Homemama2 Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I love this program...but it's expensive. I want a program that covers all the rules etc like AAS...any recommendations (some I've thought about are Rod and Staff, the one by CLP, How to teach spelling)? Or is AAS really worth the $$ in your opinion? I've just about finished level one, but we still have 11 weeks of school so I need to figure out what to do for the rest of the year. If we have to buy 2 levels each year that's gonna be around $75 including shipping per year for spelling. Yikes!!! :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yslek Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 If you don't mind a huge learning curve (for the teacher) you could look at Spell to Write and Read or another "intensive phonics" program. I only have experience with SWR. It's about a $90 investment, but that covers all of your materials for spelling (ever). It includes learning phonograms & spelling rules. The students build a "learning log" every school year, with pages of phonograms and rules, as well as lists of words that are analyzed. I used this for a couple of years and really liked it, but am using AAS with D. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandalwood Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I love this program...but it's expensive. I want a program that covers all the rules etc like AAS...any recommendations (some I've thought about are Rod and Staff, the one by CLP, How to teach spelling)? Or is AAS really worth the $$ in your opinion? I've just about finished level one, but we still have 11 weeks of school so I need to figure out what to do for the rest of the year. If we have to buy 2 levels each year that's gonna be around $75 including shipping per year for spelling. Yikes!!! :001_huh: I think it is an excellent program but after level 4, I thought.....what am I doing spending all this money on it? I bought the tiles, phonogram cd (which is excellent, I can't argue with that) and magnets. Plus a dry erase board to stick it all on....etc. The spelling programs that seemed so expensive a couple of years ago, don't look so expensive any more. We have gotten a lot out of it and I guess you can't put a price on learning, but this is one I am going to have to cut this year due to expenses. I just can't spend it over and over when we burn through 2 books a year. Plus.... unless her website is updated, she doesn't have level 5 out yet...so that will help with my decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 I've seen used sets FS there; more should be available as the end of the school year approaches. Also, once you invest in the letter tiles and such, you won't have to buy them again, so the biggest investment is the initial one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annabel Lee Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 I think it's worth it. We went through Level One very quickly, but we're slowing down for Level Two. It's perfect for us and you'll be able to resell it when you're done since it's nonconsumable. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 I love this program...but it's expensive. I want a program that covers all the rules etc like AAS...any recommendations (some I've thought about are Rod and Staff, the one by CLP, How to teach spelling)? Or is AAS really worth the $$ in your opinion? I've just about finished level one, but we still have 11 weeks of school so I need to figure out what to do for the rest of the year. If we have to buy 2 levels each year that's gonna be around $75 including shipping per year for spelling. Yikes!!! :001_huh: I wouldn't do more than one level a year unless you have an older beginner. For the rest of the year do review, play spelling games (Marie has some on the All About Spelling website and the Chatterbee forum ) or a combination for review and games. As the levels progress I'm finding that if I work in a couple weeks for review during the year - one in November, January, March and May, I'm almost running out of time with the typical school year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julieofsardis Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 How To Teach Spelling is the most like AAS. If you add the jobs of "e" book, which you can do yourself. That idea comes from WRTR. I really like AAS and I went ahead and purchased level 3, but I may revert back to HTTS after that level. I think if you absolutely cannot afford it, then HTTS is the way to go. It's just a lot more work on your part. Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 I absolutely think that AAS is worth the money. And it is non-consumable so you can resell it. Isn't level 5 scheduled to be out this spring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 We zipped through almost 2 levels at first too, but now we're going at the one level per year pace. I plan on using it for 3 kids, so it's worth the investment. Plus, I'll probably be able to sell it eventually. It works - my ds is learning how to spell and I'm learning how to teach spelling. It's as much my education as it is for my children. Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary in MI Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 AAS has been worth every penny for us. Here's the companion site: http://www.thechatterbee.com/ BTW, AAS projects that Level 5 will be out in April. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homemama2 Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Thanks for the replies... I guess I'm gonna fork out the money! lol! ;) "For the rest of the year do review"----I had planned on this except he hasn't missed any words. We do 5 or more of the review words per day too so he is always practicing old ones. He is only in first grade though, so maybe I shouldn't buy level 2 yet...I don't know. Thanks Julie about the HTTS...I was seriously considering this one. Maybe in the future I'll check it out and just stick w/ AAS for now. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 It is probably worth it, and looks fabulous, not to mention easier to teach, but now that I have seen AAS I am able to make HTTS work better than I initially thought (I did buy the AAS letter tiles). I got the TM and two workbooks for under $20, there are two more workbooks. The workbooks are not necessary, but I like to use them for review, and to know what order to go in. HTTS has a lot of lessons that say "teach in grades 1-12, or 2-12 or 3-12 or 5-12 and they are scattered throughout the TM, it was difficult for me to decide which phonogram cards to be learning, what order to put the lessons in and etc. and requires a lot of writing if you follow the TM for the lessons instead of using the workbooks, more writing than my 1st grader is capable of. But, it does have all of the lessons with the rules along with lists of words, phrases and sentences for dictation. It is all you need for spelling, for sure. I would get the next level now... the first level is way too basic easy peasy IMO and is why I didn't buy it in the first place. s l o w m o v i n g HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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