So I am a writer by nature- I mean, I blog, so that is writing, but I have also written pieces for publication and I am currently "writing" a book- so technically I am a writer. I love writing, every aspect of writing, except spelling. Oh my word.... I have a love affair with my spell check- seriously, when I finish writing a piece or a page, I click that handy little check mark and the whole page begins to glow.
Fearing that I might pass this little literary handicap down to my children, I have always emphasized the importance of spelling to them and have mercilessly forced them to spell words correctly from the beginning of their ability to write. I figured it was better to start from scratch than have to relearn words correctly later.
So- I was so happy when the Schoolhouse Review Crew opened up a review opportunity with Vocabulary Spelling City.com. Woohoo!! Another way to help my kiddos become spelling champions (oh- did I not mention that I am convinced on of them is going to win the National Spelling Bee one day- can you say obsession??)
When I first clicked on the little link to this fabulous website, I was atwitter with excitement. The website is great- colorful, fun, something my kiddos were going to love. I logged in and began cruising the site, excited to see what it had to offer. And the offerings are immense I must say. There are actually so many options I was a bit overwhelmed- I decided a good place to start was the Video/FAQ tab- I was sure I had a lot of FAQ, I just wasn't sure what they were yet.
I clicked a link that took me to the "video" page and that is when I began to get a little nervous. There are 8, yes 8 "getting started" videos- seriously, 8!! How complicated must this site be to have 8 videos on how to get started. Crazy!! So- I clicked the first video link and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy to follow they are and how user friendly the website really is to use.
I would recommend starting with a few of the getting started videos just to stave off any frustration, but a typically somewhat computer literate user will have NO problem using this program. You have the option of making your own lists of words or using grade friendly pre-made lists from over 42,000 words.
Here is an overview video to get you started:
Easy peasy, right!!
Vocabulary Spelling City.com is an all inclusive program combining Vocabulary, Spelling, Writing, Parts of Speech, Handwriting, Alphabetical Ordering, and more.
My kiddos LOVE anything they can do on the computer, and this was no exception. I think for the first time in their spelling careers they actually had fun learning new words. In my zeal to make them top notch spellers, I am afraid I have made them dread their spelling lessons, and this great program has brought life to it once again.
Once you create a list, your little spellers can log in and choose from options such as "Teach Me"- where they can have a real person say the word, spell the word, and give them the definition of the word, "Play a Game"- where they can choose from multiple games and have fun learning from your list of words, and "Test Me"- where you can see the progress they are making with easy to follow tests of their spelling words.
Once you create a list, your little spellers can log in and choose from options such as "Teach Me"- where they can have a real person say the word, spell the word, and give them the definition of the word, "Play a Game"- where they can choose from multiple games and have fun learning from your list of words, and "Test Me"- where you can see the progress they are making with easy to follow tests of their spelling words.
But spelling is not all!! There are so many additional lesson options such as Language Arts Lessons, Writing Instruction (sentence and paragraph writing), Handwriting helps, Teacher Resources, and so much more!!
The Pricing:
You have three options for using Vocabulary Spelling City.com:
- Start Here, Try This- is a great option for those wanting to test out the program. It is free and does not require registration. You can make your list of words and let you students work with that list. You will not be able to save your lists though and will have to remake the lists every time you visit.
- Register- if you register, you have access to many of the programs offerings for free and you can save your lists to your homepage. You do not have access to all of the great additional helps and lessons with this level of membership.
- Premium Membership- $29.99 per year for up to 5 students!! Amazing deal!! With this level of membership you have access to all facets of this program and you have all you need for a comprehensive spelling and vocabulary program for your students (and a step up on winning the National Spelling Bee too!!) ;-)
Our Thoughts:
My kids thoroughly loved this program and I know it will be a staple in our homeschooling resources for years to come. After you pass the learning curve, it is a super easy program to use as a teacher and it gives you so many more options for teaching your students than our old paper and pencil lists ever did. I think this is a great investment for any families wanting to develop their students into great spellers!!
Disclaimer- I received no compensation for this post. I did receive a full membership at no charge to assist in my writing this review. The opinions in this post are mine alone and were in no way influenced by outside sources.
