Our teachers are concerned that the words in Guided Spelling are too easy and don't tie in with the phonics goals especially in 1-3 grades. Could you explain why the scope and sequence is easier than other spelling programs?
Hi, thanks for your question about Guided Spelling.
The goal of the Guided Spelling program is to help students become strategic spellers who understand how English spelling works. Students learn spelling strategies most effectively using words that are familiar to them. Unlike other spelling programs in which the goal is to memorize harder and harder words that students may or may not know, Guided Spelling makes sure that students master spelling strategies with high-frequency words that they encounter daily in their reading and writing.
As their vocabulary grows to include more complex words, they apply well-integrated strategies to help them spell those words. This is a much more sound approach to spelling than asking students to commit words to memory whose definition, pronunciation, use, and spelling they may be encountering for the first time.
Two major studies of word frequency were used as the basis of word selection for the Guided Spelling program. The highest-frequency words identified in these studies are the words most frequently encountered by students and those that the students will need to spell in their school writing. The word lists in Guided Spelling were compiled from these lists of high-frequency words. (For further information, see these Teacher’s Manual appendices: “Research Basis for Guided Spelling” and “Bibliography.”)
I hope this explanation helps you understand the thought that went into the word choice for Guided Spelling. Please let us know if you have any more questions!
