faithmama Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I would love info on folks that have used apples and pears. I have 3 children that I use all about reading for and all about spelling . It is obviously VERY time consuming. I spend 90 minutes to 2 hours a day just on reading and spelling. I am really burning out on spelling . I spend a lot of time with it and my kudos are still atrocious ;). My 9 year old will ace the lesson and totally misspell it in outside writing . I know that's Common but of I am killing myself to work on spelling ...I want it worth it! Lol I really don't think the rules mean a thing to my kids ...I believe they are WAY more visual spellers. So I'm considering apples and pears. I've read such good things. My concern is that it will take just as much time as now. Has anyone used apples and pears with 2 or 3 kids? How do you orchestrate it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lots of boys Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Hi, I was in the same boat as you. I have three boys and all of them struggle with spelling. My oldest has an official diagnosis of a Specified Learning Disability in Written Expression (specifically spelling) and in Reading (dyslexia). We used AAS for three years before we switched to A&P's. I much prefer A&P's. We started right at the beginning in book A and we do half of a lesson a day and it takes us 5-10 minutes a day. We could probably do a whole lesson but with my ds's struggles I don't want to move too quickly. He is feeling quite confident in this program and so I don't want to mess that up. I also switched my youngest ds who is a struggling reader over to Dancing Bears (from AAR) and it has been much better aswell. I just found AAR moved way too quickly for him. I still love some of AAR's games but I use them along side DB's and it works great. Apples and Pear's isn't that expensive so I would give it a try. Good Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faithmama Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 Thank you so much for your reply! I actually used Dancing Bears with my youngest son. He was TOTALLY stuck in All About Reading 1. After 18 months of being "Stuck" I tried it and I swear it's what got him over the hump with "sounding" out words. Of course I also stopped the reading and focused on All About Spelling at that point so maybe it was a bit of both. He finished DBA and wanted to go back to All About Reading. He is now doing very well in level 2...we are only just starting. If we get stuck again I will do DB B. ANYWAY....I am so nervous to switch away from AAS because it so recommended. But it's so silly for me to be because years ago it didn't even exist! Lol My daughter also has "specific learning disability" in written and expressive language. She struggles with many things which is my other concern with all about spelling....the rules mean nothing to her. Thanks for your encouragement. I guess it won't hurt to switch because it would be awesome for me to not dread the spelling hour everyday! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lots of boys Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I liked AAS but I too found it too long (took too much of my time). I also find the word "chunking" sort of strategy in A&P's seems to work better for my kids than the rules. I actually love the rules and want them to know them too, but it wasn't translating to better spelling and A&P's is. I just do A&P's with my oldest two (9&11) and I have them do one page a day together at the table with me dictating. It takes only a few minutes and they actually like it. It is how we start each day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Apples and Pears has done so much more for spelling than rules based programs here. We've never spent more than 15 minutes a day, and probably under that on average. We did 1/2 a lesson a day (books A through much of D now). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynful Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 I switched my dyslexic son to it several years ago. I'm so glad we did. Well, actually, I switched from AAS to Barton to A&P. He can't remember any of the rules with his memory issues but the continual patterns in A&P has worked beautifully. I knew it was working when I saw the transfer to other writing. :) Now I"m trying to decide what I'll do with my preschooler. For you, I wouldn't hesitate switching. :) Good luck, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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