Spelling lists with AAS

[Flowergirl159]

Just wondering if anyone uses AAS with another form of spelling list, such as Natural Speller or Sequential Spelling. I think I'd like to, but not sure if it would be confusing or too much.

[MerryAtHope]

I haven't, though I used to challenge my kids in the early levels to notice words in their reading or other subjects that followed the concept or rule we were learning. Mainly I prefer to fast-track through the early levels until they get to harder words. 

[Flowergirl159]

Thanks Merry :) Have you seen my thread on Another way to use AAS?

 

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/507545-another-way-to-do-aas-1/

 

[MerryAtHope]

I did. I think that can work as long as she can eventually teach the concept back to you--(does she know why to use C in the word "cat" instead of K etc...).  

The potential stumbling blocks:

 

She will memorize words visually without thinking through the sounds and rules--which could mean she hits a wall at some point with too much to learn visually only.

 

She won't understand the concepts and be able to apply them to new words. 

 

I think as long as you are watchful for those things and encourage her to analyze and understand the word, that what you are doing can work. Have you done any of the upper levels of AAS yet where they have the kids read through the word cards and study them, noting the places where the word follows expected patterns and where the word doesn't? Basically they take a word and explain why it's spelled the way it is--they fully analyze it. If this is similar to what you are doing with the lower levels, then as long as she can get to a point where she explains it back, I think that it can work. Does that make sense?

 

Merry :-)

 

[Flowergirl159]

Thanks Merry. Yes she can tell me when and why we use c instead of k.

 

I am up to the first writing station in level 3 with my oldest. Not sure that we have come across what you are talking about. Unless if this is referring to the rule breaker cards?!

[MerryAtHope]

Word Analysis is at the beginning of every lesson in level 3. Right now they questions lead the student through it--they are teaching the student how to apply everything they have learned to a concept. Eventually they will do this analysis on the 10 word cards with help, and then eventually you will just hand them the word cards to analyze after teaching a concept, and they use the skills they've learned. Some kids try to just get by with the minimum, so you may have to continue to walk them through--have them say their thought process out loud and you help them fill in gaps on sounds they are not thinking through. I had one child I had to spend a lot more time walking through this process, while the other did it more naturally. 

 

The C vs. K was just an example. To use an example from level 3--on step 13, after teaching the concept, you would hand over the word cards. Then you might ask a question, such as, "Tell me whether the consonant is doubled in each of these, and why or why not." She would look at each one and tell you. She might also answer questions like, "how do we spell the /ar/ sound in parking?" or, "how is the /O/ sound spelled in owner?" Getting her to notice phongrams that might be challenging for her, or getting her to notice how something is spelled when there is more than one way to spell that sound (like the long O sound) is all part of word analysis. 

 

Another good question for spelling words that have suffixes is, "Tell me the root word."

 

Right now she has learned the skills and some beginning analysis--more is taught as you go through. But if the process of seeing the cards before spelling words helps her, then I would have her do analysis along with that, to make her visual noticing of the words more studied, more meaningful--does that make sense?

 

Merry :-)

[Kerileanne99]

Word Analysis is at the beginning of every lesson in level 3. Right now they questions lead the student through it--they are teaching the student how to apply everything they have learned to a concept. Eventually they will do this analysis on the 10 word cards with help, and then eventually you will just hand them the word cards to analyze after teaching a concept, and they use the skills they've learned. Some kids try to just get by with the minimum, so you may have to continue to walk them through--have them say their thought process out loud and you help them fill in gaps on sounds they are not thinking through. I had one child I had to spend a lot more time walking through this process, while the other did it more naturally.

 

The C vs. K was just an example. To use an example from level 3--on step 13, after teaching the concept, you would hand over the word cards. Then you might ask a question, such as, "Tell me whether the consonant is doubled in each of these, and why or why not." She would look at each one and tell you. She might also answer questions like, "how do we spell the /ar/ sound in parking?" or, "how is the /O/ sound spelled in owner?" Getting her to notice phongrams that might be challenging for her, or getting her to notice how something is spelled when there is more than one way to spell that sound (like the long O sound) is all part of word analysis.

 

Another good question for spelling words that have suffixes is, "Tell me the root word."

 

Right now she has learned the skills and some beginning analysis--more is taught as you go through. But if the process of seeing the cards before spelling words helps her, then I would have her do analysis along with that, to make her visual noticing of the words more studied, more meaningful--does that make sense?

 

Merry :-)

Thank you for this lovely break-down. I recently posted questioning the relative 'meatiness' of level 3 for my spelling-rule-loving dd. I think she is really going to enjoy the word analysis you have highlighted as she does a similar 'game' in our lessons. I can't wait for level 3 to arrive now:)