Apples and Pears ?

[lyssaflin]

We are about halfway through the first Apples and Pears book with my dysgraphic ds. I can see how it can help with penmanship and spelling, but it doesn't state any of the "spelling rules" and ds is very rule oriented. Am I just missing them, or do I need to look elsewhere?

 

Thanks!

[Shellers]

We are also using Apples & Pears. The program does not focus on spelling rules, which is great for a kid like my dyslexic son.

[8filltheheart]

Spelling is not really rule-based. The most basic rules are helpful. The more complicated ones, not so much. The phonics rules are highly regular for decoding for reading, but you cannot rule your way into spelling. For my "rule-oriented" kids, phonics rule-based spelling programs were a disaster b/c they expected to be able to apply rules and spell (like math.) For my kids that simply approach the rules loosely and imprint correct spelling into their memory easily, rule-based spelling programs are great.

 

Spelling ultimately needs to be memorized. Apples and Pears' morpheme and root-construction approach really helped my poorest speller build words in way that lead to long term retention, whereas OG methodology had him writing words multiple phonetically correct ways that still conformed to rules. (why is daughter spelled with augh vs. au? Why is fruit spelled with ui vs. oo? You can't rule your way into the correct phonogram choice.)

Edited January 17, 2012 by 8FillTheHeart

[Ottakee]

As you move along in the books there are a few rules listed for the kids but honestly very few compared to many programs. The thing is, this WORKS, esp. for those kids who struggle with reading and spelling.

 

My 16dd with moderate mental impairment and LDs (yes you can have both) wouldn't be able to tell you rule one about spelling or reading but can read on a solid 4th grade level and spell just about as well.............from a kid with an IQ that indicates she should never be able to read more than just a few survival sign words (stop, men, women, danger, etc). She can read easy chapter books for pleasure.

[Finnella]

We're well into the second A&P book, and I think we've encountered two rules. So they are few and far between.

 

But unfortunately, there are so many exceptions to spelling rules that they aren't nearly as helpful as rules in other subjects. IMO, English comes from so many sources that there are far too many inconsistencies. My DS doesn't like rules with tons of exceptions, so no rules has been working better for us.

 

Most importantly, A&P is the first thing we've tried that is working.

[Shellers]

We're well into the second A&P book, and I think we've encountered two rules. So they are few and far between.

 

But unfortunately, there are so many exceptions to spelling rules that they aren't nearly as helpful as rules in other subjects. IMO, English comes from so many sources that there are far too many inconsistencies. My DS doesn't like rules with tons of exceptions, so no rules has been working better for us.

 

Most importantly, A&P is the first thing we've tried that is working.

 

:iagree:

[sixpence1978]

:iagree:

 

With all of the above. While I loved AAS, it didn't help my DD's spelling. She just couldn't apply the rules while spelling (despite constant review), and then when the rules were ambiguous, she tried to make words fit.

 

With A&P, she is finally able to write high-frequency words without sounding them out each and every time. Finally she just writes have instead of sounding out and writing h-a-v or was instead of w-u-z or from instead of f-r-u-m. While sometimes it doesn't make sense to me, it works for her.