AAS~right for us? (sorry LONG)

[4ofus]

Background: we are removing our kids from PS for the coming school year. We have no real bones at all with the PS, however would like a more family-centric & flexible schedule. DH travels A LOT & we would like to be able to join him more frequently for the more exciting locations! We also travel for pleasure & love to camp in our TT.

 

We have decided to see if this will work for us. They are 8 & 6, finishing up PS 2nd & 1st grade. They are both good readers. Both boys always know their school spelling words on Monday, maybe miss 1, have to write it 5 times & that's that. No intensive spelling practice at home, school covers it, plus they see language written as they read...tons.

 

Here's the rub...1/3 way thru the year, 1st grade teacher deemed 6 y/o bored in LA & decided to challenge him with "special" spelling words. I conferenced with her & requested a few things...1) he always receive the weeks CARE lesson with the class (language rules), 2) his words not come from his journal writing 3) his words have some spelling/sound relationship to each other so there is a "theme". I left the rest in her capable hands.

 

FF to now~he can't spell squat. His report card would never reflect that he's actually LOST ground. His spelling lists were becoming more & more ridiculous (humongous, ingenuity??) even though the work he brings home from other subjects is littered with simple errors. There was no spelling rule to apply for the week, they were ALL OVER THE PLACE. We drilled these words daily with no jumping off point...none of these words were anything like the others! Plus he reported that he was no longer sitting in the care lessons as he didn't need them?! For the final 1/3 of the year I requested he be removed from "special" spelling words & placed back in the core CARE LA curriculum. I didn't care that he gets it the first time he hears it. He needs to hear it. Right? He's been nailing his spelling tests all along~"special" or not, but I don't think lists of arbitrary big words are giving him any building blocks. Not to mention he doesn't retain those big words past the test. I so wish I could turn back time...

 

Anyway, now the m&p of the post~ I took the plunge & purchased AAS level 1 thinking we would like the mostly oral part of it. He needs spelling remediation. As I reviewed it just now it looks like he will be BORED with me saying "what is the sound of b? blah blah blah....he will be like...really?

 

Does it take off pretty fast? Is it actually less insulting in delivery than it appears on the page? I only say that b/c it looks like it is geared toward a very beginning learner (like K) & I would say we are beyond the very beginning, but certainly not very good at spelling, ykwim? If I skip to the second level might I miss something important? He did miss TONS of rules this year (grrrr.) This just may be too basic? idk...

 

Also thinking of phonics zoo for the rising 3rd grader(opinions?)~& if I don't use AAS what to do with the 2nd? I really think he needs to learn the rules!

 

For perspective...sometimes I *forget* how very young they are...& expect too much...they often DO deliver though, when the expectations are high!

 

Off topic~we ordered Little Passports from the Buyers co-op & the little suitcase came yesterday. Both were enamored with the little worksheet & the map. Actually the map overtook reading time last night as we had to find Pakistan, Libya, & lots of places we've been hearing in the news, plus Turkey (where dad was born), & lots of countries/states where dad has traveled :). It was FUN! I hope we continue to enjoy it! This is something else I was concerned would be too "young" for us to enjoy but it is perfect!

Edited May 3, 2011 by us4jones

[scrapbabe]

I would not skip to level 1 or you will miss some important rules. I am using it with my 11 year old and we don't find it babyish at all. There are a few exercises that were completely easy so we just zoomed through them. We didn't need to use the cards with the consonants,because I knew he knew those. But he's still working on memorizing all the different sounds vowels can make, and the other more complex phonograms. I too thought level 1 might be too easy.. but I learned that there were basic things he struggled with. He had a hard time hearing the "l" sound in words like play or plug or salt. He has really helped him to think about his spelling. I would say zoom through the stuff he already knows, but don't make him think you think it's babyish. If anything just tell him up front "some of this will be super easy for you, so we'll just go through it quickly, but there are important spelling rules in here and we don't want to miss them because they will help you later down the road". :001_smile:

