Can someone help me understand how to use AAS and AAR?

[Just Kate]

I am interested in both programs for my kids...just not sure how to use them. :confused:

 

Ds(8) is reading fairly well (he reads chapter books, like Boxcar Children), but we have never used a spelling program. I have always liked the looks of All About Spelling. Is this something I can still use at this point? If so, how exactly do I use it for an 8 year old? I think I start at level 1 and work up, correct?

 

Dd (4.5) will be starting K next year and I need a reading program for her. This year, we are doing the ETC primers and she goes to a preschool program two days per week. I do not want to continue on with ETC. I love the looks of All About Reading, but if I purchase AAS for ds, should I just some how incorporate that into teaching dd to read? Am I even correct in thinking that others have used AAS for phonics instruction? I guess I am worried about overspending if I don't have to.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks! :)

[Lots of boys]

I use AAS with my 8 year old. We started on level one and are now almost through level 2. I find it is a little easy for him at these lower levels but he enjoys it and IS learning some new rules he didn't know previously.

 

I am also using AAR 1 with my 5 year old and AAR pre-1 with my 3 year old. I love them both - a lot. I like them even more than AAS (which I like a lot). I would highly recommend them both.

[nukeswife]

You can use AAS for reading but would most likely move through it at a faster pace than if you were using it for spelling.

 

I have used AAS for my oldest son and daughter for a few years now. When AAR came out I jumped at it to see if it would be better for teaching my youngest to read, and it really is. I really enjoy it and love how it's laid out specifically for reading.

 

Sometimes you learn things for spelling that you don't specifically need for reading, such as "English words don't end in V" which is why you add a handyman "e" to the end. Another is that in AAS they teach that "AI" is the long a used in the middle of a word, and "AY" is the one we may use at the end of a word. Well you don't need to know that to read it, you just need to know they both say the long a sound.

 

For me because I'm teaching 3 at such different levels I like when my programs really make things a no brainer for me. It would be confusing at times to have to adjust on the fly.

[raceNzanesmom]

Yes, ds 8, would start with AAS level 1. He'll likely move very quickly, but it'll set a good foundation. Then you'll have level 1 when your younger is ready.

 

AAS helps with reading, but since AAR 1 is available, I'd go with AAR for your younger. The books are soooo good. My ds says we can never sell them. =) I'm sure the instruction is excellent too.

 

I think you'll only need one set of tiles. Double check to be sure.

[Tranquility7]

I got a PM recently asking me how I did this, so I will share with you what I wrote. My experience is in using AAS to teaching Reading and Spelling to the same child - which for now you wouldn't need since your DS8 is reading already. But for your DD, you could use it as a reading program now and a spelling program later.

 

Here was my PM to the other mom:

We are huge fans of AAS and I’m happy to tell you how I manage it for both the reading and spelling.

 

I started AAS for reading first. I followed the first lessons exactly, using the whiteboard and tiles. It was really simple to turn the spelling lessons into reading lessons. We talked about the rules as we encountered them, but because I was focused on reading, I didn’t require him to actually *figure out* how something was spelled. Rather, I presented him with the words, and we used what we learned to sound out the word (we divided it into syllables, used our phonogram and rule knowledge, etc.).

 

I added the spelling rules to our memory work as we encountered them, but wasn’t too concerned whether he really *memorized* them this first time through. For example, I was more concerned that he knew that CK made a /c/ sound (which is a reading concept), not that he knew how to figure out when a word would be spelled with C, K, or CK (which is a spelling concept explicitly covered in AAS). We did always go through the lesson as written, discussing the spelling concepts, I just didn’t emphasize them or make him memorize them. As long as he could *read* all of the words in the lists and all of the dictated phrases and sentences, we moved on to the next lesson.

 

Along the way he did start wanting to write a word every now and then (outside of our lesson), so I would talk through with him how to spell whatever he was trying to write.

 

Somewhere in about Level 4 (I think; maybe 3), they started introducing “spelling strategiesâ€, which again, I have covered but not emphasized with him on this first run through the materials.

 

Once we were in about late Level 3 with the reading, I restarted Level 1, this time as a *spelling* program (while still continuing with the reading in the upper levels). We did the lessons again (though the concepts went quickly since he usually could somewhat remember them from before), and this time I had him spell for me the lists of words as well as do all the dictation.

 

I do the reading and spelling times separately, since we are in different books (5 and 3, respectively), and working on different concepts with them both.

 

I have no idea how typical our results are, but we have had GREAT success. We started the reading part less than a year ago, when DS was almost 5, and he has been easily reading the Boxcar Children series for the last couple of months (roughly 3rd grade level). He is also quite a good little speller, and often can figure out how to spell words far beyond where we are in the “spelling†program.

 

If I were you, I would get AAS for your DS(8) and then you can always try it out as a reading program for your DD(4.5) also. If you find it too hard to translate to reading, then get AAR.

 

I know there is no program that works for every child… but honestly I cannot say enough good things about AAS in our house!

[MerryAtHope]

I would take a close look at the samples online so that you can see what each program provides. I think that will help you decide whether you want and need both programs, or if you can adapt AAS for teaching reading as well. You can see AAR 1 samples on this page, and AAS samples here.

 

The author recommends completing AAR 1 first, and then adding in the Spelling program, because AAR 1 will lay a foundation for spelling and has a gentler introduction to the multiple sounds and other concepts which AAS 1 covers quickly in the first 3 steps. AAR has a lot more helps for readers in that regard.

 

Both use the same sequence and the same phonograms. Both are complete phonics programs, so they are interrelated in that way. AAS teaches words from the spelling angle, and AAR teaches words from the reading angle.

 

AAR includes decoding skills, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary and lots and lots of reading practice. To adapt AAS you would need to add in those components as your child needs them (some kids need more help, some less). AAS focuses instead on encoding skills, spelling rules and other strategies that help children become good spellers.

 

The programs are independent of each other so students can move as quickly or as slowly as they need to with each skill. Kids generally move ahead more quickly in reading, and you don’t want to hold them back with the spelling. So if you try adapting AAS, you'll probably want to go through the program twice, working at two different places in it for awhile.

 

HTH as you decide what to do! Merry :-)