Marie131 Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I am seriously going to drive myself nuts if I change my mind any more times but I keep stumbling upon new solutions to my spelling/reading problems :lol: Here's the scenario; I/we are not enjoying AAS to teach DS who is 7 spelling. I am also not enjoying AAR w/ my DS who is 5 (although I'm pretty sure he likes it just fine). I have been looking for a program to replace AAS. I want something rule based, it doesn't have to be super laid out. Ideally, I'd like to just present the rule, do some copywork, dictation, play a game or two and move on. I have also been thinking of supplementing another phonics program for my DS who is 5 as he is somewhat stuck on the blending. I'd also prefer to cuddle on the couch to teach him to read then sit at the table and cut and paste. So I was considering Phonics Pathways for him, at least for a bit and maybe get back into AAR a little later on w/ him when the pace isn't so painful. Can Phonics Pathways solve both my problems? Can I teach my younger son to read and my older son to spell and not have to purchase anything else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Yes. They have a few pages of instructions on how to teach spelling using the book, and the book is basically organized by spelling rule. It is not at all scripted though, you'd have to figure out the pacing and stuff yourself, but that's not that difficult to do. I have been using it as a reader for my 5yo, who is doing great. He is getting a bit bogged down right now, we are about 2/3 through and learning -ing, -ed, and -er. So my plan is to stop there, take a break on advancing in the book, and go back to the beginning and review it all, using PP as a speller. When we get back to where we were getting bogged down, we'll start forward again! The only other thing I think you need are some graded readers- we love the Frog and Toad and anything else by Arnold Lobel, because there are no real stories in PP, just isolated sentences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelmama1209 Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I asked this question a while ago and someone directed me to this thread http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/showthread.php?t=65708&highlight=spelling+Phonics I'm still waiting on a real definitive answer. Right now I am using it with my 7yo dd as a phonics review and spelling. We started on pg 50 and are just working through at her pace. She can read well enough, but it's really helping her fluency, speed, and confidence. At the bottom of each page is a box with some words and/or phrases/sentences for dictation/spelling. You could also just pull words from the lists. We've only been at it a week, but so far I am pleased with it. I AM curious to see how it goes when we get to harder stuff. Right now we're only on 4 letter words like sand and milk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 In a short answer, yes.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 In a short answer, yes.:) :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Yes, you can. It's a complete phonics course all by itself for the little one, no gadgets or gimmicks required. I add BOB Books to it when they're ready. (Starfall.com and Leapfrog videos also go with it nicely.) I used PP as our spelling base for a time when my older kids were little. The hardest part was deciding where to start, then I just worked forward from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie131 Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 Oh yay!! I am hoping for something gentle and effective, is it? All the components of AAR/AAS are driving me nuts. Somehow I feel teaching reading/spelling doesn't need to be so complicated. I noticed that many people use PP along with ETC, if I was going to do this for my Ker which level would I start him at? Get ready for the code? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie131 Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 Well, I've ordered it :) Hopefully it works for us, I am looking forward to it. If it doesn't work we can always do a more formal spelling program later, the kid is only in grade 2! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelmama1209 Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 yes, it's very gentle and easy to tailor- just stay on one lesson until they know it. we will be using it with etc, but at different levels. i like to use etc to challenge her and phonics more for review. get ready for the code is learning letters. i'm guessing she already knows those. check out previews of the books online and see where you think she is or where you want to start for review. when i get the go ahead to order, we will be using book 4 because that is where we left off last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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