Anyone use AAS as reading curriculum?

[CourtneySue]

Cathy Duffy says that AAS is also a reading program. Have any of you use it like this? If so, how did it work?

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

This is what I do with my dd and she has just blossomed into a reader in the last few weeks. I actually started out with a book called Montessori Read and Write. Through this book she learned how to segment words, how to trace sandpaper letters which also taught letter sounds, and how to build words using a movable alphabet. So, the skills in the first few steps of AAS level 1. When we got to this point I found and started using AAS. I wanted a more systematic way of teaching spelling. At first spelling was easier for her than reading so we just went through level one for spelling and reading together. We would study spelling as written in the manual and used games with the word cards to practice reading. Maybe a month or two ago reading started to click for her and her reading skills improved greatly. At this point we started going ahead with the word cards for reading and just plodding along more slowly with spelling. We are currently using level 2 for reading and level 1 for spelling. I haven't yet, but I would also like to get all of the phonogram cards because I often have to help her with multi-letter phonograms in words ("ou" in out says ow), and with this information she can read many more words.

 

If you have any other questions about what we do let me know. I really love this way of teaching reading and spelling.

[siloam]

Cathy Duffy says that AAS is also a reading program. Have any of you use it like this? If so, how did it work?

 

Yes, there is a reading group over on the AAS forums. I have had my 6yo ds doing the Get Ready, Set, Go for the Code books. He is on step 1 of level 1 of AAS, which is to learn the phonograms, so he is also going through those daily. When he gets a little more comfortable with the sounds we will go to the next step.

 

I have my 8yo read through her spelling cards to build fluency and visual memory, so AAS can be used to learn and improve reading in a variety of ways.

 

Heather

 

[CourtneySue]

Lisa: When you say you want to get all the phonogram cards, does that mean that the curriculum doesn't come with all of them?

 

Thank you for all the information. I definitely want to try doing it this way, if I can. Mainly because I've already begun teaching my DS his phonograms using the cards that I bought from the Spalding company. I've decided not to use the Spalding method for a variety of reasons, but I still very much like the philosophy--which is why I want to use AAS. I was looking at other phonics curriculums, but find it confusing that many of them teach the different sounds a phonogram make separately (first focussing on the short a, instead of all the sounds a can make)

 

Heather:

Thanks for the info on the reading forum; I will definitely check it out. I do like the idea of a spelling program that reinforces reading skills, even if the child is already reading.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

Re: Phonogram cards: If I bought all of the levels of AAS (which are not complete yet) I would have all of the phonogram cards. Some phonograms are taught in each level and only those phonogram cards are sold with that level. There is also full phonogram cards pack available and that's what I want to purchase.

[Misty]

Yes, I'm using it as my primary reading curriculum for my 6yo daughter, along with some informal teachings, Bob books, etc.

[siloam]

Courtney,

 

Each level comes with just the cards that are introduced in that level, so in level 1 you learn A-Z, th, sh, ch, ck, ng, nk, which does include all the sounds of the vowels. Then it does for spelling focus on one vowel sound at a time starting with the short vowels, and then the last lesson is on the long vowels. AAS is kinda of a hybrid. It does introduce all the letter sounds up front, but then it works on words by sound groups like traditional methods. For review you mix the cards up, so you aren't reviewing according to groups (more like Spaulding). I like the hybrid because it gives you the tools to explain "sight" words phonetically but it doesn't throw too many sounds at that child at once. My 8yo was totally overwhelmed doing SWR. My older two did fine with SWR, but once they saw their sister doing AAS they decided they wanted a break, so they are doing AAS now too.

 

AAS does sell a set of phonograms separately (as Lisa posted), so you can have all the cards at once. I simply took my black sharpie and modified my SWR cards for the few sounds that were different, and I am sure you could do the same with the Spaulding cards.

 

Heather

[calandalsmom]

I have levels 1-3 of AAS.

 

My 4 yo is reading the first set of Bob books and can identify the level 1 phonogram cards pretty near to mastery.

 

Should I start the scripted lessons from AAS with her?

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

I have levels 1-3 of AAS.

 

My 4 yo is reading the first set of Bob books and can identify the level 1 phonogram cards pretty near to mastery.

 

Should I start the scripted lessons from AAS with her?

 

Try out the first few steps of level 1 with her and see how she responds. If she does well with the segmenting of words then she is ready to go. :)