AAS is not working for us

[BigMamaBird]

All About Spelling is just not working for my Third Grader.  We've done levels 1,2 and 3 and I had hoped that if I just stuck with it we'd eventually find our groove, but it's not happening.  I've already purchased level 4 for next year but am willing to switch to another program if that's what we need.  

 

Do you have a weak speller?  What has worked for you?  I'm trying not to panic, but very simple spelling rules are just not sticking and I need help!  Should I just re-do all of level 3 in a Spelling Bootcamp this summer?

[zarabellesmom]

It didn't work for us either. :( We got through three levels as well. It could be a couple things... One, it just takes a while for correct spelling to make it over to your child's everyday writing. Does your child have trouble remembering the phonograms, rules, etc. Does your child seem to do ok writing them in list form after the lesson but struggle during dictation? If so, I think maybe more time and work through 4 since you already have it. Someone who is more of an AAS expert will probably be able to offer more insight.

 

But, I would say that whether it will eventually work is really dependent on how your child best learns. My daughter thought AAS was torture and memorizing rules and phonograms didn't play well to her skill set (thank you expensive psychologist for making me more patient by showing me her struggles with working memory and processing speed). Anyway, my daughter does very well recognizing patterns and then applying them to other words. She has made some serious improvement with sequential spelling this year. I was still glad we did the first three levels of AAS because it does make it easier for me to explain why something that seems phonetically sound at first glance really isn't. (Hello open and closed syllables. Life saver!)

 

Good luck to you and I hope you get more insight from those with more experience. I know of at least two posters who are almost guaranteed to chime in.

[Farrar]

AAS is what is working for my terrible speller.  But I will say, we don't feel tied to the script.  And I stop and make up more sentences when we need them.  And I do a sort of complicated dance to alternating moving on and backing up by reviewing extra when we need it in order to keep it feel like it's moving and yet slow it down when he needs it.  (Which is the opposite of how I've done it for his brother, who has mostly done it very quickly and gets to skip sentences and do a step a day sometimes - though at the end of Level 5 he's slowed down a little.)

 

Also, I don't expect him to be spelling the words automatically in his own writing yet.  There's a lag time that I'm really only seeing pay off greatly now, at the end of level 4.  So some of it is expectations.

 

But that said, if it's not working, it's not working.  Apples and Pears is a really different approach that apparently has worked for some people.

[linguistmama]

We also used several levels of AAS with my oldest and it was just not working. Apples and Pears has been a great program for her. I love AAS and will be trying it with my 1st grader next year, but Apples and Pears will be what we'll go to is AAS fails.

[BigMamaBird]

It didn't work for us either. :( We got through three levels as well. It could be a couple things... One, it just takes a while for correct spelling to make it over to your child's everyday writing. Does your child have trouble remembering the phonograms, rules, etc. Does your child seem to do ok writing them in list form after the lesson but struggle during dictation? If so, I think maybe more time and work through 4 since you already have it. Someone who is more of an AAS expert will probably be able to offer more insight.

 

Good luck to you and I hope you get more insight from those with more experience. I know of at least two posters who are almost guaranteed to chime in.

 

The bolded is exactly our problem.  During the lessons and the tests she's got the words down fine.  But if I dictate a sentence with a word in it that she spelled correctly two minutes ago she misspells it.

 

Thank you!

[BigMamaBird]

AAS is what is working for my terrible speller.  But I will say, we don't feel tied to the script.  And I stop and make up more sentences when we need them.  And I do a sort of complicated dance to alternating moving on and backing up by reviewing extra when we need it in order to keep it feel like it's moving and yet slow it down when he needs it.  (Which is the opposite of how I've done it for his brother, who has mostly done it very quickly and gets to skip sentences and do a step a day sometimes - though at the end of Level 5 he's slowed down a little.)

 

Also, I don't expect him to be spelling the words automatically in his own writing yet.  There's a lag time that I'm really only seeing pay off greatly now, at the end of level 4.  So some of it is expectations.

 

But that said, if it's not working, it's not working.  Apples and Pears is a really different approach that apparently has worked for some people.

 

The bolded is very encouraging to hear, thank you.  

 

I'll also look up Apples and Pears.  To stick to the fruit theme, I thought about getting the Bananagrams game and "playing" with spelling this summer.

[BigMamaBird]

We also used several levels of AAS with my oldest and it was just not working. Apples and Pears has been a great program for her. I love AAS and will be trying it with my 1st grader next year, but Apples and Pears will be what we'll go to is AAS fails.

 

Thank you.  I've never heard of Apples and Pears before this thread and now here are two recommendations.   :hurray:

[Chelli]

AAS was a bust for my oldest. I discovered Apples and Pears thanks to someone here on the boards. It was a life saver. While I don't think my dd10 will ever be a spelling bee champ, she at least is able to spell on grade level consistently both during spelling time and in her own writing.

 

I'll link my review of Apples and Pears below:

http://www.theplantedtrees.com/2013/01/virtual-curriculum-fair-2013-apples-and.html

[BigMamaBird]

Chelli,

 

That was a wonderfully helpful blog post! Thank you.  I know my Dd would like those workbooks and games.  That looks right up her alley.

[Farrar]

The bolded is exactly our problem.  During the lessons and the tests she's got the words down fine.  But if I dictate a sentence with a word in it that she spelled correctly two minutes ago she misspells it.

