One more AAS question

[classicHSmom]

I did a search on here for AAS and read the first 7 or 8 pages but I couldn't find what I needed. Is this program just for struggling spellers (readers?) or can it be used as our spelling/phonics curriculum for a natural reader and speller? She just turned 7 and will be starting "2nd grade" in the fall, but she's reading at a 4th grade level and whizzes through SWO2. I'm looking for something that will fill in any holes, reinforce phonics/spelling rules and give her a solid base. Thanks.

[HiddenJewel]

It is not just for struggling spellers although many are using as a remedial program.

[Veritaserum]

I did a search on here for AAS and read the first 7 or 8 pages but I couldn't find what I needed. Is this program just for struggling spellers (readers?) or can it be used as our spelling/phonics curriculum for a natural reader and speller? She just turned 7 and will be starting "2nd grade" in the fall, but she's reading at a 4th grade level and whizzes through SWO2. I'm looking for something that will fill in any holes, reinforce phonics/spelling rules and give her a solid base. Thanks.

 

It's great for both. :thumbup:

[Lovedtodeath]

You might look at How to Teach Spelling. It teaches all of the phonics rules. (In fact, I think AAS was based off of it.)

 

HTTS is less expensive and faster moving. I bought the AAS tiles to go with it. I did not want to spend the money on 5 levels of AAS for my first 2 years. I got the whole HTTS program (grades 1-12) for $25 used, including shipping.

 

AAS is infinitely better for a younger student or one (student or teacher) who needs a lot of help, but HTTS works just fine for us.

Edited April 19, 2009 by Lovedtodeath

[arcara]

This is one of the great things about AAS - you totally customize it to your dc. You go as slow or fast as needed with as little or as much review as needed.

 

I started looking for another spelling program for my oldest dd who is NOT a natural speller, and I found AAS. But, since I have it, I'm also using it for her 1st grader sister who IS a natural speller. The older one (3rd grade) will finish Level 3 this week, and the 1st grader is on Step 10 of Level 3. It's working very well for both of them. It's been great to remediate my older dd and get her spelling on grade level. It's also helped my younger dd become a good writer because she can spell well. My dc now play spelling games in the car because they enjoy spelling so much :)

[mamaof2andtwins]

I use it for both a natural speller and a struggling speller. It works well for both of them. As the pp mentioned, you just customize the time you spend to suit the child.

 

Jennie

[MyThreeSons]

When I saw AAS, I thought this was a Geometry question, LOL.

[Jen500]

You might look at How to Teach Spelling. It teaches all of the phonics rules. (In fact, I think AAS was based off of it.)

 

HTTS is less expensive and faster moving. I bought the AAS tiles to go with it.

 

Is this the EPS book?

All the cards and scripting in AAS are overwhelming for me. And it looks like I'll need to buy EVERY level to cover all the spelling rules.

[Penelope]

You might look at How to Teach Spelling. It teaches all of the phonics rules. (In fact, I think AAS was based off of it.)

 

HTTS is less expensive and faster moving. I bought the AAS tiles to go with it. I did not want to spend the money on 5 levels of AAS for my first 2 years. I got the whole HTTS program (grades 1-12) for $25 used, including shipping.

 

AAS is infinitely better for a younger student or one (student or teacher) who needs a lot of help, but HTTS works just fine for us.

 

I'm tacking on to this thread to ask about HTTS-- do you know where I could see sample pages of this?

 

To the OP-- I like AAS and am almost through level 2 with my first grader, who has a similar reading level to your dc. I am finding he is a better speller than I thought, as he is whizzing through the lessons and doesn't always want to bother with the tiles, but to do it on paper instead, and now is spelling words beyond the level of the lessons. I think he is starting to learn to spell through reading, from remembering what the words look like. Anyhow, as I look at buying levels 3-4 and then eventually 5 and 6 for $$, I am also wondering if it is worth it. I think I maya use it to teach my 4 yo to read, but again, I already have other resources that are much less expensive. :001_unsure::001_unsure:

[Lovedtodeath]

Is this the EPS book?

