Farrar Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 As nothing else we had tried seemed to be working, I recently started one of my 8 yos on AAS. I'm still not sure if it's going to help as nearly everything he's covered so far has been stuff he already knew so we've pretty much flown through the steps so far, but he doesn't hate it and it's getting done, so I'm pretty sure we'll push ahead to the next level to see if it's going to help. Anyway, here's my question. Do I really need to buy the student packet next time? Something like 90% of the stuff in the student packet in Level 1 were the green word cards and those are the ones we haven't even touched. I could have easily made different colored key and phoneme and whatever the heck the other one cards are and saved the money. The certificate and marking off the steps is cute I guess, but I could just make him one... though I doubt he really cares. Anyway, I'm sure some part of it is that it's mostly words he can already spell since it's Level 1, but I still. Will I feel differently for Level 2? Do people do it without buying the cards? If so, do you make some cards or just skip the cards? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StartingOver Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 We have the cards through level 4. but we hardly ever use them. My daughter will make sentences from them sometimes, but for our daily spelling lesson they just aren't needed. We work directly from the book, and I keep a running list of the rules that the kids go over once in a while after I am sure they know them well. We barely used the magnets too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Besides the cards, there are also new tiles in the packet sometimes, and, in various levels, there are "word banks" (lists of words that follow a particular spelling pattern, which the child reads aloud at intervals), a jail for rule-breaker words, spelling strategy charts, homophone charts, word sort activities, a silent E book, a plurals book... you could make all of those, except for the word banks, but it would be a lot of work. The cards get more useful once you get to challenging spelling words, and want to be able to keep track of the words that need more review - a customizable spelling list. I also like shuffling the word cards and using them for "mixed review." Again, you could do those things without cards, but it's easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 Hm... That makes me feel like we would use more of it for level 2 maybe. I get the idea behind the cards and shuffling them. That's part of why I was sort of hesitant to not get it, thinking I might use them more in the future. I mean, he's a dreadful speller, but he can spell these CVC words that make up the bulk of the Level 1 stuff. There have been a few minor things that he has gotten from doing it so far, so I'm hoping to get a lot more out of Level 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverFamily Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I agree with Rivka. Level 2 does come with new tiles. So if you use the tiles for your lessons, I would definitely get the student pack.I am currently using level 2 with my 6yo, I think I would have been lost without the student packet. The syllable division tiles alone IMO make the packet worth purchasing, but that said we use the tiles for almost every lesson. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Inman Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 We are finishing up level 6 this week and i would recommend getting the packets. Every level has something you need. Silent E book, more tiles, Plural book, syllable tiles are really important, and we are using the word banks extensively in the higher levels. We definitely use the green cards to keep a running track of words that need work and to go back and review (in the higher levels things aren't so easy and do need review). Good luck, we absolutely love this program :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeemama Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 We are finishing up level 6 this week and i would recommend getting the packets. Every level has something you need. Silent E book, more tiles, Plural book, syllable tiles are really important, and we are using the word banks extensively in the higher levels. We definitely use the green cards to keep a running track of words that need work and to go back and review (in the higher levels things aren't so easy and do need review). Good luck, we absolutely love this program :) I agree. We are working with level 4, and I feel the student pack is necessary for the items other than the green cards. The word banks, suffix tiles, and even things like a "sounds of y" word sort activity. I know it seems like a waste of money in the first level if you fly through it, but once the pace slows down it is worth it. We spent five months and six months on level 3 for my then first and third graders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I agree with Rivka. Level 2 does come with new tiles. So if you use the tiles for your lessons, I would definitely get the student pack.I am currently using level 2 with my 6yo, I think I would have been lost without the student packet. The syllable division tiles alone IMO make the packet worth purchasing, but that said we use the tiles for almost every lesson. HTH Oh, are the syllable tiles in the level 2 packet? Then you need the packet. Syllable types and syllable division rules are a huge part of levels 2 and 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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