[Kim95smi]

Our school has just started using the Rebecca Sitton program without formal training and we have a few questions. Can anyone using the program please help? When do students cross-off (master) words to get rid of them off their list? Do we keep adding words without removing any old words? Do they practice their spelling words at home? What happens when students get all the words correct on the cloze activity? What activites from the unit do you do each unit?

[NewJodi0506]

I have worked with Sitton Spelling over the last four years. Last year, in 5th grade, we would send home the parent letter (homework) on Monday and expect it back on Thursday. During the week I would pick one or two of the activities (1a, 2c, etc) and I would also do the "it's" (fix it, stretch it, etc) on a worksheet or as a class. To review words I send home the core words for each week on the weekly newsletter and practice the words with my students (word preview) on Monday.

For individual review I give each student their own dictionary, a few pieces of lined paper stapled together that includes the core word list and priority word list. If they miss a word on the cloze review they need to look up and write that word in their dictionary. They also write this word on a list to go home and practice. Each week the list changes depending on words they missed, the words are repeated often enough so they usually only have it on their list a couple of times before they master it.

For students who get all their words right on the cloze activity I simply send it home. I had two students last year that never missed a word, they were able to get some extra reading in while the rest of the class filled in their dictionaries.

I would highly suggest seeing if you can get a workshop planned. I am in MN and Rebecca Sitton was out here last fall. I had taught Sitton spelling as a Long Term Sub and last year was my first full time year. I think it really helped to attend her seminar. I am pretty sure they offer video courses as well through BER. Good luck, I hope others post! I am teaching the struggling readers/spellers this year and I am looking for some good ways help them improve their spelling!

This is my first year with a child using Sitton math and the method of grading has me confused. First, my child is given dictated sentences to write and then given a letter grade based on spelling. This is before we ever see any practice words to go over with her at home. It isn't until after the sentences are graded that we get a list of words to learn. It does not seem fair to me to grade a child on words before any actual learning takes place. Is this how the Sitton program is supposed to work? I noticed that you mentioned having a word preview on Monday. Our school does not do this. I appreciate your input on this!

That should have read Sitton Spelling in the first sentence. (I was thinking of Saxon Math when I typed that!)