AAS question

[mommyto4]

What levels would be considered to be Grade 1 spelling in AAS?

 

My six year old son has almost finished the first two levels of AAS. He has an excellent phonics background and loves the "rules" that are taught in AAS. I am now looking to buy level three, but am wondering if I should stop spelling for a while and focus on his reading (he's not fluent at all!).

 

Any advice? What is Level Three like? Any help would be appreciated.

[susankenny]

Perhaps buy the AAS readers & just focus on that aspect to help him along??

 

Susan

[MerryAtHope]

Level 3 is going to have longer dictations (12 sentences per step), will teach the last syllable rule and a lot about adding suffixes, and halfway through introduces the Writing Station. With that, kids get to make up their own sentences with words they have learned to spell (and it includes a lot of suffix work as well). You can see the scope & sequence and samples online--here's a link that has the links for levels 1-3. Kids will also begin to learn additional strategies for spelling. Some have been introduced already, but they will build on those.

 

When you say that he's not reading fluently (and I really wouldn't expect a 6 yo to, btw), do you mean that he is struggling with reading the words that he can spell in AAS? Or that he has to sound out words that he knows how to spell? That he halts when he reads? That he has to sound out the same word even if it's written twice in one sentence? Some more information might help.

 

If he can read everything he writes and spells, I would probably keep going and just take it at his pace. If he is struggling to read the words in AAS 1 or 2, I would back up and use the word cards and dictation sentences for reading practice. Let him practice writing them or making them with tiles, then reading them, then reading the cards, then reading the phrases and sentences, etc... The AAS readers might really be a benefit with this too.

 

Do you let him re-read any of his books? Re-reading is a great way to build up fluency, confidence, and speed. Yes, they can end up memorizing some of the stories in the process, that's ok.

 

If you are using non-AAS readers, pre-teach any sight words, and any words he hasn't learned in AAS. You can use the tiles and show him that it's either a rule-breaker (put it in jail) or that it follows rules he hasn't learned yet (teach him how the letters work together if you can, or at least segment the word for him so he can see it), or how it follows rules and patterns he has already learned, etc... After pre-teaching the words, then let him try reading the story.

 

If you think Level 3 of AAS is going to move too quickly, then I would insert more reading games and playing with words with the tiles, chalk, white-board etc... to stretch things out and let him mature.

 

HTH some! Merry :-)

[taffnus]

I have a 2G dd who turned 7 in August and started AAS 3 at the same time. We're now in Week 13 and it's going great. I actually like this level better than the first two because it's finally challenging her. Now, she's a very good reader so I would certainly listen to Merry's advice addressing that. I just wanted to chime in to say that Level 3 doesn't necessarily "feel" like 3rd grade work.

[siloam]

What levels would be considered to be Grade 1 spelling in AAS?

 

My six year old son has almost finished the first two levels of AAS. He has an excellent phonics background and loves the "rules" that are taught in AAS. I am now looking to buy level three, but am wondering if I should stop spelling for a while and focus on his reading (he's not fluent at all!).

 

Any advice? What is Level Three like? Any help would be appreciated.

 

I don't know that I would stop, but you can certainly slow down and focus more on reading. You can even have them read through the cards, and read the dictation sentences as part of his school.

 

Heather

[mommyto4]

Thanks for the great ideas.

 

Heather: I will definitely get him to read the cards... he'll love that! I do have him work through the word bank sheets, but it's not his favourite thing. The cards will give him something to hold on to!

 

Taffnus: Thanks for the insight into Level 3. I think I will order it soon and start it when he is ready. He really loves spelling (most of the time) and has learned so much.

 

Merry: Thanks for taking the time to write your response. It is very helpful. My son can read all the words in AAS, but has to sound out some of them. He has just started to read more fluently (ie. doesn't have to sound out more common words like "made," "take," or "that.").

We are using Primary Phonics books which are controlled readers. I just make sure he has covered the phonemes in either AAS or ETC.

Your idea of going back to Level one and having him read the cards is brillant!

 

Thanks!

 

Julie

[happyhappyjoyjoy]

My son is 1st grade and we just started Level 3. I already had him creating his own sentences with spelling words, so the writing station won't be a new thing for him. We are going to keep going, but I want to make sure he has really cemented the rules taught before. I might spend more time on each step to allow for thorough review. My son is reading on a 2nd or 3rd grade level now, so I don't have need to focus on that.

[MerryAtHope]

My son can read all the words in AAS, but has to sound out some of them. He has just started to read more fluently (ie. doesn't have to sound out more common words like "made," "take," or "that.").

 

That sounds pretty normal to me, I'd just keep going. Sounds like he's doing well!

 

Merry :-)