3monkeys Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 I was considering starting my ds with AAS next year for first grade. He is only at a Bob Book level of reading now. Do you think getting both of these programs would be over kill? Seems to me the spelling would cover my bases. I'm using Phonics Pathways now but not opposed to AAR. Just thinking both these programs used together would be too much. Am I wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3monkeys Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 Anyone??? :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellalarella Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 HI-- I am currently using Phonics Pathways, Bob Books and AAS with my 1st grader. I have downloaded the small samples of the AAR reader books from the All About Learning website. I think AAR is very expensive. Honestly, I think that PP is nice because my son can work a little faster and then I can follow up with AAS. The way we use AAS really helps him get to mastery, but we use PP at a faster pace because he is so eager to learn to read new words. I keep reminding myself that I taught dd8 to read with Phonics Pathways...why do I think that I "need" AAR? :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3monkeys Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 Thank you for your response. I needed someone to keep me grounded! :) I'm a bit of a "grass is greener" when it comes to curriculum. You are so right...taught my 8 yr old to read without the expensive stuff. So think I will continue with PP and add in AAS next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I was considering starting my ds with AAS next year for first grade. He is only at a Bob Book level of reading now. Do you think getting both of these programs would be over kill? Seems to me the spelling would cover my bases. I'm using Phonics Pathways now but not opposed to AAR. Just thinking both these programs used together would be too much. Am I wrong? The biggest problem is that AAR only has one level. Kids can take off reading very quickly and you could find yourself out-pacing the content AAR quickly. If Phonics Pathways is working, then stick with it. AAR is expensive compared to many programs, but when compared to other multi-sensory, OG based programs like Wilson Reading and Barton Reading and Spelling, it isn't that bad...or at least is comparable...cheaper than Barton. Through Barton has more multi-sensory work and more depth than I see in AAR. AAR has a slower place for younger kids, on the other hand. Meh...if you have a problem student it is just going to cost you. My biggest disappointment, in looking at the AAR samples, is that it teaches THE as a sight word. Ugh. Not necessary! It is phonetic. The program I am using right now does the same thing and I just replace all of the THE with A. The dog barks. A dog barks. Both work, but A doesn't really require the teaching of a sight word. None of my kids had a problem with the article a. But most reading programs have the same issue. :glare: Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momsuz123 Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 For me, AAS has been awesome and has helped my 6y/o start to learn to read. We just also started AAR because I have enjoyed AAS so much, but felt we needed more for reading. We love it. She loves it. The activity book that goes along with it is great. She actually feels like a big girl because when I give her the assigned worksheet, she calls it her homework. This is huge for me. To see her excited about anything school related is huge. So, for us, AAR along with AAS has been great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I was considering starting my ds with AAS next year for first grade. He is only at a Bob Book level of reading now. Do you think getting both of these programs would be over kill? Seems to me the spelling would cover my bases. I'm using Phonics Pathways now but not opposed to AAR. Just thinking both these programs used together would be too much. Am I wrong? It really depends on what you want and need. Both AAS and AAR are complete phonics programs, so there will be some overlap in concepts taught, but the application is completely different. AAR will focus on decoding, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and lots of reading practice. AAS will focus on encoding, and spelling rules and other strategies for knowing what to write when we hear a sound. Some kids might be fine with just AAS, while some may need more direct reading instruction. Some moms may feel confident adding that, while some might prefer to have everything laid out for them. The fluency exercises in the activity book are just the sort of thing that would have really helped my kids when they were learning to read. Anyway...if what you are using is working, I'd probably continue it. If you find you or your kids need more, then read through the samples online and see if that would fill the needs for you. HTH! Merry :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 My biggest disappointment, in looking at the AAR samples, is that it teaches THE as a sight word. Ugh. Not necessary! So, do you pronounce all of your the's as "thee?" Here it's not phonetic (other than the /th/) so it would make total sense to teach it as a sight word. But that's such an easy thing to adjust to your preference, I'd just teach it how you want to & move on. Merry :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tranquility7 Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 We are using AAS to teach DS to read. We are in Level 4 now, and we both love it. He does not do all of the spelling and dictation yet; we just keep moving ahead as long as he can read everything well and understands all the rules (which is part of our daily memory work), etc. I am just now beginning to loop back through all the books for *spelling* purposes, and it is going a lot faster than I expected. I am dictating to him daily from early chapters of Level 2 and it is going great. I was originally planning to get AAR, but AAS works so well for us, I have decided there is no need. Hopefully AAS will work just as well for DD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 So, do you pronounce all of your the's as "thee?" Here it's not phonetic (other than the /th/) so it would make total sense to teach it as a sight word. But that's such an easy thing to adjust to your preference, I'd just teach it how you want to & move on. Merry :-) Merry, In general talk we do, with both a and the, slide to the /u/ sound. What I do is just explain that a should be pronounced phonetically /ay/ and then make a point of using /ay/ when I read aloud leading up to it. Then I explain that because it is easier to say /u/ that we tend to be lazy and pronounce it wrong. All of my kids got that and ran with it. The would use the correct pronunciation for a short time then start using the /u/. I just wait to cover the till th is covered in the curriculum and then do the same thing. I did try to teach my younger two the earlier, but both completely shorted out and regressed with what they did know. With both I had to go back to just a because it made sense to them. The older two did fine with being taught phonetic the before th had been introduced, but their issues have always been more mild. Thought they have their days. My 10yo was reducing fractions and mid page started reducing to the lowest prime number instead of dividing. :confused: Well at least she has primes down. Today we are regrouping and she is doing it the right way. