Favorite Spelling Program NOT AAS

[socody]

I am trying to figure out what to do for spelling for my soon-to-be 1st grader. I like the layout & idea of AAS and it seems like everyone loves it that uses it, but I know the magnets would drive me nuts, as we've used them some with OPGTR and dd just doesn't care much for them. I know you can use AAS without them, but is there another program out there that's great for spelling??

[Ellie]

Modern Curriculum Press's Spelling Workout is pretty decent.

 

Rod and Staff Publishers' Spelling by Sound and Structure is also quite good.

 

However, both of those don't start until second grade, the emphasis in first grade being teaching the child to read.

 

If you aren't going to use OPGTR, then you'll need something for that; otherwise, just continue with OPGTR for next year, and add spelling the following year.

[SilverMoon]

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Edited June 9 by SilverMoon

[dbmamaz]

Logic of English has a new program for early years, but i havent used it.

[socody]

I still plan to use OPGTR. As per recommendations in the book, I don't plan on starting spelling until we are about halfway through. We will probably hit that mark mid-year 1st grade, I think!

[socody]

I'm really starting to like the looks of Logic of English. It's hard to really see what it's like online, though. Anyone used it with good reviews? And it looks like it is mostly for reading, but I'm guessing it covers spelling, too??

[BatmansWife]

Spelling programs seem to be my nemesis for some reason.  This year I am using Sequential Spelling level 1, Sequential Spelling for Adults, and Apples and Pears.  So far, so good.  But, if you ask why I like these or why they seem to be working....I actually couldn't tell you.  I don't know why they seem to be working...but they are.

 

ETA: I forgot to mention that because Sequential Spelling doesn't seem to teach any rules...I have Spelling Essentials on hand to look things up when needed.  It's a pretty handy little book to have. 

[lorisuewho]

I'm really starting to like the looks of Logic of English. It's hard to really see what it's like online, though. Anyone used it with good reviews? And it looks like it is mostly for reading, but I'm guessing it covers spelling, too??

Logic of English Foundations is a complete language arts program for the primary grades. It is handwriting, spelling, phonics, reading, and beginning writing (capitals, punctuation, etc.) It is a very full curriculum. It is very teacher directed, and loads of fun for the student. It is designed for active kiddos. It is extremely thorough. I cannot praise this product enough.

 

If you are looking just for spelling, then I would probably hold off and do Rod and Staff Spelling. It is basic workbook spelling, but covers the rules and patterns very well.

[coffeegal]

I love doing Spelling Workout with my 5th grader. It's thorough, and he enjoys it.

 

Apples and Pears is what works for my children with spelling issues. It works better than anything else I've tried but is teacher intensive.

 

If all goes well with my 2 littles, meaning no spelling issues requiring Apples & Pears, then I'll either use Spelling Workout or Rod & Staff. Rod & Staff gets better reviews, but the layout makes me go ugh. I like the idea of using Spelling Workout again and making a spelling notebook as outlined in TWTM.

[boscopup]

I used AAS and thought it was overkill for the child I was using it for. It is an excellent program, but not every child needs it. I went with R&S Spelling and love it. My middle child will probably start it next year in 2nd grade (he's not doing spelling right now, as he's still learning to read... using R&S Phonics and Reading, so they should tie in nicely together).

[Aurelia]

I like Apples & Pears. It only has the workbook and TM. All the little pieces with AAS drove me nuts, plus DD doesn't do so well at simply memorizing rules. A&P is mostly about application, rather than memorization.

[KrissiK]

We use Spelling Workout and like it. I am also of the conviction that becoming a good speller is not all taught. I am a natural speller, my second son is a natural speller, my oldest son is not. My oldest son does make marked improvement weekly from pre-test to post-test, but that does not always carry over to his writing. I do believe that spelling should be taught as a subject and that phonics/spelling rules should be taught, but my expectation isn't all that high. I just make sure my oldest son knows how to make sure his words are spelled right, how to find a good editor, etc.

[Chelli]

A happy Apples and Pears user here as well.

 

Not sure if my oldest is/was a natural speller or not, but I know that the rules based programs frustrated her to no end.

 

Apples and Pears is what has worked.

[Guest]

We use Rod and Staff Spelling one year ahead. So 1st we used R&S 2, 2nd: R&S 3. it works quite well IF the child is already reading fairly well like Little Bear/Frog and Toad. If not, just wait until 2nd or even 3rd grade to start spelling. Get those reading skills going first.

 

For phonics, I am using Primary Phonics by EPS Books for dd. Less tedious/boring than Explode the Code. The readers are a bit pricey but worth it or leave them out and use BOB.

[socody]

Where can I find Apples & Pears? I'm not finding anything...

[Chelli]

Where can I find Apples & Pears? I'm not finding anything...

 

Here is the review I wrote of the program on my blog.

 

Here is where you can buy and look at all of the books. The company is called Sound Foundations.

[...................]

