alisoncooks Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 ...do you really, *really* mean it? I can't shake my interest in AAS (which means I'll probably buy it. Again - I already placed one order, panicked and immediately cancelled it.) I'm interested in the concept of teaching it with just the TM and maybe a lap-sized whiteboard? So many people say they don't use the tiles (or stopped using them quickly.) I'm also wondering if I could make/print a reasonable facsimile for the tiles, to use until I determine we need them. What about the spelling rule cards in the student packet? Are they a "must"? More likely than not, I'll just buy the whole shebang....but I dislike buying stuff that we don't need ... (I say, as I look over at my bookshelf with at least 3 curriculum purchase "mistakes"). I don't mind buying the whole set...I just want to know I'll use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristenR Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I think it would be doable. There would just be additional prep and planning on your part since you would have to premake some items on your own. If I am recalling correctly the TM always shows pictures of the cards you would need. I did a blog post recently that shows how we do a lesson in our house. I took a close up shot on one of the TM pages. Maybe it would help you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warneral Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I think that would work better for older kids. Younger kids really get a lot out of the various ways they manipulate the words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warneral Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 by the way, mine are 9 and 7 and love the big white board, letter tiles. We write all of our dictated sentences on the whiteboard. I know some people say they gave up on the tiles, but they are integral IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommee & Baba Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 We use AAS both ways. The first 2 levels I have all the cards and tiles and I love it. However all I could get used for the 3rd level was the TM and not the additional tiles and extras and my dd is doing just fine without them. I miss them more than she does. With that said though if I find the extras used for level 3 I will buy them because they help me to review properly and keep track of dd's progress. If you are willing to chart that yourself, you could do it without. Personally I think the tiles, cards, and such is what partly makes AAS so amazing! The way it teaches is the other part, the layout of the steps and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Whatever you decide, here are a set of printable phonogram tiles. Hope it helps. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeemama Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I don't like to buy a lot of extras that sit on the shelf either, but I would recommend buying the whole student kit for AAS, based on the fact that you have two young ones to go through the program. There are a few components that we rarely use, but I feel the cost is justified for the tiles, rule cards, and charts in various levels.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommee & Baba Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Whatever you decide, here are a set of printable phonogram tiles. Hope it helps. :) Can I squeeze you! This helps fill in the tile gaps we are lacking :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 Thank you for all the feedback (and the link to the phonograms). I am leaning toward simply buying the whole kit. I'm sure that if I tried to make it myself, I would probably be dissatisfied that mine aren't as pretty as AAS's. :) But that Mama Jenn link is great (she has such great stuff -- I used her site quite extensively for MFWK the 1st half of this year!) It is good to know that the tiles & such are used. I think my DD would enjoy them (me too!) Okay, maybe I'm going to (re)place my order once we get a little further into OPGTR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 My oldest is one that doesn't care for the extras. With her, I could very well skip all the extras. Typically, she will remember any rule I tell her. I get the extras, though, because I have other littles that may need them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Just keep in mind that AAS doesn't use marking of words like many of the other programs that are similar do, instead they use tiles of different colors, so the printable phonograms might take some tweaking. If you don't have all the cards you'd need to keep track of what phonogram, sound, key and word "cards" you student needs to review. I think that would be hardest with the word cards, sure you're student may be able to spell it right the first time, when they are in that lesson, learning the rule that it fits, but will they remember it a week or a month from now? Every word goes into the review tab until I know they can spell it right a few times. Then there are the mastered review that come up in the levels. This is when you're supposed to pull things from the "mastered" tabs to make sure they truly remember them. You could do all this by writing it all out on your own index cards, but then you have to weigh whether your time or money is more valuable. For some they are willing to put in the extra time. I think it's just easier to have it all ready to go so I don't have to worry about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Yes, you definitely can. Along with a pencil, whiteboard (or even just paper), and some Post-It sticky notes to mark places that need review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Lynx Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Younger kids, and older kids with phonemic awareness problems, will very much benefit from the tiles. I do use it without the tiles with my older kids, now that they've got excellent phonemic awareness. When we hit a problem, we will go back to the tiles - the way they're color-coded makes everything so very clear to the student! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Doing without the tiles? I think that's possible, although I'd much rather have them. Doing without the cards? I wouldn't. The amount of effort it would take to make your own cards, or another system of keeping track, is just not worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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