[meggie]

I have never used AAS, but I would think that you'd be able to either skip or go over really quickly the lessons he already knows. If he already knows the sounds letters make, skip those. If you get to a list of words you are confident he already knows, but want to reinforce the "rules" have him write them on the white board (or do something fun with them) so he doesn't balk at having to do it, but you can get it done quickly. Then you can say, "that's our spelling lesson for the day!" and he'll feel proud that he got something accomplished and it was so easy. Short, easy lessons should help you as you start off homeschooling; it makes it easy in the beginning and you can gradually build up their ability to sit still. (This is what we do for OPGTR, I skipped over the lessons about letters and at times, I've chucked the script out of the window and just explained the rule and had him read.)

 

As a homeschooler, you don't need to be tied down by the curriculum, you can move at a faster or slower pace depending on where your children are.

[MerryAtHope]

If you know that he knows the sound for the letter B, there is no reason for you to drill that with him. I'd teach him the vowels and the letters that have more than one sound--actually I'd ask him first to see what he knows--IE, show him the S phonogram card and say--this letter has 2 sounds, do you know both of them? See if he does. If so, great, that card is mastered, if not, teach it--he'll catch on quick. Most kids know short & long vowel sounds but not the extra sounds--see what he knows and fill in the gaps.

 

Any lessons that you are positive he has already mastered, go ahead and move past them. If you are not 100% sure, then approach it that way--"I think you might already know this, but let's be sure. What do you know about..." and ask the question. Let him teach you the concept. If he can, great, move on! If not--you show him and then have him teach it back on another word. Use the steps to fill in gaps only as needed until you find things he doesn't know, then teach those. It doesn't have to be babyish at all. I took 9 & 11 yo's through Level 1 in 3 weeks. I didn't make them spell all of the easy words. Steps that focused on concepts they knew, I just skipped etc...

 

With things like when to use C or K, I taught the concept and had them teach it back, but I didn't do the dictation with them. They already had memorized how to spell those words--the gap for them was knowing why one uses a C and one uses a K. So I taught that, had them teach it back, and moved on.

 

Use the program how your kids need it. But the program really is incremental, and they may need the concepts even if they don't need drill on certain words or sounds.

 

I HTH! Merry :-)

[mrs.m]

Is this for your 6yo or your 8yo? A 6yo would need to start at level one and wouldn't be considered remediation. For that matter, start them both at level one! Have your 8yo "help" teach the 6yo as a sneaky way of over-teaching the basics.

 

I'm waiting for my AAS package. I went back and forth on this one because of having to start at level 1 with DS8 and I didn't want to start from the beginning. But something is wrong. He has a gap that needs to be addressed that I think is from some early site word teaching when he was in PS and then early curriculum changes as well. So I'm committing to following AAS from the beginning as they instruct rather than thinking I know best by altering the program and continuing to try other programs that aren't working. We will pace quickly through topics that are review but I want to make sure that it is over taught so that I know it is cemented in his head. Fortunately he is a laid-back kid that goes along with everything and prefers to work on things he already knows. It builds confidence for him and I'm hoping it will transfer to spelling as well!!!

[joyfulhomeschooler]

AAS may not be for you guys. Sorry, but I am just being honest. We did the same thing because my son is a "natural speller" like yours and is an avid reader too. We ordered AAS and he was speeding through level 1 and VERY bored. I bought level 2 as well and skimed through it the other day trying to decide if we will stick with it. I just don't see him learning this slowly. I think it is a great program for those who need the extra phonetic help. But I am in the process of trying to find a program that is based on rules but that isn't as tedious as AAS. My son actually got so bored that he would start playing with the tiles (pretending they were cars & such). He asked if we could skip the tiles and just write the words. I am getting ready to send my package back. I think AAS is meant for a certain kind of learner and it just didn't fit in our house.

