Spelling 'rule' question re multi-syllable words in AAS

[amyc78]

The syllable division rule in AAS says that in a 2-syllable word, you look for the vowels, find the consonant(s) in between and if there is only one, it USUALLY goes with the second syllable and you spell it phonetically- this works for begin, prevent, student, moped, belong, etc. This does NOT work for habit, edit, finish, seven, limit, etc. What I notice is that if you follow the open-syllable long-vowel/closed syllable short vowel rule, it seems to make the spelling work. But AAS doesn't teach that (or I'm not there yet, we are on lesson 16 of level 2). I hope I'm making sense.

 

Basically, I think the rule should say:

When spelling a two syllable word, locate the vowels and the consonant(s) between the vowels. If there is only one consonant between the vowels, determine if the first syllable is a closed syllable (short vowel sound) or an open syllable (long vowel sound). The consonant only goes with the first syllable if it is a closed syllable (short vowel sound).

 

So it would be fin-ish, lim-it, sev-en, ed-it and then be-long, mo-ped, stu-dent.

 

Is this rule taught somewhere and I'm totally missing it? Or does the rule not work and I just can't see why?

[Farrar]

I feel like we did that later...  maybe in level 5 where we covered accented syllables?  Paging Merry... ;)

 

The general rule, which they do explain is a usually rule, really does seem to work most of the time.

[MerryAtHope]

Basically, I think the rule should say:

When spelling a two syllable word, locate the vowels and the consonant(s) between the vowels. If there is only one consonant between the vowels, determine if the first syllable is a closed syllable (short vowel sound) or an open syllable (long vowel sound). The consonant only goes with the first syllable if it is a closed syllable (short vowel sound).

 

You can teach it that way if it makes more sense to you and your child, and if it's easy enough to remember. (Many young children doing AAS wouldn't be able to remember all that verbiage and might find it confusing, so that's a consideration). The book version conveys that it's *usually* one way--leaving room for those words that are exceptions (such as habit) where it works the other way. I didn't find extra wording needed--it's usually this way, but when that doesn't work (I don't know a word hay-bit), then it's the other way--hab-it. 

 

I found it easiest to have my kids think of those words as "exceptions" to how words are "usually" divided and spelled. We pointed out that there was only one consonant (in this case, the "b"), and that in order for the word to have a closed syllable, it would have to be divided "hab-it." (We actually didn't tend to divide these words, but sometimes divided them orally). If a word really gave my kids trouble, I had them put it in jail for "disturbing the peace," even though they aren't truly rule-breakers. 

 

Not sure if that helps as you consider how you want to present the concept.  Merry :-)