NicAnn Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 I know I should be able to look at the website and figure it out, but I'm having to use the internet from my phone and it's difficult! What is the minimum I need for AAS for a beginner/kindergartner? Is there anything you recommend in particular? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceNzanesmom Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 AAS level 1 TM and student kit are a must. Other than those it depends on your needs and $. I love the tiles so for my family those are a must. If you think you can teach the sounds without the CD then it's optional. I find my ds does well listening to someone other than "mom", but I'm sure we would have been fine without it. The student kit will have plain paper dividers, I love the stronger, color coded one from the interactive kit. I use a recipe box for storing and my own stickers. I love the readers, but bought them used. They are, however, very hard to find. hth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dahliarw Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 I highly recommend their box for storing the cards. They fit much better in that one than a traditional one (the dividers are too tall). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 The CD-ROM is nice and comes in the "Basic Interactive Kit" but you can buy the items separately if you don't want the CD-ROM. The Level 1 set (Teacher's manual and student materials packet) and the tiles, magnets, and divider cards would be "musts" for me. The box is great--fits the cards exactly, but it's optional. Before I had that, I used a $1 flip-top box from stuff-mart. Here's a blog entry where I have pictures of both style boxes (3rd & 4th pics down). The student kit will have plain paper dividers, I love the stronger, color coded one from the interactive kit. . The student kits *used* to contain cardstock dividers, but don't anymore. They were discontinued when they switched over to the laminated dividers, but some packets still had them during the switch last year. HTH! Merry :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicAnn Posted March 19, 2012 Author Share Posted March 19, 2012 Thanks for the responses! I do think the tiles will be a must. They look so interesting in blog posts I've seen featuring them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillehei Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 I would say a big magnetic whiteboard is a must. We don't have to set up tiles every day. We bought a big one from Costco for $20. I think it is 4 foot by 3 foot. We write our sentences on it as well. I LOVE AAS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 (edited) Sorry to threadjack, but I'm about to push "order" on this set.... How are the readers? They're pretty pricey and I already have some Bob-like books, CLP nature readers, other beginning reader books... Are we missing out on anything if I skip these? (They're $20 a piece :001_unsure: and this is already a big leap for me in $pending-comfort-level.) ETA: NM. I just went ahead and ordered. Passed on the readers. Can't really justify nearly $60 for them right now. Edited March 19, 2012 by alisoncooks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Sorry to threadjack, but I'm about to push "order" on this set.... How are the readers? They're pretty pricey and I already have some Bob-like books, CLP nature readers, other beginning reader books... Are we missing out on anything if I skip these? (They're $20 a piece :001_unsure: and this is already a big leap for me in $pending-comfort-level.) ETA: NM. I just went ahead and ordered. Passed on the readers. Can't really justify nearly $60 for them right now. For spelling, the readers are optional. This is very helpful for kids who struggle with spelling. It is an interesting and motivating way to build visual memory. But not every child will need them. You can see samples by clicking on any of the books, the sample link is on the page for each book. They really are beautiful! For reading they're integral. HTH! Merry :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceNzanesmom Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 For spelling, the readers are optional. This is very helpful for kids who struggle with spelling. It is an interesting and motivating way to build visual memory. But not every child will need them. You can see samples by clicking on any of the books, the sample link is on the page for each book. They really are beautiful! For reading they're integral. HTH! Merry :-) True. My struggling reader loves them because he can successfully read them and they're interesting. We have tons of other books too, but if you ask him to pick he'll pick an AAR book every time. And, thanks for the head's up on the divider cards. I had no idea they didn't still come with the student sets. I've bought both of mine used and they had the cardboard dividers included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhatLight Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 For me the dividers are a must. For my kids the letter tiles are a must. (However, the program can easily work without the tiles.) I tried using an index card flip-top box and dividers, but the cards are a much smaller size than index cards, and the disorganization was making me crazy, so I just bit the bullet and ordered the box & dividers and I could not be happier with that decision. I will also say that a simple white board that my daughter can hold in her hands has been invaluable to her learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I did a post on AAS here and tried to show how a day's lesson goes at our house. Maybe it will help you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warneral Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 You may be able to get away with only the teacher's manual (I've heard someone say they did that) but you are missing out on some useful parts of the program. We have the box, the dividers, the magnetic tiles, teacher and student pack for each of the first 4 levels and I am glad we do. The kids like the letter tiles and it really is useful in helping them think about how to spell and separate words into syllables (a big part of the program). The box and dividers are so perfect for the cards and I spent too much time and money trying to find a card holder that would work. I did not get or miss the phonogram CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.