What does Wand provide that Pinwheels does not?
- Wand includes more phonics and spelling patterns beyond what is taught in Pinwheels, including completion of the Vowel Chart (all vowel sounds and spellings).
- Wand introduces authentic text. While this text is grade-appropriate, it is not controlled for learned phonics patterns (as in Pinwheels), so the level is more challenging for students.
- Lessons in Wand are designed around the reading selection, so each selection offers some review of familiar concepts as well as the introduction of new or deeper concepts discovered within the literature. The phonics and spelling lessons are derived from meaningful text.
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Should I purchase Wand or Pinwheels?
- Pinwheels is the place to start for new or early readers. Use Wand if you have completed Years 1 and 2 of Pinwheels.
- For struggling learners, Pinwheels offers a more sequential, step-by-step learning path with a varied and robust amount of practice materials. It is comprehensive and designed to help students experience success in original writing.
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How long will it take to complete all three levels of Wand?
Wand is designed to be completed in approximately one school year. However, completion time is dependent upon many factors including actual instructional hours per week, as well as each student’s learning pace and need for modifications.
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Can Wand be used to teach an older student?
Wand uses reading material that is appropriate for a 2nd grade reading level. If you are working with an older student in order to fill-in knowledge gaps, you can use the suggested reading and copywork lessons to build foundational skills. However, you should also add in reading material that is age or interest-level appropriate for your student. Be aware that this material will require educator support for unknown phonics and spelling patterns as well as comprehension. Use Wand in combination with our educator training master-class: Foundations for Teaching Reading, Writing & Spelling. Wand includes a Wand Teaching Routine & Cross-Reference Guide to give you suggested lesson combinations and alternative reading selections.
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Can Wand be used to teach a younger student?
Wand introduces educators and students to lessons based on authentic age-level text. This means that concepts that students were able to identify in controlled text can become obscured in less predictable sentence structure and vocabulary. If students do not have a foundation in short vowel sounds, sound-to-letter connections, early introduction to word structure, or early Consonant-Vowel-Consonant word reading and writing, we recommend starting with Pinwheels. Pinwheels is a comprehensive literacy program that is designed to strengthen student’s writing skills, so choose an appropriate level of Pinwheels based on your student’s original writing skills.
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Can Wand help students who struggle with language difficulties?
The three most common causes of reading and writing delay are dyslexia, dysgraphia, and developmental language disorders. Wand incorporates evidence-based instruction that explicitly teaches phonics and spelling patterns, especially vowel team patterns. Each unit provides weekly copywork and dictation lessons for meaningful, consolidated spelling and writing practice. Research also supports connecting this instruction with meaningful text, so Wand units are designed around grade-appropriate literature.
For robust therapeutic instruction and practice materials, we strongly recommend combining Wand with our online educator training course: Foundations for Teaching Reading, Writing & Spelling. This course teaches additional explicit lessons and provides additional student materials. A Wand Teaching Routine & Cross-Reference Guide is provided to help you add in supplemental Foundations lessons. We strongly recommend that all students who are not comfortable writing at the sentence level begin with Pinwheels, as it is designed to launch original writing.
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Do I need any other materials to teach with Wand?
To complete the lessons in Wand, you will need to secure the books on the Wand Book List, viewable in the product images above or this download. The book selections are typically available in most libraries.
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How can I purchase Wand using my charter school funds?
- Charter schools can contact us to issue a purchase order to Rooted in Language. The purchase order must include the home educator’s email address for delivery of the digital product.
- Charter schools can purchase Wand on your behalf through our online Shop. The family's email address must be entered at checkout for delivery of the product; then the charter school proceeds to PayPal for payment where the school's email address is entered for a PayPal receipt.
- If Rooted in Language is not already an approved vendor with your charter school, contact us so we can complete your charter’s vendor application.
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What are my printing options? Who are your print partners and how much does it cost to print through them?
- Wand can be printed at home, through one of our print Partners, or through a printing company of your choice. Some local libraries offer free or discounted printing.
- Some print Partners provide discounts for RiL customers. Please contact the print company to inquire about their pricing. RiL does not receive remuneration from any print company nor control their print prices.
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I already purchased one level of Wand. How can I purchase the remaining separate Wand levels that I need?
If you previously purchased a separate level of Wand and need to purchase the remaining separate levels, please contact us for assistance.