 

Thank you!

 

To follow up on this...  I think there are really a few levels to learning to spell a word.  First is spelling it when you're really concentrating on spelling alone and absolutely nothing else.  Often the word is in with other words in its pattern when you do that, which also helps.  Next is spelling it when you're concentrating on a couple of things, such as in dictation when you need to remember the sentence as well.  That's a little harder.  After that is being able to spell the word when you're doing your own writing, with your own ideas, thinking that up and keeping all your mechanics and so forth in mind as well.  That's really, really hard for kids.  Each thing is harder than the one before.  I think some parents see that a child can spell the word in spelling, just the first stage, and get frustrated that they can't do it for anything else, when actually that's very normal.

 

Sounds like you may be switching, which is fine and could be good.  I just think also...  be willing to wait and be patient.  It'll come.  It just takes lots of practice.

[BigMamaBird]

To follow up on this...  I think there are really a few levels to learning to spell a word.  First is spelling it when you're really concentrating on spelling alone and absolutely nothing else.  Often the word is in with other words in its pattern when you do that, which also helps.  Next is spelling it when you're concentrating on a couple of things, such as in dictation when you need to remember the sentence as well.  That's a little harder.  After that is being able to spell the word when you're doing your own writing, with your own ideas, thinking that up and keeping all your mechanics and so forth in mind as well.  That's really, really hard for kids.  Each thing is harder than the one before.  I think some parents see that a child can spell the word in spelling, just the first stage, and get frustrated that they can't do it for anything else, when actually that's very normal.

 

Sounds like you may be switching, which is fine and could be good.  I just think also...  be willing to wait and be patient.  It'll come.  It just takes lots of practice.

 

Thank you for that.  I don't want to go hopping around if it's developmental.  I already have level 4 and Dh would prefer not spending more money at this point.  I noticed with her reading that she really struggled right up to a certain point where all the gears seemed to catch at once and BAM she could read.  I've been hoping that there is a "magic" spelling threshold as well but I also don't want to keep doing the same thing over and over if it's not working.

[julie4]

We did AAS through level 3, wasn't really working for ds who has always struggled with spelling. Dd is a natural speller, so she prob. could have stayed with it. But we switched last fall to WRTR and ds just took off with spelling. But also at this time he started reading more than ever before, like 2-3 hours a day sometimes. So maybe it was the reading, maybe WRTR, maybe both. But now we are really just reviewing the phonogram cards and taking a break from doing the list for the summer because they are spending so much time reading.

[blondeviolin]

We have worked through three level of AAS with my oldest as well. She can spell decently the words and rules she has learned. The program moved slowly, though, and we had little retention with other writing (which I know is age appropriate). Next year we are probably going to do WRTR.

[MerryAtHope]

The bolded is exactly our problem.  During the lessons and the tests she's got the words down fine.  But if I dictate a sentence with a word in it that she spelled correctly two minutes ago she misspells it.

 

Thank you!

 

 

To follow up on this...  I think there are really a few levels to learning to spell a word.  First is spelling it when you're really concentrating on spelling alone and absolutely nothing else.  Often the word is in with other words in its pattern when you do that, which also helps.  Next is spelling it when you're concentrating on a couple of things, such as in dictation when you need to remember the sentence as well.  That's a little harder.  After that is being able to spell the word when you're doing your own writing, with your own ideas, thinking that up and keeping all your mechanics and so forth in mind as well.  That's really, really hard for kids.  Each thing is harder than the one before.  I think some parents see that a child can spell the word in spelling, just the first stage, and get frustrated that they can't do it for anything else, when actually that's very normal.

 

Sounds like you may be switching, which is fine and could be good.  I just think also...  be willing to wait and be patient.  It'll come.  It just takes lots of practice.

 

Yes, exactly. These are levels of automaticity. AAS doesn't really have a "test" per se. Students practice the words at varying levels of automaticity, and these help the parent or teacher evaluate how thoroughly the student knows that word (and the related rules and phonograms)--what needs more review, and what is truly mastered. Spelling in independent writing (outside of spelling class) is the hardest, and it can take time to get there.

 

When my kids missed something in dictation, I would say something like, "There are two spelling errors." And then I would see if they could find the errors on their own. If your student can do this, praise. Then see if the student knows what's wrong and how to fix it--is there a rule that applies, does pronouncing for spelling help, is it visual, etc... If the student knows, again, praise for that. They are close to knowing this word automatically for dictation. If they need help, give all the help they need, and put the word and related phonogram/sound/key cards back in daily review until this word is super easy for the student. (I like to see them get it right quickly and easily several days, and then see if they remember it over the weekend or some other break of at least 2-3 days. If so, then it's more likely they have the word and concepts truly mastered. If not, keep it in review.)

 

Here's an article on automaticity  that has tips you'll find helpful. HTH some! Merry :-)

[BigMamaBird]

Thank you Merry,

 

I notice that you are an AAS affiliate, maybe you can help me here.  I have found that Dd REALLY likes workbooks.  The Apples and Pears workbooks would really appeal to her with their games and puzzles and such.  But I like the pacing, review, manipulatives, scripting of AAS.  Are there any websites, games or workbooks to go along with AAS that you can recommend?