This post is for Applie who asked me why I like All About Spelling so much.
I LOVE All About Spelling.
It will be my spelling program forever and ever, amen.
When I was looking for a spelling program, I was overwhelmed by all the choices out there. I read every single review of every single spelling program I could find, scrolling through pages and pages of opinions on sites like Home School Reviews, Cathy Duffy Reviews, and The Homeschool Lounge.
What really took All About Spelling to the top of my list was that it consistently received very high marks from a huge variety of moms and students. Moms who homeschooled from the beginning liked it. Moms who pulled struggling readers/spellers out of public school liked it. Moms who had kids with dyslexia or other learning disabilities liked it. Moms who had kinesthetic learners liked it.
What is so different about it? It uses a multi-sensory approach to learning. We can work orally, with flash cards, with the letter tiles, or with regular old pencil and paper. It has all these different avenues built into the program, and that makes it easy to connect with the visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner. Even though I’m not entirely sure what kind of learners we’ve got, this is going to cover all the bases.
Here’s why I like it:
• It is organized. It progresses in a very logical manner. This appeals to me, because I am logical and like to do things in a Neat and Orderly Fashion. In fact, the phrase Neat and Orderly actually comes out of my mouth on a pretty regular basis. I’ll bet if my husband made a top ten list of Ways in Which My Wife is Annoying, hearing “guys, let’s do this in a Neat and Orderly Fashion,” all the time would be on it. IF there were such a list. But there isn’t. Right, Sweetie?
Speaking of organization, I like that AAS teaches all the letter sounds of all the letters. Sure, after the first few Explode the Code workbooks he knew the basic letter sounds and the short vowels, but wondering when to introduce the 4th sound of U or the 3rd sound of Y stressed me out a little. Should I teach all the sounds all at once or would that be overwhelming? On the other hand, saying, “Hey! You mastered all the sounds! Guess what? - There’s a bunch more!” seemed like a dirty trick. Besides, my son was advancing more quickly in reading than he was in our phonics workbooks (Workbooks! Gah!), and got frustrated when the words did not follow the phonics rules we had covered so far. Luckily, All About Spelling answered those questions for me and I could stop wasting all my valuable freak-out time on vowels.
*By the way, we have now abandoned Explode the Code altogether for phonics and are using All About Spelling and real books for Language Arts. I throw in some handwriting practice when I remember, and next year we might add in some gentle grammar. Right now though, AAS is fulfilling way more than just spelling. In my opinion, it’s a comprehensive learn-to-read and spell program.
• There is no student book. Only the teacher’s manual. This is a plus to me, because we can work through each chapter at our exact pace, rather than trying to get 10 pages per week done or Mommy’s Schedule is ruined and Mommy doesn’t cope well with that. I allow approximately a week and a half per chapter. Some chapters we work on for 3 days, some take 6 or 7 days (10 to 20 minutes per day). Plus, no student book means no badgering this child to write, no listening to this child whine about writing, and we can work at the speed of his brain, not the speed of his hand. (Of course, if you have kids that aren’t so averse to writing, you can spell on paper.) No student book also means no consumables, which means I can save everything for my daughter and avoid buying more stuff.
On the other hand, it is a very teacher-intense program. There is ZERO preparation, and all the lessons are scripted and very specific about how to get the point across; but the teacher must be there, working with the student. This is not a drawback for me since my kids are very young at 6 and 4 – I’ll be fine doing spelling with them every week for the next 6 years if they will just attain Bathroom Independence.
• The letter tiles. Again, the letter tiles allow us to learn to spell without all that pesky writing. Big likes to work with the tiles. I don’t know why exactly – something about them is fun. Pretty much everything is more fun compared to some dry old workbook that makes your hand hurt. Fun means I never have to cajole him into doing spelling. Fun means he asks to do spelling. Fun means spelling isn’t even really considered schoolwork. Fun makes it a win all around, is what I’m saying.
• It is a mastery program with lots of review. We are in chapter 22 and not only do our spelling words focus on the phonics rule we just learned, there are also spelling words that incorporate rules from previous chapters. We tend to think that spelling the English language is confusing, but in reality, 85% of our words are spelled phonetically and with specific spelling rules. All About Spelling focuses on both of those and does so in such an organized way, that I no longer worry about sight words or gaps. Rather than having kids memorize long lists of words, AAS teaches the how and why of spelling. I feel confident that by the time we have completed the entire program, my kids will be able to read and spell almost any word they are confronted with.
