Last year I was able to borrow All About Spelling Level 1 from a friend in exchange for writing a review. At that time I used AAS with my son. Recently I received All About Spelling Levels 1 & 2 to review for the TOS Crew. Here is the first review from when I used All About Spelling with my son last year, then a 3rd grader. I have edited, as well as added my additional thoughts to this program this time around so that it reflects my views on this product one year later, as well as new information and pricing about All About Spelling since my last review.
All About Spelling Level 1
I had been looking for a spelling program for a long time. Word-family lists, and look-say-spell methods would just not work for my then 3rd grade child that struggled with auditory processing, and has difficulty with spelling. I have finally found the answer to my prayers. It is called All About Spelling, and I had the opportunity to preview Level One. Currently, there are 5 levels, with level 6 expected to be released later this year.
All About Spelling is a multi-sensory spelling program that has step-by-step lesson plans, several teaching tools for interactive learning, it’s customizable for every student, with built in daily review for reinforcement.
All About Spelling uses auditory, visual, and kinesthetic activities, along with the phonogram method to teach spelling. A phonogram is a letter or letter combination that represents a sound. For example, the letter combination ck represents the sound /k/. This program builds upon the Orton-Gillingham method which is used to teach reading to dyslexic children. So, in other words, it’s a great tool for the struggling learner.
In Level One your student will learn:
- How to say and write the first 32 phonograms
- How to segment words into their individual sounds
- Short and long vowel sounds
- How to identify and count syllables in a word
- How to choose between c and k at the beginning of a word
- When to double f, l, and s
- How to spell /k/ at the end of a word
- How to form plural words by adding s or es
- Compound words
- Open and closed syllable types
- and more!
I found that Level 1 built a foundation for spelling that my child was able to use when we moved on to Level Two.
The teacher’s instructions are very well laid-out, simple and organized. Step-by-step, it walks you and your student through the lessons. I love how it tells me what to say to my child so that he will understand what we are learning. I can open the book and begin each day without a lot of preparation.
The only preparation that is necessary is when I first received my AAS Materials. I had to separate and apply all of the magnets to the letter tiles, as well as punch out all of the cards that we use. This does take some time to complete, but once you have it all done, you are ready to begin!
All About Spelling uses magnetic letter tiles, that need to be purchased in addition to the Level One set. I recommend using a magnetic board for using these in your lessons. A phonogram audio CD-ROM is available as an add-on as well. Although, we did not use the CD-ROM, it might be beneficial to someone that is not familiar with the phonograms and the sounds they make. I taught my children to read using the phonogram method, so we were already familiar with them. All About Spelling sells a starter kit that includes the letters tiles, magnets, and the CD-ROM for one price.
All About Spelling also uses a file card system, (the cards and dividers are included with the set), which work like flash cards. You’ll need to purchase a 3x5” index card box to hold them for convenience. Through using these cards, my child has learned the phonograms, how to say and write the sounds and letter combinations that they make, and is also learning spelling rules. We review these cards daily, which helps reinforce what he has learned before moving on to new lessons. This has helped my child immensely. Review is consistent throughout the lessons. If you are using this program with more than one child, you will need an additional material packet as well as an additional box to hold the cards in.
Every day is spent writing words and phrases as well, so children get used to spelling correctly in sentence form. My child received daily practice spelling words with the letter tiles and with pencil and paper. I also enjoyed the fact that we can work at our own pace, progressing as needed. We move quick through some lessons and slower through others as necessary. It can be customized to fit any child’s learning abilities.
Also included is a progress chart and certificate of achievement for completion of Level One. Coloring in the shapes for each lesson completed on the progress chart gives my child a sense of accomplishment, whether he has spelled all of his words correctly or not. This is very important for someone who has a child that struggles with spelling, and gets frustrated easily by not getting all of his words correct.
You can also sign up for free weekly spelling tips sent to your email address to enhance your teaching methods on the All About Spelling website.
Overall, I am extremely pleased and impressed with the layout and method of All About Spelling (Level 1). I have not seen any other spelling method like this anywhere. By using the multi-sensory approach, it is a complete and full program to help children master spelling. It is exactly what I have been searching for, and I feel confident that I will continue using all of the levels to help my child have the success in spelling we both desire!
Currently, All About Spelling Level 1 is available on their website for $29.95 and includes a Teacher's Manual and Student Material Packet. If you are using with more than one student, you will need to purchase an Additional Student Material Packet for Level 1, available for $14.95. Once you purchase the letter tiles, magnets, and phonogram CD-ROM, you will not need to purchase them again. A Starter Kit which includes letter tiles, magnets, and the phonograms CD-ROM is available for $26.95.
After using All About Spelling Level 1 with my then 3rd grader, I proceeded to use it with my then 1st grader, who is now in 2nd grade, with the same level of success. All About Spelling works, especially for children who struggle with learning to spell as well as those who don't, if a complete spelling program is what you are looking for. Honestly, my oldest child is a natural speller, (she was at an 8th grade level in 4th grade) and did not, however require a program such as this, nor would I have spent the money on this product for her. All About Spelling is more costly than most other spelling programs, but definitely worth the cost in my opinion if you need a full spelling program for your child, especially one who has struggled in this area. I would have used it with my 2nd grader regardless, because we already owned it.
I went on to use All About Spelling Level 2 with my child after completing Level 1, and continued to have the same success with this level as I did with the first level.
All About Spelling Level 2
Level Two in the All About Spelling series continues to bring together the three pathways to learning—auditory (hearing), visual (seeing), and kinesthetic (touching). This multisensory approach, combined with a built-in review system and reinforcement activities, ensures that students retain what they learn and understand how to apply it in practical situations.
In the same hands-on, multi-sensory way, your child will learn:
- The open and closed syllable types
- How to divide words into syllables
- How to spell multisyllable words
- When y can say /î/
- How Silent E can make a vowel long
- The vowel-consonant-e syllable type
- Two spellings for the sound of /z/
- The two sounds of long u
- The difference between hard and soft c and g
- Ways to spell long e
- That English words don’t end in i, j, u, or v
- The most common way to spell the sound of /er/
- When to use oi/oy, aw/au, and ow/ou
- and more!
All About Spelling is and continues to be the spelling program that I had been waiting for. I hope you'll check out their website for more information, view the scope and sequence for each level, as well as view sample lessons and additional products they offer. To read what my fellow TOS Crewmates had to say about these AAS Products as well as others they received, please visit the TOS Page for All About Spelling.
*The author’s review and opinion is entirely her own. This product was provided to the author for free as a member of the 2009-2010 The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Homeschool Crew. No further compensation was received.*
*Disclosure - the author of this review is an affiliate for All About Spelling and will receive compensation for any products purchased through clicking the All About Spelling embedded links in this review.*
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