AAS vs. SWR (sorry!)

[Denisemomof4]

can you tell me the difference for the child? It seems that SWR is more of a headache for the teacher - which I pretty much stay away from.

 

Is there anything a child will miss with AAS that they'd get with SWR?

 

Thanks!

Denise

[PeterPan]

Well I don't think that's a fair question. There used to be samples online of the Wise Guide for SWR, not sure if there are anymore. SWR spans all the grade levels, while AAS is for individual levels. AAS prescribes specific lessons (my understanding) where SWR tries to give you a ton of enrichments, a ton of options, and let you chose the mix that fits your dc and situation. In the Wise Guide you have sections each with 20 words, markings and rule explanations, sample sentences for each word, and a list of enrichment/practice activities using those words and expanding them into other LA areas. It's a really open-ended, flexible thing. Sanseri means for you to overlap in your coverage of the lists, and the extensive sets of options each week mean you could do part of them one year and use the same lists a totally different way the next. I think AAS is fine, just saying it depends on what features are most important to you. It would bug me to pay money for a new level each year, but if I really needed the particular features AAS provides, I would, definitely.

 

Some people never get beyond seeing SWR at it's most basic level (dictate, review, following the instructions). Once you wrap your brain around it, it's really quite flexible. I happen to like Spelling Plus a lot as well, and I think you could get a lot of ease and efficiency by using the dictation sentences from Spelling Plus, which spiral and use really practical words, with the rules cards, phonograms, and explanation methodology of SWR. So there's more than one way to get there, hehe.

 

If the only thing that is drawing you to AAS is the letter tiles, remember you can make those yourself, no problem. But if you want scripted lessons or open and go, obviously AAS is what you want. If you want to teach multiple ages, have lots of enrichment options, and have one set of materials, then SWR is what you want. AAS seems to have a pacing that really clicks for some kids but might be unnecessary to others. (I don't think my dd would have needed it, for instance.) I doubt there's any significant ACADEMIC content that differs, if you're asking if SWR does a better job than AAS at teaching plurals or syllables or something. It's just more the differences in set-up and the tools you get. Like I said though, if I were buying today and didn't own SWR, I'd be looking very heavily at Spelling Plus (which I haven't used but like when I've looked at it in person) and just adding on the SWR rules and phonogram cards. Can't get easier than that.

[Denisemomof4]

Thanks SO much for your detailed message. I was looking at AAS because I didn't think I could implement SWR due to a head injury. I shy away from guides and curriculum which are heavy on teacher involvement, teacher prep, etc. Also, too many details overwhelm me. The more I read, the more I felt SWR was an answer to prayer, but too overwhelming for me to implement. But I wanted to understand what AAS would be lacking, if anything.

 

My daughter really needs a solid, phonetic spelling program to catch up after being in PS for 1.5 years. She reads very well but spells horribly.

 

Thanks again,

Denise

[PeterPan]

Denise, I think I've seen where you've mentioned that before. This isn't something I talk about, but I've had my own share of brain befuddles and malfunctions. (Let's just say 5 years ago I didn't know the day of the week, LONG story.) Lots of people have problems, and you have to just work where you are. I don't try to remember anything, not anything. If I need to know it, I put it on a cheat sheet and put the cheat sheet in the tm. I started off with WRTR, which is actually simpler than SWR, if you can imagine, and even that left me throwing it at the wall (literally) for 6 months. The only reason I learned the method was because I decided I WOULD beat the beast. I picked up WRTR and read and read and reread till it finally clicked for me. When I bought SWR (shhhh) I didn't read the instructions but basically picked it up and used it my own way. Think about this: if you bought the rules and phonograms cards for SWR and did NOTHING but those, she'd STILL have learned more than she knew before, right? And if you did that, then you could see what clicks and whether you want the rest, kwim?

 

Something imperfectly implemented is better than not being done at all. That would be my two cents. Just pick whatever you think you can use, use it to the extent you find you can, and it's going to be fine. I think you are correct that SWR, if you just pick it up and try to read it, is going to totally overwhelm you. It overwhelms all kinds of people, and it probably will. But I'd only get AAS if that's what you WANT, if you're drawn to the features in it. If not then I would consider starting small with something. You could get just the rules cards and phonograms for SWR and see what happens. You could borrow WRTR from your local library and see if it makes sense to you. It's sort of SWR streamlined. (WRTR came first, then Sanseri took the approach and added all the extras.) Or you could just get Spelling Plus. Just don't be afraid to do something imperfectly, that's all I'm saying. If you were meant to have more brain power or needed more brain power to accomplish this, you'd have that brain power. You have everything you need to do the task you're given. Just take it in little steps and accept imperfection. Sermon over. :)

[mom2abcd]

<<<I happen to like Spelling Plus a lot as well, and I think you could get a lot of ease and efficiency by using the dictation sentences from Spelling Plus, which spiral and use really practical words, with the rules cards, phonograms, and explanation methodology of SWR. So there's more than one way to get there, hehe.

 

...

 

Like I said though, if I were buying today and didn't own SWR, I'd be looking very heavily at Spelling Plus (which I haven't used but like when I've looked at it in person) and just adding on the SWR rules and phonogram cards. Can't get easier than that.>>>

 

OhElizabeth, would you expound on this please? Spelling Plus sounds *so* much easier than SWR, which I bought and sold. (And I haven't seen Spelling Plus, only sample pages). You say you would add on the SWR rules and phonogram cards? Does Spelling Plus have rules incorporated into it or only listed as reference for the teacher? Are they the same or just similar to the SWR rule cards?

 

I'd love to hear more. I've heard so many positive statements about the O-G method and the variations that have arisen, but I just can't invest the $$$ into All About Spelling and I want something that doesn't take so much time to learn how to use.