• Other Awesome Features. AAS has their own set of readers that correlate with the spelling lessons. They also have a site called the Chatterbee where you can talk to other users and ask questions. I think it’s a great resource and have used it a couple of times. Marie Rippel herself (the author of the program) will respond to questions and emails with amazing promptness. I’ve realized that AAS is family-owned and I like supporting small business, so that’s a tiny bonus to me. Also, there are no grade designations. We started from the beginning, but if you have older kids, it’s nice that AAS does not label each step as a grade, but rather as a level. It is arranged by spelling concepts, so it’s only logical to start at the beginning - older kids can do this without feeling like they are doing baby work.
I really can’t think of any cons to this program, except that some people think it’s a little on the expensive side. I don’t, because readin, ritin, and rithmatic are huge priorities to me and I don’t mind spending money on them; and also because there are no consumables which reduces the cost dramatically, depending on how many kids you want to use it with.
You may have noticed that I have a link in my sidebar to All About Spelling. When I placed my last order (for All About Reading for Little – more on that later), I raved so much about the program, the owner (that’s right – the owner took my order) asked if I was an affiliate. After much thought, I decided I believe in the program so much, I would give it a shot. The links in this post are affiliate links, and if you are inclined to place an order, feel free to click through from here. I have received no compensation for this post, I really did write if for my buddy Applie.
Tags: All About Spelling
March 15th, 2011 at 7:40 am
I have never heard of that program and it looks very interesting. I think it would have worked well for my son. We are currently using Sequential Spelling and it is going okay so I think we will continue on but I do like the sound of this one. And being that my son is now in 6th grade, it seems a little late to start something new.
MNKristy´s last [type] ..March Madness
March 15th, 2011 at 2:58 pm
Deb. I just think you’re great. I don’t know why this review makes me want to shout it from the rooftops, but it just does. It totally captures who you are, how wise you are, what you care about, how funny you are, and how well you know (and GET) your kids (plus how much you want them to have bathroom independence!). So really, this post should be An Insight Into Deb and Why she is so Great.
Oh, the review was about an awesome spelling program? Ah, well I liked that part too. I might even get it for my boy who loves figuring out how to spell and having a set Program. But mostly, I just liked getting to know you even better, and liking you even more.
Yeah, I know… Aren’t I sappy today??
Helena´s last [type] ..This time
March 15th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
Hey Deb.
Thanks so much for posting this review. My youngest is going into the fifth grade. I’m thinking this may be too young for her. I don’t know. I’ll have to take some time to look through the site and think about it.
I really like the letter tiles.
Thanks again!
March 16th, 2011 at 8:28 am
Ok, I have the program borrowed from a friend and we’ve been half-way using it. She has raved and raved about it, but I didn’t have any tiles and we were just working through the early words without doing the book. I WILL DO IT PROPERLY NOW thanks to you. I think I’ll draw Corinne in on it, too. She’s reading and I think she can handle the spelling aspect. Plus, it helps Evan to re-hear what he already knows…
Tracey – JustAnotherMommyBlog´s last [type] ..Gonna Party Like Its 1985!
March 17th, 2011 at 7:43 am
I have been on the fence about this but I REALLY need to work on Spelling—but I hate all the rules—do the kids really have to memorize all that stuff? I am worried I’ll spend the money and the kids will throw the tiles at me.
Also, is this the kind of program where we all start at the beginning and can I do multiple kids/grades all together? I’d love to find something they can all do together or at least two of the three together. I have no idea where I’d start my 4th grader who is dismal at spelling. . .
I spent a fortune on Spell to Write and Read and I think I’m gun-shy to purchase one more program I’m going to get rid of in frustration. But I need to do SOMETHING.