 

However, if you do decide to use it I would go through level one at a faster pace, because even though it is EASY there are rules in there he will need to learn for future levels. Good luck on your decision and welcome to the homeschooling community! :-)

 

LOL as I was reading through my post I realized I could use some definate spelling help ;-)

Edited May 3, 2011 by joyfulhomeschooler

[boscopup]

My son was like yours at school in first grade - aced every spelling test without ever studying at home. He was learning and applying the phonics rules as they went over them in class, and then he could spell those words just fine. I am using AAS, and it was definitely easy in level 1, BUT... he and I both like it, and we'll start level 3 next week!

 

I think we did steps 1-6 of level 1 the first day. My son didn't know all of the sounds the vowels make (some of them have 3-4 sounds, and he just knew the short and long sounds). I did not follow the script 100%. If he had already demonstrated mastery of a topic, I just moved on.

 

We did level 1 in 3 weeks. Level 2 has taken about 8 weeks, I think? So yes, it does go fast, BUT... He's learning and applying the rules. That's what he needed. So yes, the program goes a little slow, but we are able to easily speed it up.

 

Also, we do not spell with the tiles. We use the tiles only for demonstrating the new concept or working on syllabication. Then I pull out the white board marker (thin type) and have him write the 10 spelling words for that step, maybe some extra words, and then a couple phrases or sentences (usually just the sentences). I don't do every phrase or sentence, because some of them have mostly words he just did in the spelling list. I try to use the sentences that have more review words or words that weren't covered by the spelling list for that step. Basically, I find the hardest sentence and use that. ;) If he could write more at a time, I'd use all of them, but we're dealing with a brain that is way ahead of the hand, and sitting on a step for a whole week would be B-O-R-I-N-G for him. I'm not going to hold him back because he can't physically write. He is applying the previously learned rules (some of which I had already forgotten... like when it asked why words don't end in "oi", he immediately said "because English words don't end in i!", and I hadn't made the connection between those 2 rules).

 

Level 2 has definitely had some "new stuff". We slowed down in the beginning, then sped up through the r-controlled syllables, and some of the straight forward lessons (like "ee"). We're back to one lesson per day right now, but I'm sure we'll slow down more in levels 3 and 4. I'm ok with doing the levels quickly if that's all he needs. The point is to get the information in him, and that is working. It's easy for me to use and understand, and I adjust the script to meet our needs.

[Lovedtodeath]

AAS may not be for you guys. Sorry, but I am just being honest. We did the same thing because my son is a "natural speller" like yours and is an avid reader too. We ordered AAS and he was speeding through level 1 and VERY bored. I bought level 2 as well and skimed through it the other day trying to decide if we will stick with it. I just don't see him learning this slowly. I think it is a great program for those who need the extra phonetic help. But I am in the process of trying to find a program that is based on rules but that isn't as tedious as AAS.

Phonics Road (go through it faster at first... do a week in one day) or How to Teach Spelling from EPS. (with the SWR phonogram and rule cards). These have more variety and more challenging words.

[waa510]

FME, I definitely wouldn't skip level 1. It picks up a bit in level 2, but I honestly think that the program is great b/c it is so easy to modify based on whether your kid needs to fly through it or slow down. My dd started the series 2 months ago and is in 2 already, so I know what it's like to have a kid who seems to not really "need" intensive spelling instruction. I knew my kiddo does really well with rules and ways of breaking up a task into predictable steps so I knew it would work well for her. We only use the tiles for new instruction. Otherwise, DD writes her spelling words on the mini-whiteboard we have, as well as the dictation phrases and sentences. when her hands get tired, she'll dictate the letters for each word to me and I write them. It's probably not what the author intends me to do, but it works well for us and dd retains the material so I'm OK with it.

 

The tiles are great for showing her the rules in action (the consonant team and vowel tiles helped with the ck rule, the vowel and consonant color difference helped in learning the syllable division rules, etc) I think Level 1 was a great first step to take and it has some important fundamental rules in there that are built upon for the next level. Concepts from Level 1 are reviewed in the Level 2 text, but if I know dd knows it cold, we skip it!