Sequential Spelling.

 

Well, your son is too young for this because it's supposed to start in 2nd grade, but Sequential Spelling is our all time favorite.  My kids both struggled with spelling so much.  My son used SS and his spelling seemed to be improved forever, even though we only used 2 levels of it.  He will go back to it next year.

 

My dd seemed like she was a normal speller, but stills struggled with the memorize-for-spelling-test method!  She used Rod and Staff for 2nd grade, and 3rd grade and it just didn't help things click.  Now she is using Sequential Spelling.  First of all, she loves it!  NO more "test stress."  Second of all, it works!  It really makes her see the "insides" and pieces within the words!  I will use every level with her from 2-on.  It is so low-stress.  What an improvement from using computer programs, studying words, and writing them 3 times each and then STILL missing a few every week!

[SnMomof7]

Spelling for 1st is built into CLE LA (along with grammar, copywork, etc.). 2nd too, then it's on to Rod and Staff :).

[BatmansWife]

Here is the review I wrote of the program on my blog.

 

Chelli's review on her blog is what pushed me over the edge (which isn't a bad thing, :lol: ) to get A&P. 

 

I know I've told you that before Chelli, but the review and seeing the pages really helped (even though all the pages can be viewed at the website, seeing how they work together really helped me).  Thanks again!!

 

[Walking-Iris]

I love Sequential Spelling. You can totally use it in 1st grade, my oldest did. But you may have to give yourself more time. Although Sequential Spelling is 180 days of lessons, my ds always takes longer because we don't do it every single day and there are times I go back to review a lesson, or work with the words as vocabulary. 

 

My current 1st grader isn't ready for Sequential Spelling however. I try to teach him spelling in the context of what he is able to read and align that with his phonics. So spelling for him comes along with any phonics work he is doing. I'm hoping to start him in SeqSpell 1 by the end of the year however. 

 

SeqSpell doesn't "teach" rules, but important spelling rules are learned within the context of learning the patterns. That's why I love it. It's not scripted. If you need a lot of teacher support and lesson plans to teach spelling, it wouldn't work. If you're comfortable with a list of words and understanding intuitively how to teach it, it's great. 

[ElizabethB]

Spelling Plus, add in Spelling Dictation if it is not carrying over into writing. They are by Susan C. Anthony, you get a lot for the price.

[Leav97]

Sequential Spelling

 

We tried AAS and a couple of online spelling lists.  Nothing seemed to transfer into the rest of life.  SS so far seems to help.  DD isn't much of a speller.  She's in 4th grade we started level 1 this year.  My goal is to use 1- 1.5 this year and 1.5 - 3 next year.  If this doesn't work we may just give up and teach her how to spell check.

[BatmansWife]

Sequential Spelling

 

We tried AAS and a couple of online spelling lists.  Nothing seemed to transfer into the rest of life.  SS so far seems to help.  DD isn't much of a speller.  She's in 4th grade we started level 1 this year.  My goal is to use 1- 1.5 this year and 1.5 - 3 next year.  If this doesn't work we may just give up and teach her how to spell check.

 

Why give up?  Does she have to finish SS 1 - 3 by the end of 5th? 

[Walking-Iris]

Why give up?  Does she have to finish SS 1 - 3 by the end of 5th? 

 

I agree. Sequential Spelling isn't grade leveled. It's just leveled. Regardless of the age or grade you would start at the child's ability level. 

 

http://www.avko.org/free/Rough%20Placement%20Test%20for%20SS.pdf

 

Here's a placement test to help place an older child in the correct lesson.  

[Mama2Many4]

Natural Speller, and Spelling Plus are two great programs that I use for my children.  What I love about them is that they last through all of the years of spelling and the pattern in which spelling is taught.

[stripe]

I am trying to figure out what to do for spelling for my soon-to-be 1st grader. I like the layout & idea of AAS and it seems like everyone loves it that uses it, but I know the magnets would drive me nuts, as we've used them some with OPGTR and dd just doesn't care much for them. I know you can use AAS without them, but is there another program out there that's great for spelling??

I think Reading Reflex is similar, but vastly cheaper (one paperback, you can easily buy it used).

http://www.amazon.com/Reading-Reflex-Foolproof-Phono-Graphix-Teaching/dp/0684853671

I bought mine used from a truly marvelous lady to whom I will be forever grateful for having made all the little cards, so I probably have a sense that the program is easier to implement than it would be otherwise, but you teach reading from the perspective of creating the word in question, and it's very solidly based on sounds. I have taught two kids to read with it and have been very pleased.

 

I am also using How to Teach Spelling (both the teacher's manual, which has sample dictation, and the workbooks, because I didn't want to have to sort out what should go where, but if you have a bit of time to devote to this, you wouldn't need the workbooks). It isn't bad at all, and is very logical. I hate most spelling programs. And if you teach reading via spelling, you really don't have to spend much time on this, at least on simple words, because the kids will have done it already.