Fairly Odd Mother´s last [type] ..Wordless Wednesday- The Science Fair
March 17th, 2011 at 8:39 am
Christina –
The rules are pretty easy – it’s not necessarily about hammer-down, drill-and-kill, I think it just happens. All I remember from school is “i” before “e.” This decodes ALL the rules in teeny, tiny bites; and we seem to like that – it makes spelling more like solving a puzzle rather than rote memorization. I do try to reinforce the rules that seem a little tougher to remember, like asking “why did you choose to use a “k” at the end of that word rather than a “ck”?
I totally think you could start at the beginning and do multiple ages together – Even though my 4 year old is not really doing much formal schoolwork, they like to stand together and read the flashcards, and I’ll throw in a few really easy ones for her. She is picking up on the rules even though she’s not even doing spelling, just from listening. Plus, with no consumables, you can save the whole thing for your youngest and keep the girls together (I hope I have that right – you have two girls and a boy, right?)
I would recommend starting at Level 1, because even though your daughter is in 4th grade, starting at the beginning would fill in the gaps and give her more confidence. I think that confidence is incredibly important to the learning process, and I like to go as slowly as we need to, to make sure they don’t lose it. It’s so hard to come back from self doubt (as I’m sure you know with your kids). The older girls would probably blaze thru the first few levels, which might add up, so that is completely up to you. You only have to buy the letter tiles once, and the teacher manual for every level thereafter. So the first year seems a bit expensive, but is much less in subsequent years.
Let me know if you have any other questions! I’m happy to try to help. I know how discouraging it is to dump material you spent perfectly good money on. I’m cleaning out my closets now, and the pile of stuff we won’t use is depressingly big.
You can see more reviews at Home School Reviews.
Deb
March 19th, 2011 at 6:25 am
Just wanted to let you know that Grace loves her new pencil sharpner. She has been using it multiple times a day, especially for her colored pencils that she uses for her drawings.
Blessings
Diane
Diane´s last [type] ..Graces New Anime Characters
March 24th, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Hi Deb,
Thanks—I think I’m going to purchase this (I’ll go through your link!) but I have a question about what I need exactly. . .Do I buy the Basic Interactive Kit? The Teacher Manuals? Student Material Packets? Halp!
Fairly Odd Mother´s last [type] ..Wordless Wednesday- Through the looking glass
April 2nd, 2011 at 5:19 pm
Yes, all you really need is ONE Basic Packet (the one-time purchase) and ONE Level 1 Teacher/Student Packet (the TM and the flashcards) for all three of them to share. There is no actual student book – if you want to spell on paper, you provide your own. My six year old hates to write, too, and we do all our spelling with the tiles. The advantage of having the Extra Material Packet is so you can separate the flashcards for each student and keep easily keep track of who is reviewing what. In your flashcard box, there are:
Phonogram Cards
(for all the sounds, from each letter to consonant teams like “ck”) which you hold up and they tell you the sounds. Like if you held up “ch” your child would say /ch/ and /sh/
Sound Cards
Basically the opposite of the the Phonogram Cards – this time YOU say the sound and the child writes the letter(s) that makes that sound (or use the tiles)
Key Cards
The rules, like “C” says /s/ before what letters? There are not a ton of these, and they are easy to remember. It’s review, but not
drill and kill.
Word Cards
These are flashcards with words that correspond to the rules being learned.
And for each of these categories, you will have three sub categories:
Review, Master, and Future.
It’s sounds a lot more complicated than it is.
Anyway, if you wanted your girls to learn together, you could have one set of flashcards (which comes with the Level One Set) for them in a index card box, and for your youngest, get another set of flashcards (which is the Extra Material Packet) and keep them in a separate index card box. That way you don’t have to remember who is reviewing which cards.
I only review all the cards about once per chapter, so it sounds like more work than it is. And you move the cards they know into the Mastered spot pretty quickly. I only go over the word cards once, because my son reads better than he spells and reading those words is no problem.
Does that make any sense at all?
I know what to buy is confusing the first time, but it’s completely up to you. You could hold off on teaching the baby spelling until the girls are finished with level one (which would probably be by Fall if you started them now), then the whole problem of overlap goes away.
So my advice would probably be to buy the Deluxe Interactive Kit (the card box IS pretty nice), and the Level One TM and Student Material Packet.
See how it goes and you can always order more later.
I hope I have answered your questions, but please let me know if you still have any more. I found it very confusing at first, too, and that was before they had all these other options.