Do you use AAS as a phonics program as well?

[Aspasia]

Cathy Duffy has AAS listed under phonics (as well as spelling) programs. I'm sure spelling rules can only help reading skills, and all the threads I've read seem to be focused on its use as a spelling program, but I'm wondering if anyone actually uses it as their phonics program. If you use a separate phonics program, when do you introduce AAS?

[9arrows4God]

We are using it for a phonics program with our 6 and 7 year old. They love it. I guess because it also focuses on spelling it can slow them down more than if they were using it just as reading, but I am finding we are still moving fast enough. And if you did not focus on the spelling part of it at all but just the rules and such you could move faster through it. I am not worried about it though. It is working wonderfully.

 

They do have a reading program coming out following right along with each level of spelling. In the long run you may not need both. Though because I am just going to have to see it I will probably order it. Though it will be for the next children underneath as our 6 and 7 year old will progress faster through the AAS than the AAR is going to be coming out.

 

:O)

[boscopup]

I dropped the separate phonics program for my first grader when I started AAS, although he was already reading well (mostly by sight - he's self-taught). I've seen definite improvement of his phonics understanding, though I don't think we'll get to all the phonograms for a while yet. We've already hit more than he did in his first grade class at school first semester.

 

I started my 4 year old on AAS as a phonics program, but I'm trying out Webster's Speller with him, just because it intrigues me, and he has a year and a half before he's supposed to start K anyway. :D But as far as AAS goes, I was just using it as written, except I had him read the words instead of spelling them. You can go as fast as you want through AAS. I am liking Webster's a bit better so far just because doing the "BA BE BI BO BU BY" stuff is causing my son to not have to sound out every word repeatedly before saying the word. He sounds it out once and then says the syllable. But... we're only 2 lessons in, so I can't give it a legitimate review yet. ;) He's at the stage where he can read CVC words, but still sounds them all out (even if he immediately recognizes the word, which I've seen him do :tongue_smilie:).

 

I don't know if that helps or not. :) If you look on the chatterbee forum, there is a subforum there for teaching reading and using AAS to do so. Some people go through it at two paces - a faster one for reading, then a slower one for spelling.

[Wheres Toto]

We're using AAS for phonics/reading and supplementing with ETC. My son didn't like OPGTTR or 100EZ lessons at all, verbal is definitely not the best for him. The visual aspects of AAS work much better for him. We are doing phonics and spelling at the same time so we are going pretty slow - about one step a week. I'm getting ready to start it with my younger dd (3 1/2) but only for reading/phonics, I'm not going to push being able to spell the words.

 

I did look at the pre-level AAR for my dd but she is already past that point. She knows all her letter sounds and is completely bored with one-letter-at-a-time activities. I'll probably look at Level 1 when it comes out but unless its very different from what I can do with the AAS I already have, I probably won't spend the money.

[KristyND]

Not completely, we started AAS in january, and I have shifted primary focus to AAS but still use their phonics programs as supplement. (ie 1-2x a week instead of daily)

I have seen some nice improvement in their reading skills since starting AAS

[SnMomof7]

We use AAS as phonics reinforcement, but not as our primary phonics program. My DD moves much more quickly through her phonics than she does through her spelling, which is fine with me. She has become a competent reader much more quickly than she is...becoming...a competent speller :).