Spelling

I have had a very interesting time with spelling.  I started it in 1st grade with Sonlight's LA program.  It entailed memorizing words that were all spelled similarly with a couple sight words included each week.  For my kids...a total fail.  They remembered it for the week that we spelled it, but when we reviewed it weeks later, they had no idea how to spell.  I decided to do it again in 2nd grade thinking that they were older, and it would come more easily to them.  Again...FAIL.  So in 3rd grade I decided to drop Sonlight's LA all together (lots of tears during Language Arts, but that's another story) and I did Sequential Spelling instead.  At first it was great, but my kids weren't quite making the connection and forgetting all the patterns.  And once again, many, many tears.  I was just about beside myself.  I was a failure.  My kids were in 3rd & 2nd grade, and they had no idea how to spell. I was so embarrassed that other kids their age could spell, and my kids were like Kindergartners when it came to spelling.  In this particular subject, I was ashamed to say that I homeschooled my kids.

I was tired of spending money on programs, tired of failing, and tired of tears.  I had seen on some homeschooling forums a program called "All About Spelling" (AAS).  It was a little more...well, a lot more...expensive than the other programs I had been purchasing, so I was nervous to try it out.  I bit the bullet, so to speak, and bought the program.  I'm glad I did.

My kids love the program and beg to do it every day.  There is a lot of memorizing, but they don't seem to mind it.  There is plenty of repetition, plenty of rules, then there are the rule breakers in which they get to throw in jail - and that brings great pleasure to my kids.  I love this program.  There are no tears.  My kids are learning how to spell.  And if they make a mistake, I help prompt their memory by asking about the rule.  Right away, they know what they did wrong, and they fix it.

I may have started this program late with my two older kids, but they are picking up on it fantastically.  We started it mid-year last year.  Gavin (my then Kindergartner) was in the classroom too, so when he started the program this year, he picked up on the phonetic sounds amazingly quick.  He hears all the "rules" while I teach the other two and when it's his turn to do them, he memorizes them in no time at all.

This is our magnetic chalkboard with the AAS tiles up.  These are all the tiles needed for Level 2.  [When you buy the Level One Packet, you get all tiles for all levels.  The Jail comes with level two and the practice cards you need to buy with each level]

 I bought a little plastic Tupperware container to keep all the practice cards in.  The tabbed cards come with Level 1, and you can reuse with each level.

Here is an example of a Key Card (aka the 'rule' card) for Level 2.  And just in case you're wondering...the answer is f,l & s.

Included in each Level, there are progress charts and certificates of completion.  My kids love to track how many things they've learned.  It also comes with little sticky magnets that you put on the back of each tile (after you cut them out - It's a lot of work, but well worth it in my opinion).  If you choose to use the magnets, you will need a magnetic board about 2'X3' at the smallest.  If you don't use the magnets, you can use a large desk or table.  I highly recommend using the magnets.  The tiles stay in place, so the workspace stays tidy.  I painted a magnetic chalkboard on my wall.  The magnetic paint was easy to apply.  The chalkboard paint??  Well let's just say, I'll never paint another one again. =)  With the magnetic paint, you can paint another (or the same) wall color over it and outline it with a painted border (so you don't lose it on your wall if you choose the same wall color).

I highly recommend this program!  My kids who couldn't spell well a year ago, are now doing great and spelling whole sentences according to their spelling level. And they love it too!!  It makes for a much easier school day, when your kids are begging to do subjects as opposed to crying as soon as you mention the word "Spelling".