Just got my AAS 2 and learning how to do it

[JadeOrchidSong]

My ds8 saw the AAS 2 I just received yesterday and said, "It's easy." Well, it is easy and I am sure he can spell all the words without knowing the rules. But I like that the program has very clear open/close syllable instruction. I am still waiting for AAS 1 to arrive. I will use these two levels with both dss.

I am tired of the Sequential Spelling's lists of words without explicit rules and when ds doesn't know how to spell the words, he cries each time. So I hope AAS is our final stop for shopping for spelling.

It does look teacher intensive, but if it produces good results, then it is worth it.

I wonder how I can break up each STEP so that we do a reasonable amount of work each day.

J

[MerryAtHope]

What I do is set a timer. AAS recommends working for 15 or 20 minutes a day. We just work until the timer goes off, and then the next day we start with any daily review cards and then pick up in the book wherever we left off.

 

When you are still in the words that are "easy," you don't have to make your son spell all of them. Tell him you want him to learn the concepts but you'll breeze through the easy words. Teach the concept, have him demonstrate it to you on a few words, then if you are sure that he knows it, go ahead and go to the next step. When you get to words that you aren't sure if he knows them, slow down and spend more time in those lessons. Or, if the concept is more involved, you may want to slow down in those steps even if he does have the words memorized, to make sure he understands the concept.

 

HTH, have fun! Merry :-)

[JadeOrchidSong]

Merry,

Thank you! You have very good advice for me. I will implement it. I am looking forward (a little nervously) to using this program. I need to find containers for those cards.

J

[mytwomonkeys]

my daughter was 8 when we started level 1. like your son, it was mainly review for her. we did 1 lesson a day (instead of per week). this was an accelerated pace of course, but it was very easy for her. we would review the rules and use a whiteboard for her to write the words on (she did not like the tiles). once we got into AAS 2, we did slow down a little...but she finished both programs rather quickly. AAS was well worth it though! she now used megawords and dictation for spelling.

[Angel]

We are just finishing up AAS Book 2 with my dd10. We usually do two steps/lessons a week. She could probably do most of them in one step/lesson a day but I want the rules and words to stick so I break it up. Our normal schedule is to review, introduce the new rule, and then spell the words from the list with the tiles and do a couple dictation sentences on day 1. On day 2 we have the spelling "test" where I include more dictation. If there is more than one new rule or concept to introduce, then I will do the second one on day 2. We usually spend about 15 to 20 min the first day and 10 to 15 min the second day. I can tell that dd is bringing it over to her writing so I'm pleased about that.

[PB&J's Mom]

I know I am a lurker-- so my opinion is probably not worth much, but WE ALL love AAS so much that I had to speak up! We are using 1 and 2. The boys think it is a game, not a fantastic spelling program! We work by the timer, also. We can usually get a lesson done in one time segment. My second grader ASKS to do more dictation sentences than I require--WHAT??!!! Anyway, it is well worth the time. I am seeing great results!:)

[anneofalamo]

my 12 year old...yep, 12 year old is at the end of AaS 1 and has misspelled SELL as in to sell something for years...we have done spelling in sand, whip cream, chalk on the street, write the word 25 times and still the sentence would be

 

Sally sels seashells.

 

Yesterday we hit the rule of double's.

His only weakness is SELL

 

I read the words and he also uses a white board.

 

he is going along splendid, I say, " SELL "

 

he writes Sell and erases the last L

 

I say nothing

 

He says, "Oh this must be the exception to the rule right?"

 

Nope

 

he puts the extra L back on

 

"Wow" he says, and then these words,

 

"I never knew that, whew, learn something new everyday"

 

I wish I had this program earlier, but enjoying it now, and we do a lesson a day, sometimes two if it is a concept/rule he has down.

[JadeOrchidSong]

Thank you all so much for the encouragement. I will use a timer and do 15 per kid or both together to start with since ds 5.8 spells very well. I have high hopes for this program and will share with you how it goes after I use it for a while.

J

[MerryAtHope]

Merry,

Thank you! You have very good advice for me. I will implement it. I am looking forward (a little nervously) to using this program. I need to find containers for those cards.

J

 

I like the sterilite flip-top containers for the cards. The ones I have can hold 2 sets of cards & it's easy to get the cards in and out. The regular 3.5 X 5 index card boxes were too tight. Plus the Sterilite boxes were only a dollar. Here's pictures on my blog that show the boxes & how I organize our materials.

 

Merry :-)

[happyhappyjoyjoy]

my son started reading at 3 1/2, so we flew through AAS 1 this summer. We did it in a month (and we were out of town twice.) I combined several of the short vowels into one lesson. We are on Step 19 with AAS 2 and LOVING IT. I have learned so much about spelling that I didn't know!

 

I typically do the review cards, new lesson, and 10 new words on the first day. On the second day I do the extra words, phrases, and sentences. Every once in a while I do a major review of the extra words that I type out on a sheet, so I can include the missed ones in our word card review. I really can't say enough wonderful things about this program.

 

Its Brilliant!

[Annabel Lee]

Both of my boys are doing AAS. Zeke is in level 2, zooming along. He sighed, "That's easy" today when I told him to spell "frog" with the tiles. I pointed out that he isn't practicing how to spell "frog", he's practicing identifying open and closed syllables, which he just learned. I told him when you learn something new like that, you practice it on easy words first.

[JadeOrchidSong]

I like the sterilite flip-top containers for the cards. The ones I have can hold 2 sets of cards & it's easy to get the cards in and out. The regular 3.5 X 5 index card boxes were too tight. Plus the Sterilite boxes were only a dollar. Here's pictures on my blog that show the boxes & how I organize our materials.

 

Merry :-)

Thanks, Merry. You do havd great ideas I can borrow.

I have shoe boxes that look similar to yours that I bought at Walmart a while ago. They seem to work. Thanks again.

J