All the cards and scripting in AAS are overwhelming for me. And it looks like I'll need to buy EVERY level to cover all the spelling rules.

Yes. The EPS book. I think it works best to start it in 3rd grade and use only the teacher's manual. There is an example of what every lesson should look like on notebook paper. There are phonics rules to memorize and dictated nonsense words, real words, phrases and sentences.

 

One thing that I have trouble with is knowing how much review/ what to review. It tells you to review but it is not specific. Having a look at how AAS handles this has helped me.

[Lovedtodeath]

PM me and I'll scan and email a sample for you. :) I can't find any online. Orton-Gillingham is really bad about that. I would think they would sell more products if they would provide samples.

[siloam]

I have one natural speller and two that struggle, the natural speller is just moving more quickly through the program and doing less review than my other two.

 

Heather

[Jen500]

I'm tacking on to this thread to ask about HTTS-- do you know where I could see sample pages of this?

 

:001_unsure::001_unsure:

 

I found a few sample pages at Christianbook.com

 

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=41847&netp_id=140344&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

[Lovedtodeath]

Basically, by grade 2 or 3 every lesson in HTTS is the same. Practice with the workbook, then do a page on regular notebook paper. It is all dictation or writing the answers to oral questions. This notebook page written by the student looks like this:

 

1. a, a_e, ai, ay, ea, ei, eigh, ey

2. t, ed

3. i, y

4. ch, tch

1. chent 2. stelk 3. tresh 4. pront 5. blist

1. match 2. crunch 3. hold 4. ranch 5. patch 6. fuss

1. sketch of the chick

2. munched the lunch

3. broke the pitcher

1. He stitched the old cuff on the pants.

2. Which tall witch at the sandwich?

3. The child dug on the beach most of the day.

 

 

Since my DD doesn't do this much writing, I just do the first part orally and then each other part I sometimes use the AAS tiles for and I always do the one lesson over several days instead of it all in one day. HTH

 

[Penelope]

PM me and I'll scan and email a sample for you. :) I can't find any online. Orton-Gillingham is really bad about that. I would think they would sell more products if they would provide samples.

 

Thank you for the offer! :) The Christianbook.com samples are okay, though.

[Penelope]

I found a few sample pages at Christianbook.com

 

www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=41847&netp_id=140344&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

 

Thank you! :)

[HiddenJewel]

Double post.

[HiddenJewel]

You might look at How to Teach Spelling. It teaches all of the phonics rules. (In fact, I think AAS was based off of it.)

 

HTTS is less expensive and faster moving. I bought the AAS tiles to go with it. I did not want to spend the money on 5 levels of AAS for my first 2 years. I got the whole HTTS program (grades 1-12) for $25 used, including shipping.

 

AAS is infinitely better for a younger student or one (student or teacher) who needs a lot of help, but HTTS works just fine for us.

 

How much does HTTS use sight words?

 

Spell to Write and Read fit what I needed when AAS was moving too slowly. Well worth the time it takes to learn the program.

[Jen500]

How much does HTTS use sight words?

 

Spell to Write and Read fit what I needed when AAS was moving too slowly. Well worth the time it takes to learn the program.

 

What exactly are sight words? (I've heard that term before, but my older dc learned to read at ps--I'm entering new territory w/ ds4)

Are sight words the words that don't follow the spelling rules, so we have to just memorize them?

[Lovedtodeath]

HTTS is based on phonics. There are very few sight words. It is about the same number as you will find in OPGTR or AAS.

 

SWR is based on the Spalding method. HTTS is based on the OG method. Spalding is a break-off from OG.

[HiddenJewel]

HTTS is based on phonics. There are very few sight words. It is about the same number as you will find in OPGTR or AAS.

