Going to use AAS... where to buy it?

[jenL]

This may seem like a silly question, but is the only place to buy AAS on the www.all-about-spelling.com website or are there other places that offer it?

 

Thanks!

[irizarry4]

...... and do you REALLY need to buy an extra set of student materials per additional dc? Can I skimp on this, or will it give me a headache? My dc are 7 and 9.

 

ETA: Sorry to hijack your thread, jenL :blushing:

Edited May 28, 2009 by irizarry4

[jenL]

...... and do you REALLY need to buy an extra set of student materials per additional dc? Can I skimp on this, or will it give me a headache? My dc are 7 and 9.

 

ETA: Sorry to hijack your thread, jenL :blushing:

 

No worries... it's a great question! I'm always willing to share :)

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

This may seem like a silly question, but is the only place to buy AAS on the www.all-about-spelling.com website or are there other places that offer it?

 

Thanks!

 

That's the place to buy it.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

...... and do you REALLY need to buy an extra set of student materials per additional dc? Can I skimp on this, or will it give me a headache? My dc are 7 and 9.

 

ETA: Sorry to hijack your thread, jenL :blushing:

 

If you are really low on cash you could probably find a way to do with only one but if you can afford it I would buy two. They are nonconsumable so you can sell them both when you are done.

[mamato3 all-boy boys]

Yes, the All About Spelling website is the only place you can get the materials. They do have an affiliates program, so you'll see many of us with links in our siggys who are affiliates; purchases through these portals give affiliates credits towards future AAS purchases or a cash commission.

 

About the extras, will you be teaching your students at the same time? Will they be at the same level?

 

Each student material pack of tiles has TWO sets of phonograms. I've only ever used one set of the phonograms, but this year is the first I've taught two kids using AAS, and they are not at the same level. I added a code to each tile (1 dot = level 1, 2 dots = level 2, etcl) to each tile, so that I know which tiles have been introduced to child #1 (in level 4) and which tiles have been introduced to child #2 (in level 2 and using it to learn to read). There is *no way* I wanted to have FOUR sets of phonograms lying around to get lost (2 student sets = 4 sets of phonograms).

 

I did order an extra student material packet, but I haven't used it. I suppose I'll need to use it if/when tiles get lost for child #3 when it is his turn. Honestly, my older son is not horribly kinesthetic in his learning, and we don't often use the tiles at level 4, but that is how we do it in our family - your mileage may vary based on your kids' needs.

 

Honestly, the phonogram CD is not necessary either. I bought it, but haven't really used it. The sound cards that come with each level will give you target words to help you know what each phonogram's sounds are -- but these target words are for your help, not the student. So, on the back of a card that shows "e", it will show the short e/long e sounds with two words in parenthesis to help you know what the sounds are ('leg, eve,' for example-- those aren't the actual words, but all I could come up with right at the minute without getting off the couch, lol!). Actually, I let my neighbor use the phonogram CD because she is a non-native English speaker teaching her US-born daughter how to read, and she needed to know all the phonograms of English. It was a huge hit for her.

 

If I had to do it all again, I'd by a set of tiles ($9.95), and level 1 materials ($29.95). I bought adhesive magnet tape at Walmart for my tiles (in the days before Marie sold the adhesive magnet sheets), and while it was less expensive, it was kinda a pain. For the extra couple bucks, I might splurge and get her magnet sheets.

 

Hope this helps!

[siloam]

...... and do you REALLY need to buy an extra set of student materials per additional dc? Can I skimp on this, or will it give me a headache? My dc are 7 and 9.

 

ETA: Sorry to hijack your thread, jenL :blushing:

If you teach them both at once, then you can use once set, or if you have your 9yo do level 1 (assuming they will move through it quickly) then start your 7yo you can use 1 set, but if you want both of them to go through it at their own pace, then you will need 2 sets. They will have different reviews based on how much of the book they have covered and what words they have missed.

