Spelling You See Level G: Modern Milestones Instructor's Handbook

The SpellingYouSee program from Demme Learning is a unique and effective homeschool spelling curriculum. It is made up of seven levels that follow the developmental stages of language development. The program, developed by Dr. Karen Holinga, allows students to develop spelling skills naturally and at their own pace, with the direction and encouragement of the instructor. Instead of relying on rote memorization for weekly tests, students learn spelling through short daily activities that integrate copywork, reading, speaking, and listening. This approach builds visual memory through repeated reading and writing.

The Spelling You See Level G: Modern Milestones is suggested for students who are able to successfully complete a skills assessment and follow written instructions to work independently. For more information on each stage of the program, please see the Spelling You See Philosophy link above.

To determine if your student is ready for Modern Milestones, dictate the following passage to them:

The Chinese were the first people to print books. Their language uses thousands of characters instead of a simple alphabet. For many years they carved each page into a wooden block. Later each character was carved from clay. The characters were baked so they would harden. Next they were fastened onto iron plates. A page was printed from each plate. Thankfully the clay characters could be used over and over! The process was a challenge. Still it was easier than copying books by hand.

After the dictation, answer the following questions:

• Was your student able to complete the dictation with relative ease?


• Did your student complete the dictation in 10 minutes or less?


• Did your student correctly spell at least ten of the following words: language, thousands, characters, alphabet, carved, wooden, harden, fastened, iron, thankfully, process, challenge, easier?

If you answered Yes to all of these questions, your child is ready to begin Modern Milestones. This level is designed for students who are in the Word Extension stage of spelling. It assumes that students can spell most words that they can read, although they may be uncertain about how those words change when adding prefixes or suffixes. While this level incorporates principles and activities from previous levels of Spelling You See, it is written for students who are ready to study specific word patterns and work more independently. A solid foundation in the Skill Development stage is essential for success in Modern Milestones.

Please note that this course relies upon teacher instruction, and the Modern Milestones Workbook Set (sold separately) cannot be completed without this instructor's handbook. The handbook features the philosophy and overview for the program, frequently asked questions, lesson-by-lesson instructions, and a weekly activity guide. This is followed by passages for dictation, and a line-listed highlighted answer key is also provided. The book is 70 pages long, with a glossary and softcover, and measures 9.25 x 8.