AAR question/ LLATL Blue

[Blessed with seven]

Well...I am really wanting to use AAR for my son, he is 7 and needing to start in AAR 1.  My question/concern.  Does AAR move too slowly, I used it for an older son and we quit and went to Alpha Phonics because I felt like it was taking forever to get moving forward.  I feel like AAR is very good and I am desperately wanting the structured lesson plans, books, I just don't like that they are tied to controlled readers for so long??  Or am I way off base????  Ugh, just exhausted, teaching my last one to read, the girls just sort of took off with reading, my boys have been more of a challenge, just want something a bit "funner" than Alpha Phonics, it is effective but they dreaded seeing that red book..ha!

 

I should also say I have LLATL Blue book I am considering....

[Susie in MS]

Well, I personally love LLATL Blue, however I discontinued using it. I was very sad about that, because it has such merit and can be very fun while being effective. So my reasons for putting it aside: My dd was not into cut and paste and was allergic to crayons. Today she would love it! How funny is that. She is 10 yo and made a 180 with all things hands on. Number 2 reason was that it moved slower than she did. I now see that it really did not matter one iota if she could read past the program, but at that time I felt like I was holding her back. So we moved to boring, to the point, get it over with Phonics Pathways. And readers that I found at the thrift store for a quarter each. 

 

The next year she loved LLATL Red and was sad for it to be over. 

[ExcitedMama]

DS is just finishing up AAR1 now. It was very slow going at first, with lessons divided up over days or the week. He generally got the lesson quickly but needed a lot of time for the fluency sheets so I broke it up and went slowly. I am still amazed at how quickly he went from very slowly sounding out CVC words to reading them fluently. Once it clicked it went much faster and we would do a couple lessons a week, especially towards the middle when there were more lessons that were just reading. He has enjoyed it, especially the lessons and reading, and only ever been frustrated with the amount of words for the fluency sheets, although he liked the sentences. We started about mid April and he is now 4 lessons away from finishing it so it went pretty quickly. I think an older child could go faster if they have more stamina for everything which is the great thing about the program because you can go at your own pace. If he was getting it quickly you could move through it very fast.

 

My only complaint is that I'm having a really hard time finding additional reading for him. It does seem like AAR teaches in an unconventional way so I can't find any books that much up with where he is now or the complexity of the readers. At almost finished with AAR1 he has mastered CVC, plural and compounds words. Unfortunately all the readers I've found are too easy, mostly CVC words, or not a good fit with words he hasn't learned like -er, -ear, -own, -ane, -ine, etc. so it will be difficult to find books to read after finishing it. But I am very impressed with how solidly it has taught DS so far. I'm just hoping AAR2 will move forward in such a way to make it easier for him to read more books.

[Blessed with seven]

Honestly, that is one of my concerns in looking at samples of AAR 2 and 3 etc...the phonograms that are not being taught until level 3 seems like it would greatly diminish the about of books that can be read, however...the learning to read fluently is huge.  One issue my older son had was with the fluency sheets, those were like torture to him but....I wouldn't want to get it and try to move quickly and miss the great benefits of the program....ugh!  Sometimes I wish there weren't so many options.  I think I am learning lots about myself, tend to be a curriculum junkie and I want to stop, with my last one teaching to read I want to get a good program and stick with it!  But..in starting later I don't want it holding him back too much either.

[3 ladybugs]

My son did LLATL blue and sort of got it, then we went to AAR 1 and now he is reading for fun! This week we started AAR 2 and he is flying though it. Fluency sheets are still a bit time consuming but not bad. It is normally one of his better subjects.

[SevenDaisies]

AAR does move slowly - especially in the beginning, but it is great for a struggling reader. My son got much faster partway through level 2. I did stop and teach some of the phonograms that had not been covered yet after he learned silent e (the r-controlled syllables, ay...) so that he could start reading books like Little Bear. Level 3 moved much faster for us and the fluency sheets are much more streamlined so they moved more quickly. Most lessons he could easily read the word cards although there were some lessons where he needed extra practice.

[MerryAtHope]

One issue my older son had was with the fluency sheets, those were like torture to him 

 

You can use the "Top 5 fluency page tips" to make the fluency pages more enjoyable. Lots of good ideas in the comments section too. 

 

Or check the Pinterest sight-word Page for more word-card review ideas. The Kinesthetic Pinterest page has fun ideas too. Sometimes it helps to just change up the review some!