that we could go at her pace. 

What I loved the most though, was that my daughter absolutely loved it! Knowing that she loved Spelling You See: Jack and Jill (Level B) made loving it easy. It's never fun trying out a new curriculum and finding out your child isn't liking it. This was not the case for us, thankfully!

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I only have one suggestion, when it comes to using Spelling You See. Make sure that you are available to sit and help your child. I feel that more was learned when I was available to my daughter. I could see how she could have been discouraged from the beginning, only because she's not a fan of spelling, had I not been there to help and cheer her on. 

What do you get with Spelling You See: Jack and Jill (Level B) and what does it cost?

Jack and Jill Student Pack - $30.00

Contains 36 lessons that is divided into five parts, A through E. 

Included are:

• Two Student Workbooks
• A Guide to Handwriting
• A Pack of Erasable Colored Pencils.

Jack and Jill Instructor's Handbook - $16.00

The Handbook contains a “Getting Started” guide with an overview of the 36 lessons and information about the important skills and concepts that will be learned in each level. The back of the Handbook includes answers to frequently asked questions and a collection of helpful resources, including passages for dictation.

I wanted to note that we received Spelling You See: Jack and Jill (Level B) as an advanced PDF copy to review. At this time only physical book versions are available for purchase.

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Well friends, as you can see, we are really benefiting from  Spelling You See: Jack and Jill (Level B). We are doing so well with it, that we plan on continuing through the workbooks. I also plan on purchasing more products from Spelling You See in the near future, to use with all three of my daughters. 

 

Want to find out more about Spelling You See? 

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Click Below to read other Spelling You See reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew

Upcoming Review - VocabularySpellingCity.com

Hello Everyone! 

We have been working on vocabulary building mainly just by reading books and printing out online vocabulary list. I think we are needing something else. I have recently discovered Vocabulary Spelling City. I'm really hoping that this will give us the extra help we are needing. I knew about Spelling City, but I just recently learned about the premium membership and have been asked to do a review on it! I can’t wait to see if this helps out in the vocabulary department. Coming Soon - My honest review. If you are a blogger and are interested in a membership, be sure to check the disclosure below. 

What does your homeschool use for vocabulary?

Disclosure:

I've been given a premium membership to VocabularySpellingCity.com for a candid, personal, online review.

VocabularySpellingCity.com helps students study word lists using 25 different learning activities such as MatchIt Sentences, HangMouse, and Word-O-Rama.  Parents can create their own spelling lists, find published lists already available on the site, or use any of dozens of  free teaching resources on topics such as analogies and compound words.  Be sure to come back in three weeks to read about my experience.

There might be more free memberships available for bloggers.  If you're interested, find out how you can review VocabularySpellingCity.com.