Kerileanne99 Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Dd really likes spelling and so far it seems to be coming very easily. We finished level 1, then I gave it some time to cement, just playing with spelling and reviewing. This was more me slowing down than anything as I did not want to go to fast. We then started level 2...and she has just flown through it. She has rarely misspelled any of the words and remembers them the next time. We have 3 or 4 lessons left, but I feel like much of level 2 is very straightforward, almost like it is just solidifying skills for later? Hmmm. So here I am ready to order level 3, and I am wondering if maybe a different spelling program would be a better fit. But we LOVE AAS, my daughter really, really likes the 'rules' of it. They seem to appeal to her very rule-oriented self. But I find myself needing to provide her rules OFTEN that she won't see for quite a while as she want to know WHY we spell them the way we do. Not just how to spell them, but the why of it. I have printed a list of rules for her, but I just don't want gaps. Especially because she never got explicit phonics reading instruction. Can anyone tell me if AAS 3 gets much meatier? Will it slow her down just enough that I won't pull my hair out wondering if I am going too fast? Or should I be looking at another spelling program for my rules-loving kiddo? As an aside: I am learning the rules too, and the other day she was extremely upset...she wanted to know what language 'I' was from. Uh, English? But mom!!! You SAID English words don't end in 'I'!!! That's not the rule!!! Anyone help me out there, lol? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamamin Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I am using it and it does seem a bit meatier. They start to talk about homophones, they have the kids keep a silent E book and learn all the jobs of silent E, there are more phonograms to learn etc. It's still pretty "easy" but it does seem to be getting a bit more involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Level 3 also adds learning how to add suffixes (very helpful rules) and an activity called The Writing Station, where kids make up some of their own sentences using a given list of words. My kids used to like to see how many they could fit into one sentence, or to make up a little story--I was surprised how much they liked those activities. The dictation is longer too--12 sentences per step. The rules (key cards) hold true about 97% of the time, so there are a few exceptions. "I" is an exception (Step 3 of Level 2 mentions this in the gray tip box). If you are both enjoying it and learning from it--I think that's the goal. Hopefully it will make spelling easy for a child (or at least "easier" if they really struggle). Have you seen the overview or the samples for Level 3 though? That might help you decide. HTH some! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAtoVA Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 My DS, who pretty much didn't like anything academic last year except history LOVED AAS Level 3. We did Level 2 first even though it was really easy, just because the program suggests starting with earlier levels and level 1 was just TOO easy. Level 3 was perfect with enough challenge and new material but also some familiar material (building on skills). I bought Level 4 for him but he started school this year so I may use it with DD #1 in the future (she's on Level 1 right now). HTH, J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintinative Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Agree with the prior posters. To me there was a jump in the content and expectation but it was not so much so that my son was overwhelmed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 DS has finished up through AAS 5 and while we're taking a break from spelling at the moment to really focus on mastering cursive I do plan on finishing levels 6 & 7 in the fall (assuming we are able to continue HSing, crossing fingers!) The spelling lists have been easy for him, but he is someone who is not a "natural" speller like his big sister was. AAS has been great for teaching him the rules. Logic of English wasn't out when we started (except for the overview book for teachers) or I might've considered that instead of AAS. LOE seems like it moves faster through the spelling rules than AAS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Levels 3 and 4 were definitely a jump -- a good one. We very much enjoyed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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