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tranquility7 Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 It really depends on what you want and need. Both AAS and AAR are complete phonics programs, so there will be some overlap in concepts taught, but the application is completely different. AAR will focus on decoding, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and lots of reading practice. AAS will focus on encoding, and spelling rules and other strategies for knowing what to write when we hear a sound. This is very interesting and I've thought about it a good bit since we started with phonics instruction last Spring (we started with SWR which really did not work for us (too hard to implement), but we did learn loads pf phonograms before starting AAS. What I find interesting is that even though AAS is sold as a *spelling* program, the first thing you teach the child in the program is *phonograms* and the various sounds they make. IOW, a *decoding* (thus a reading) skill, not an encoding skill. I teach the phonogram a as having three sounds - /a/, /ay/, /ah/. Only later in the program does it teach it from a spelling (encoding) perspective - e.g., "Ways to spell a: a, a_e, ai, ay, etc." For a second example, take the phonogram g. Initially we teach that g has two sounds - /g/ and /j/ (*decoding* knowledge). Later we teach a rule that g may say /j/ after e, i, or y. IF you are using AAS as a reading program, have the child read the spelling words, phrases, and sentences, making sure they pronounce the g properly depending on the subsequent vowel. If you are using AAS as a spelling program, have the child spell the words, etc., making sure they spell correctly based on the subsequent vowel. Either way works great, since the rule is the same, yes? I'm not trying to make an issue of how AAS does it - after all, it works great for us! But I do think that is partly why AAS can work well for either spelling or reading. Admittedly the use of the program would be slightly different, but my point is just that the principles taught in AAS work for both decoding and encoding; it just depends on how it is presented to the child, and what is expected of him before moving on to the next Step. As far as fluency, comprehension and reading practice, I will admit that in the early steps of AAS 1, I really wanted some readers that I knew would be ONLY words he could decode, and I was disappointed I couldn't find them (well, the AAR readers were available, but pricey!). But it wasn't long before we had done enough steps that he could decode a lot already and thus did fine with lots of different readers. Overall, I really like the way we did things and I hope to follow the same method with DD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 What I find interesting is that even though AAS is sold as a *spelling* program, the first thing you teach the child in the program is *phonograms* and the various sounds they make. IOW, a *decoding* (thus a reading) skill, not an encoding skill. I teach the phonogram a as having three sounds - /a/, /ay/, /ah/. Only later in the program does it teach it from a spelling (encoding) perspective - e.g., "Ways to spell a: a, a_e, ai, ay, etc.". It makes sense if you think about it though--kids have to start off by knowing that phonograms stand for several sounds or they won't have that common base for WRITING them when they hear the sounds. Writing the phonograms starts only 2 steps later (the sound cards are introduced in step 3). If a child doesn't know a letter has multiple sounds, then to introduce the multiple sounds AND writing them when they hear them would be a lot in one step--so this is broken down into more manageable parts. Similarly, if a child had to learn all the ways to spell long A at one time without mastering any one of them, what a mess that would be for a lot of children. Too much to learn at once--so they are taught to spell them one at a time, and gradually more ways are introduced. IF you are using AAS as a reading program, have the child read the spelling words, phrases, and sentences, making sure they pronounce the g properly depending on the subsequent vowel. If you are using AAS as a spelling program, have the child spell the words, etc., making sure they spell correctly based on the subsequent vowel. Either way works great, since the rule is the same, yes? Yes, Marie has always said that whatever a child can spell, he or she can read. And some people have adapted it very successfully--so if that is working for you, carry on! You've been successful at adding practice and presenting the material to your kids for reading, and what was in AAS was enough for your kids. What I ended up having to do with my kids looked much more like the quantity and type of practice that is in the AAR activity books. It all depends on what either the kids or the moms need as far as instruction and practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3monkeys Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 I guess you couldn't get away with only AAR activity books? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 I guess you couldn't get away with only AAR activity books? I suppose you could figure out something to do with them, but all of the instructions are in the Teacher's Manual--it would be like using AAS materials packets without the TM for that. You'd be giving up the heart of the program. Have you looked at the samples online? That might help you decide. This page has links for the TM and activity book samples. Merry :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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