Q's about Apples & Pears spelling!

[SS in MD]

I was wondering if anyone could help answer a few questions I had about Apples & Pears spelling. Dd (11 yo) has been using Sequential Spelling for 2 years. Right now we are in about 1/3 the way thru' book 3, but I honestly don't see her spelling improving. I'm pondering if I should continue with Seq. Spelling or switch to Apples & Pears.

 

Anyway, wanted to know since there are only 4 books (a,b,c,d) is this program only for 1st - 4th grade? Dd is going to in 6th grade in the fall and I'm wondering if she is too old?

 

Which book should she start at?

 

Do you do 1 lesson/day 3x a week? - what's a typical schedule?

 

Also, where can I purchase?

 

Lastly, (biggie) how do you like the program? Do you see improvements in your childs spelling?

 

Also, once your dc has completed Apples & Pears book d, what's next?

 

We have used many spelling curriculums - SWO, Spelling Power, Phonetic Zoo, and currently Seq Spelling...it would be nice to find a curriculum that works for dc!

 

Thank so much for posting and taking the time to answer!! :)

[happygrrl]

We have been doing A&P for only about 2 weeks now, so I am not the best one to post. I'll tell you my experience, however. I purchased directly from the Sound Foundations web site (I don't have the link right now, so just search). There are assessment tests there so you can figure out exactly where to start. There are also very extensive samples. Don't let them fool you! The program looks very simple, and it is, but it is also VERY effective. The teacher's book is essential to the program.

 

My kids are finishing 5th grade, and we are still starting at the end of book A. Though one could have started in a later book I wanted to keep them together. Fortunately they don't have a grade level on the cover :). Right now we easily do one lesson per day in about 15 minutes. As we get further we may do 1/2 lesson per day. I believe that after book D we will be through with spelling. I am already seeing great improvement in basic spelling skills. I personally needed something that was open and go, easy to teach, and took little time. A&P is the perfect fit for us.

 

(Sorry this was so choppy- I am sleepy!) HTH!

[cillakat]

We have used many spelling curriculums - SWO, Spelling Power, Phonetic Zoo, and currently Seq Spelling...it would be nice to find a curriculum that works for dc!

 

Thank so much for posting and taking the time to answer!! :)

 

 

I know this isn't what you asked for but I would consider, at the top of the list, All About Spelling. It's really the gold standard in a spelling program and seems to be effective when nothing else is.

 

:)

katherine

[8filltheheart]

We just finished our 2nd yr of A&P. I am using it with my 13 yos who really struggles with spelling. We started at the end of book A and just finished book C. His spelling has improved drastically (several grade levels).

 

My oldest ds also was a spelling struggler. Unfortunately he graduated before I found a program that helped him. We spent through 5th grade using WRTR (which is an OG method like AAS.......I absolutely disagree that it is the gold standard for a spelling program). We also tried PZ, Spelling Power, ACE, Natural Speller, and How to Teach Spelling.

 

Of all of those, only How to Teach Spelling (from the TE, not the student books) helped my oldest. The spiraled review dictation helped.

 

But, by far, for kids who don't visually imprint words and don't know whether to spell loud vs lowd, or glue vs glew, or fruit vs froot (my list could go on and on b/c you cannot rule your way into English spelling. Reading yes; spelling no), A&P's approach helps where other programs haven't. He is now spelling words like perceived and decomposition correctly........light yrs from where we were 2 yrs ago.

[Michelle T]

My DS will turn 13 in two weeks, and we are halfway through book C. He started around 1/3 way through book A, I guess we have been using Apples and Pears for 1.5 years or so, we school year round.

 

It definitely does not assume children in grades 1-4, you need to do the placement test on the website, and start where your DS needs to be. That might be part way through one of the books, or at the beginning.

 

My guy has dysgraphia, so can't deal with too much writing. We do half lesson a day, so two lessons per week.

 

Once we finish book D, I'm done with spelling. I think that will place DS at a level where he can comfortably spell most of what he will need.

 

Apples and Pears has been the only curriculum that actually worked for my DS. In fact, it is the ONLY curriculum of any type I have actually stuck with for several levels or years. Everything else gets switched around frequently!

 

I think the only place to purchase it is through Sound Foundations. They do have a U.S. distributor, so it doesn't take much more than a week to receive it. It is not the cheapest program out there, but worth every penny, IMHO.

Michelle T