Has anyone skipped AAS 1?

[TriciaS]

My DD will be in second grade next year, and is finishing 1st grade in PS. She reads really well (she is reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe right now), but I worry that she has never learned the rules for spelling. She just has lists of "word families" words for spelling words each week.

 

I want to use AAS with her next year, but do I really need to start her on level 1? I figure if I do, we could do it quickly and then move on to 2. It's just that I would hate to spend the $30 on level 1, then realize I didn't need to get it in the first place. Although, I guess I would have it for my younger but she is 3 years away from needing it.

 

I've heard that level 2 has some review in it. Is it enough for a kid who knows how to spell most easy words? What do you all think?

[edeemarie]

I would suggest not skipping level 1. I know it is costly (we are on our third level this year!) but the first level shows how to break down words into sounds and really set the foundation for the program. The resale for the levels is very high too:)

[KristenR]

I suppose it would be possible to skip it but if your dd hasn't learned any of the spelling rules then she could easily gain something from it. I wouldn't consider it wasn't money because they introduce a lot of concepts.

[TriciaS]

Thanks! That's kinda what I was thinking, too. I just needed someone to help me justify it. :001_smile:

[Shawndrese]

I had the same questions with my son and went ahead and bought both AAS1 and AAS2. Ended up skipping AAS1 just because I felt like he knew it already. He's done great in AAS2...hasn't hurt him at all :D

Of course, I have a younger son who will be starting AAS1 next year, so I don't feel like I wasted my money :tongue_smilie:

[MerryAtHope]

If you did start with Level 2, you would still need the Level 1 materials packet unless your dd has already memorized the multiple sounds for the phonograms (ie, O has 4 sounds, CH has 3, S has 2, and so on). Level 1 covers segmenting skills (easy to do but you'll want to continue using it throughout all of the levels), and some basic rules (when to double F, L, and S at the end of words, when C is soft, when to use CK or K at the end of words, and so on). Here's a link to the FAQ file on whether to start in 1 or 2. HTH! Merry :-)

[FairProspects]

I didn't skip the whole level, but we started at Step 16 I think. We needed to go over the rules that Merry listed above even though ds's phonics were solid.

[raceNzanesmom]

If you did start with Level 2, you would still need the Level 1 materials packet unless your dd has already memorized the multiple sounds for the phonograms (ie, O has 4 sounds, CH has 3, S has 2, and so on). Level 1 covers segmenting skills (easy to do but you'll want to continue using it throughout all of the levels), and some basic rules (when to double F, L, and S at the end of words, when C is soft, when to use CK or K at the end of words, and so on). Here's a link to the FAQ file on whether to start in 1 or 2. HTH! Merry :-)

 

:iagree:

[TracyR]

Yeah, I wouldn't skip level 1 either. You may go through it quickly and you may find you might skip a few levels but it does quickly get into spelling rules, even ones that I didn't know ( like when you use ck and k), or when to double letters like L , F and S, when to use S and ES , Compound Words , and teaching them about Open and Closed Syllables. They also need to learn the multiple phonogram sounds. For instance the letter C has two sounds , K and S, Y has (Y, short I, long I, long E), Ch has the (ch sound, K sound and the SH sound) and other letters and diagraphs too. So if they know all the sounds each letter of the alphabet makes, and the rules I mentioned you may just be okay to go ahead and start with level 2.

 

The words may look easy to spell, but they also have to learn the rules, and like Merry at Home mentioned you still need to get the Level 1 materials too,.

I think the only negative I've found with the program is the price.

[TriciaS]

Okay, thanks everyone! I'll start her in level 1. Even if we go through it fast, I'd rather her have a good base than both of us not be sure of some things in level 2. It will be my first year homeschooling, so I don't want things to be any more difficult for (for either of us) than they need to be!