 

I would focus on the more difficult phonograms with multiple sounds like pps said, such as s or the vowels, and just blow thru the level if need be. He should slow down when getting to syllable division and open/closed syllable work in Level 2. I agree with a pp also with having your kids do the spelling together, with the older 'teaching' the younger. I do that with mine (dd1 reading her readers to dd2) as a way to sneak stuff in. :001_smile:

 

HTH! We love the program over here. I think using it as a framework or a map and taking what you need from it for each kid will be best.

[Mommee & Baba]

I agree..do not pass on level 1. There are very solid rules that they learn in that level.

 

Just push through the lessons he alreadys knows as review...Also I'm a firm believer in the tiles. Although my oldest isn't a fan of the tiles it's help build her skills in the forming of letters when writing out her spelling words and it's also helped her to know the order of the letters. PLUS the vowels tiles are red helping her to recall what the vowels are without having to struggle. The tiles are WONDERFUL guides for the child. My middler LOVES using the tiles but BOTH of my kids love to use erasable marker for spelling.

 

If I would've skipped level 1 with my natural speller dd7.5...she would've missed ALOT of good rules. We flew through level 1 in a couple weeks and right into level 2 with no problems. My dd6 is almost complete with level 1 and will start 1st grade this fall doing AAS level 2 :)

[Lovedtodeath]

I agree..do not pass on level 1. There are very solid rules that they learn in that level.

 

Just push through the lessons he alreadys knows as review...Also I'm a firm believer in the tiles. Although my oldest isn't a fan of the tiles it's help build her skills in the forming of letters when writing out her spelling words and it's also helped her to know the order of the letters. PLUS the vowels tiles are red helping her to recall what the vowels are without having to struggle. The tiles are WONDERFUL guides for the child. My middler LOVES using the tiles but BOTH of my kids love to use erasable marker for spelling.

 

If I would've skipped level 1 with my natural speller dd7.5...she would've missed ALOT of good rules. We flew through level 1 in a couple weeks and right into level 2 with no problems. My dd6 is almost complete with level 1 and will start 1st grade this fall doing AAS level 2 :)

Please buy level two right away. I will say that I feel that level one can be skipped. Level two has review. By the time I got to level two I had been so busy supplementing the very basic level one that we didn't need most of level two.

[Tracy]

I don't have any experience with AAS, but we use Spell to Write and Read, which I understand is in the same Spalding family, using a similar set of phonograms and spelling rules. The nice thing about SWR is that you get everything in one package for grades K-12 (for about $100). It includes diagnostic tests so that you can place your child wherever he needs to be. It is also non-consumable, so you can use it for as many children as you are or will be teaching. It is not as open-and-go as AAS, but it is more flexible than AAS.

[Mommee & Baba]

Please buy level two right away. I will say that I feel that level one can be skipped. Level two has review. By the time I got to level two I had been so busy supplementing the very basic level one that we didn't need most of level two.

 

My dd7.5 went through level 1 quickly but I still am glad we started at level 1. Although there is review in level 2, it's NOTHING like teaching the basic spelling rules like level 1 begins with. We RARELY review what we learned in level 1 with level 2, we use the rules because she learned that in level 1 but if we skipped level 1 and those rules she'd be LOST in level 2.

 

Now dd7.5 is in level 2 and is doing WONDERFUL in it! I have AAS level 3 for her for next year. I felt bad at first having her start on level 1 like her kindy sister but seeing how fast she went thru it and how important those steps in level 1 are to KNOW so she could do level 2 without alot of struggle and challenges was rewarding.

 

My dd6 is doing AAS1 and is about 2 weeks from completing it. We're easily going to begin AAS2 with her next year when she begins 1st grade.

Edited May 4, 2011 by mamaofblessings