 

Heather (who gets by with 2 sets)

[MerryAtHope]

...... and do you REALLY need to buy an extra set of student materials per additional dc? Can I skimp on this, or will it give me a headache? My dc are 7 and 9.

 

ETA: Sorry to hijack your thread, jenL :blushing:

 

Most people would want a pack for each child. I started off with one pack (and teaching my kids together). What I quickly found was that my oldest wanted to move ahead faster. So I let him, but then I needed several dividers.

 

I had: New cards neither had used. Review cards for my son. Mastered cards for my son that my daughter hadn't learned yet. Review cards for my daughter. Review cards for both. Mastered for both.

 

That worked ok for a bit...But then things would happen like my son needs to review something that was in the mastered stack--which mastered stack is it in, and now I need to keep it straight that my dd hasn't done it yet so it needs to go back to that stack--and a few times I've even tried to have my poor dd review something she didn't get to yet, LOL!

 

Also, from time to time the book schedules a review of mastered items--so then I have to dig through his and hers piles and then remember where they go back to, and then if I find something that needs extra review--well, you can see that if you don't keep them in the same place & have both review all the same things whether they know them or not, that it gets tricky! At least for me, though we've made it work so far with a few faux pauxs!

 

So, now I have separate packs!

 

Now, the other way you could get by with just one pack is if you have students working at least a full book apart. Although you do review cards from the previous book in the next level, if they are a book apart, you'll likely be done with those review cards before the next student will need them. You could start your oldest first, and then start the youngest when your oldest is finished with lesson 1 of book 2.

 

I hope this helps some & doesn't just confuse matters for you!

 

Merry :-)

[irizarry4]

Okay, so then, is the phonogram CD ROM necessary or not? It seems redundant with the phonogram cards...

[Colleen in SEVA]

I use two sets of tiles, but only one student pack per level.

 

My boys are staggered in a way that each is in his own book, with his own box of cards. I haven't needed to review words from previous books, but if that situation occurs I will just use the book to look for word lists, or perhaps keep a written list of problem words for each boy.

 

I do have 2 boards with 2 sets of tiles, mostly so the 2 year old has one board to play with while I teach from the other. I am hoping that Blue will be done with the series before Yellow begins, so I will only have 2 going through the program at any given time. I was able to get the additional tiles (the "extra" tiles that come with levels 2-4) from them, so I will have 2 complete sets of tiles as needed.

 

I will also purchase a Silent E book for each boy -- they are cheap and useful. :)

[irizarry4]

But do you use the phonogram CD?

[irizarry4]

Okay. I bought it. I am teaching 1 kiddos, but I only bought 1 set of things. I purchased the tiles and magnets, but not the phonogram CD-ROM. Merry, I went to their website from your blog, in case that helps you any. I've been hounding these boards about AAS for the last week, and Merry has been so patient with me! :tongue_smilie:

 

My spelling angel :Angel_anim:

[MerryAtHope]

But do you use the phonogram CD?

 

Did you try out the demo of the phonogram CD? That might help you decide. If you feel confident that you know how to say all of the sounds for each phonogram, you may not really need it. If there are some sounds that you tend to confuse or feel you don't pronounce very clearly, then you might find it helpful.

 

OR, if you have a student who might like to play around with it & try to say the sounds & then hear the sounds on the computer to see if they got them right, that might be a reason to get it too.

 

It comes with the Starter Kit, but if you don't want it, you can just get the tiles and magnets separately. HTH some! Merry :-)

[MerryAtHope]

Okay. I bought it. I am teaching 1 kiddos, but I only bought 1 set of things. I purchased the tiles and magnets, but not the phonogram CD-ROM. Merry, I went to their website from your blog, in case that helps you any. I've been hounding these boards about AAS for the last week, and Merry has been so patient with me! :tongue_smilie:

 

My spelling angel :Angel_anim:

LOL, thanks! I hope the program is helpful for you, drop me a message sometime & let me know how it goes! My kids struggled with spelling for so long, I'm just glad to find something that helped us & hope it can help others too.

 

Merry :-)