My Catholic Speller series

Name: My Catholic Speller series
Brand: Catholic Heritage Curricula

by Catholic Heritage Curricula

ElaGrades 1–7

My Catholic Speller: Traditional Phonics-Based Catholic Spelling Series

My Catholic Speller is a traditional spelling curriculum for grades 1-7 that combines systematic phonics instruction with Catholic doctrine and culture. Each level teaches spelling through phonics and word structure rules rather than frequency-based word lists, incorporating Catholic memory verses and apologetics.

Best for

Catholic homeschooling families seeking a traditional, phonics-based spelling curriculum that integrates religious instruction for grades 1-7

Evaluation Criteria

5 strengths · 2 neutral · 2 insufficient evidence

Knowledge RichStrength

The curriculum incorporates Catholic cultural knowledge and doctrine systematically across grade levels.

Books include memory verses tied to doctrinal issues, apologetic sections, quotes from Church Fathers, and Marian apologetics, building domain-specific religious knowledge

Direct InstructionStrength

The curriculum appears designed for explicit, teacher-directed instruction.

Self-contained books with answer keys, systematic progression of phonics rules, and structured activities suggest a direct instruction approach

Retrieval PracticeStrength

The curriculum includes varied activities that promote practice and recall.

Activities include identifying rhyming words, fill-in-the-blank, alphabetizing, crosswords, and memory verse work that provide retrieval practice opportunities

Systematic PhonicsStrength

The curriculum demonstrates a strong systematic phonics approach to spelling instruction.

Each level teaches phonics and word structure rules with increasing instruction complexity, focusing on common word elements rather than frequency-based approaches

Vocabulary BuildingStrength

The curriculum includes explicit vocabulary development through morphological analysis.

Higher levels incorporate Greek and Latin roots (Books E and F), teaching word structure and etymology to expand vocabulary understanding

Teacher TrainingNeutral

The curriculum provides basic instructional support but limited teacher development.

Self-contained books with answer keys suggest ease of use, but no mention of professional development materials or extensive teacher guides

Writing InstructionNeutral

The curriculum includes handwriting instruction but lacks comprehensive writing development.

Book C features manuscript and cursive models, and Book D focuses on cursive, but no evidence of structured composition or writing process instruction

Text ComplexityInsufficient Evidence

This criterion is not applicable to a spelling-focused curriculum.

The curriculum focuses on spelling and word study rather than reading complex texts

Whole Books Vs ExcerptsInsufficient Evidence

This criterion is not applicable to a spelling-focused curriculum.

The curriculum is designed specifically for spelling instruction rather than reading comprehension through texts

Sources: cathyduffyreviews.com

Key Facts

GradesGrades 1–7

SubjectEla

PedagogyTraditional

Faith-BasedChristian/Catholic