 

SWR is based on the Spalding method. HTTS is based on the OG method. Spalding is a break-off from OG.

 

The thing I like about AAS is that they don't teach them as sight words but as exceptions. Some programs that teach sight words end up with the student guessing at all the words instead of using phonics.

[Lovedtodeath]

Well, in the HTTS workbook 1, I did feel that there were too many, some of which can be phonetic (me, he, no) and they were all part of one lesson. But the program teaches ALL of the phonics rules that are included in WRTR (you can use the WRTR flashcards). So I just look over the sight word lessons and see if any of them come up later as a phonics rule. You can see the rules in the sample, I believe. There are 3 sound sheets and 2 pages of additional spellings for vowel sounds.

 

It is harder to use than AAS. It is like having SOTW and the AG, whereas AAS is like having a program like WP or Sonlight all scheduled out and in a box for you with additions. AAS is no doubt better, but is expensive when your child can or should go through 4 or 5 levels in two years.

[Penelope]

 

It is harder to use than AAS. It is like having SOTW and the AG, whereas AAS is like having a program like WP or Sonlight all scheduled out and in a box for you with additions. AAS is no doubt better, but is expensive when your child can or should go through 4 or 5 levels in two years.

 

This is helpful.

 

Hmmm. While I generally prefer to tweak things and do our own thing, there are times when it is nice to have one or two subjects all laid out.

Using AAS is teaching me how to teach spelling, so after I go through it with dc#1 I wil probably be able to use any program easier and tweak it for my student -- kinda like learning phonics the first time as an adult! :tongue_smilie:

 

I am also anxious to see levels 5 and 6 and what they cover. It may be that some kids won't need all 6 levels and that after 3 or 4 levels we may be able to go to word lists along with the rules from ABC's and all their tricks.

[Lovedtodeath]

This is helpful.

 

Hmmm. While I generally prefer to tweak things and do our own thing, there are times when it is nice to have one or two subjects all laid out.

Using AAS is teaching me how to teach spelling, so after I go through it with dc#1 I wil probably be able to use any program easier and tweak it for my student -- kinda like learning phonics the first time as an adult! :tongue_smilie:

 

I am also anxious to see levels 5 and 6 and what they cover. It may be that some kids won't need all 6 levels and that after 3 or 4 levels we may be able to go to word lists along with the rules from ABC's and all their tricks.

This is exactly my thought. HTTS has all of the rules, word lists, phrases and sentences for dictation, so once you get your "spelling legs" from using a couple of levels of AAS it is easier to switch over to save money. But isn't AAS non-consumable? (so you should be able to go ahead and use it for your next child?)

[HiddenJewel]

This is exactly my thought. HTTS has all of the rules, word lists, phrases and sentences for dictation, so once you get your "spelling legs" from using a couple of levels of AAS it is easier to switch over to save money. But isn't AAS non-consumable? (so you should be able to go ahead and use it for your next child?)

 

Yes, AAS is non-consumable.

[diaperjoys]

This is one of the great things about AAS - you totally customize it to your dc. You go as slow or fast as needed with as little or as much review as needed.

 

I started looking for another spelling program for my oldest dd who is NOT a natural speller, and I found AAS. But, since I have it, I'm also using it for her 1st grader sister who IS a natural speller. The older one (3rd grade) will finish Level 3 this week, and the 1st grader is on Step 10 of Level 3. It's working very well for both of them. It's been great to remediate my older dd and get her spelling on grade level. It's also helped my younger dd become a good writer because she can spell well. My dc now play spelling games in the car because they enjoy spelling so much :)

 

Your first grader is doing Level 3? Wow! Was she already spelling pretty well when she started first grade? We're going to use it in the fall for my 6yo who is reading pretty well (reads through Curious George books for pleasure, follows along easily in a hymnal at church, etc) , but doesn't spell at all yet. You know, turtle is "trtl", etc... I'm trying to get an idea of how many levels we may need to budget for this year...