RosieCotton Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Why does it totally bug me that the weekly word lists seem so darn short?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Why does it totally bug me that the weekly word lists seem so darn short?? I absolutely love AAS with my dd, but have found the short word lists to be of issue as well. I think a really cool addition to AAS would be additional lists organized by level of difficulty. Say, an optional supplementary list with a few words each at easy, med, difficult, challenge levels. It would really be an asset in tailoring the program to different needs:) As it is we supplement with the lists found in the book The Natural Speller as they are organized in a manner complementary to AAS and offer a much greater variety in terms of vocabulary and levels of difficulty, along with more volume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I guess it doesn't bug me. What level are you in? The later levels have sentences, not just words. We complete 2-3 lessons/week so it actually feels like more words that I got in grade school (10-15/week during the age of the dinosaurs.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 we don't use the cards, but I thought, that in addition to the lists for each step, you were supposed to be pulling cards daily for spelling review? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Well, we made it to AAS5 and 6 before it started to bug me. And the reason it started to bug me was that was when both my kids finally really hit their wall and needed... more words and more sentences and phrases (separately, one in AAS5 who has really regressed, and one at the very end of 6 who suddenly needs more practice). Anyway, someone suggested How to Teach Spelling and it really is a great supplement for that if you want it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Uhm...are you counting the More Words, phrases and sentences? I actually find many lessons exhausting. I'm so happy when we get to a step that has only 4-6 More Words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Why does it totally bug me that the weekly word lists seem so darn short?? Must have to do with the needs of your children? My child would be totally out of his mind bored with more words, and I would lose him. LOL. Sounds like Farrar and Kerileanne have some good suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAttachedMama Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Uhm...are you counting the More Words, phrases and sentences? I actually find many lessons exhausting. I'm so happy when we get to a step that has only 4-6 More Words. I agree! Personally, I think AAS provides plenty of practice. However, I am only in level 2...so perhaps I will change my tune in the future. :) Currently, We do 12 words** per day plus three sentences of dictation with my 8 and 6 year old. This seems like plenty of practice to me. (I make the phrases into sentences to give them added practice with grammar.) I also do a lot of targeted review. For example, if they miss any word---whether it be from their word list, sentence dictation, or personal writing---I jot it down on their current lesson. Then we practice each word until they can automatically spell it correctly without my help. I fill in the rest with our "more words" so that I have 12 words each day. If there is a particularly problematic word that they miss frequently then I pencil it in on a future lesson to remind me to add it to their list of 12 words for review. (Even after they seem to have it mastered. Just to make sure the remember how to spell it.) Doing it this way, we **typically** spend about 5 days on each lesson. Day 1: Teach new lesson with Tiles, Spell words 1-10 on paper plus targeted review words from previous lessons, personal writing, etc. Day 2-5: 12 words, 3 sentences -------- **(12 is not a magic number. There just happens to be 12 lines on their 2nd grade composition notebooks! ;) ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikslo Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I also do a lot of targeted review. For example, if they miss any word---whether it be from their word list, sentence dictation, or personal writing---I jot it down on their current lesson. Then we practice each word until they can automatically spell it correctly without my help. I fill in the rest with our "more words" ... If there is a particularly problematic word that they miss frequently then I pencil it in on a future lesson to remind me to add it ...for review. (Even after they seem to have it mastered. Doing it this way, we **typically** spend about 5 days on each lesson. This is the way I do it, as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Well, we made it to AAS5 and 6 before it started to bug me. And the reason it started to bug me was that was when both my kids finally really hit their wall and needed... more words and more sentences and phrases (separately, one in AAS5 who has really regressed, and one at the very end of 6 who suddenly needs more practice). Anyway, someone suggested How to Teach Spelling and it really is a great supplement for that if you want it. It does seem like maybe the higher the level, the more words are useful:) we are in level 6, and dd really enjoys spelling so that may be just out experience. OP, what level are you working on as this might make a difference... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 It does seem like maybe the higher the level, the more words are useful:) we are in level 6, and dd really enjoys spelling so that may be just out experience. OP, what level are you working on as this might make a difference... When we got How to Teach Spelling, it was a sort of lightbulb moment for me. I think AAS is better overall, but, for example, one of my ds was struggling with the ible/able word lists in AAS6. HTTS has probably an extra twenty or thirty words on their lists for practice. And more sentences. Only about half of the sentences in AAS really practice the words, since so many of them are review whereas all of them in HTTS do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RosieCotton Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 Thanks for all the replies, I haven't had time to revisit. :) We are working on 2 and 4, but it just seems too easy. We are doing all that are listed, and I even add a few more in the margins of my TM as we go to keep up the difficulty. I have RS Spelling by Sound and Structure here too, and I'm driving myself crazy trying to figure out what to do with spelling. :willy_nilly: I'm actually starting to think about more than one lesson per week, but that seems nuts too. I don't want to really do that. If I buy another piece of spelling I think I'll need therapy. :rolleyes: And maybe a trip to the Blue Hole to do some serious deep dives. Anyone want to join me??? Has anyone ever experienced the feeling of 14 dives within a week? Then truly you'll know the feeling of total relaxation. But I'll check out How to Teach Spelling thanks Farrar - more sentences and words are prob what we need and I can just blend them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I think there are many people here who complete more than one lesson per week. Stretching it out might even be why it seems easy. If your children can easily handle more or need greater challenge, I would move more quickly through the material. We have only used AAS through level 2, but there are some weeks there just aren't many extra words that fit the rule. We finish the material in two days and move on. We practice spelling five times a week. We hang out when we need to and move on when we don't. (Now anyway, I used to stretch things out as well. Found DD does better when we move faster.) Thanks for all the replies, I haven't had time to revisit. :) We are working on 2 and 4, but it just seems too easy. We are doing all that are listed, and I even add a few more in the margins of my TM as we go to keep up the difficulty. I have RS Spelling by Sound and Structure here too, and I'm driving myself crazy trying to figure out what to do with spelling. :willy_nilly: I'm actually starting to think about more than one lesson per week, but that seems nuts too. I don't want to really do that. If I buy another piece of spelling I think I'll need therapy. :rolleyes: And maybe a trip to the Blue Hole to do some serious deep dives. Anyone want to join me??? Has anyone ever experienced the feeling of 14 dives within a week? Then truly you'll know the feeling of total relaxation. But I'll check out How to Teach Spelling thanks Farrar - more sentences and words are prob what we need and I can just blend them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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