Addendum to earlier post

[Martha]

A primary concern in selecting a method to use with my 11 year old daughter is that she tends to go into information overload. I have used methods that teach spelling and phonics generaliztions (Spelling Power and Cove School Phonics). She starts out storing and retrieving this information. As more and more generaliztions are taught , mastered and reviewed she begins dropping earlier generaliztions, confusing them with new generalizations and finds it difficult to store, retrieve and apply any of them. I understand the Spalding method teaches 70 rules that are applied rather than memorized, but would like to know if her problem with information overload will decrease her chance of success using the Spalding Method.

[Carole]

Dear Martha,

You expressed concern about your daughter having some difficulty with "information overload." We all can experience "information overload" if we are trying to memorize and retain information in short term memory. The goal is getting information into long-term memory so that it is there when we need to use it. The way this is accomplished is to practice new principles, generalizations at the "application level" rather than trying to memorize them as isolated facts.

The Spalding Method will teach the rules, generalizations, and principles needed for success by ensuring the student is working at the application level rather than simply at a recall level. Nothing is taught in isolation; everything is learned in the context of applied meaning and usage. I believe your daughter would benefit greatly from using The Spalding Method.

Carole