All About Spelling Review
I thought we were perfectly fine with the spelling program that we were using until I started using All About Spelling with the girls. Now I'm hooked on this program and thrilled that our girls look forward to spelling time and we love doing it together. We have worked our way through level one and will be starting level two soon.
Each lesson book in All About Spelling comes with a materials packet that includes: flashcards, index card dividers, tokens, progress charts, a completion certificate, and other tools to help you teach. The program also uses letter tiles that can be used in all six levels. The letter tiles are not included in the material pack of each level (so that you wouldn't have six sets). They can be purchased separately for $12.95.
All About Spelling teaches "phonograms" - letter combinations that are the base for building words (a cd-rom of the sounds is also available for purchase if you would like to hear the exact sounds of each phonogram).
What I am loving about the program:
- The lessons are amazingly easy to follow: Step-by-step directions are given for each lesson in the level, including all the materials that you will need for the lesson.
- You can customize each lesson to your children's needs. We went through the early lessons rather quickly and then paced the lessons at a rate that was comfortable for us.
- Review: Each lesson includes a way to review the steps and rules that have been taught in previous lessons, along with reinforcement for the lessons that were learned during that lesson.
- Hands-on materials: The program uses letter tiles that you can make magnetic to spell out the words and sounds that you are practicing. There are also flashcards included in the set along with the teacher's manual. This hands-on aspect has really helped in our learning.
- Clear/direct spelling rules: All About Spelling teaches clear rules (and notes any exceptions if there are any to the rule) - even I'm learning a thing or two!
- It will be a complete curriculum from preschool to high school. It's a one-stop spelling curriculum, and I LOVE that!
- Price!! Both the level one and level two sets are only $29.95 each and can be used in the years to come with younger children since the materials are not consumable (a HUGE plus for me!). Levels three and four are $39.95. If you are teaching more than one student at a time, you can order additional materials packets (for around $12.95 each).
There is nothing that I haven't been pleased about with this curriculum - seriously! If you are interested in learning more about how to teach using All About Spelling, know that they a 100% learning satisfaction guarantee. This is definitely a program that we will be using through the years with our kids!
This All About Spelling Review was written based on our personal use of the program. I was provided the program to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
Labels: Homeschool Crew, Opinions and Reviews, Reviews: My Favorites, Reviews: Spelling, spelling
5 Comments:
Oh goodness, now i love this too, I need to get away from the computer. We use Calvert since we get it for free, but their spelling program is not very rule focused and I don't like that at all. This program is going on my research further list for sure...
Thanks for the detailed review!
C
By Carisa, At January 28, 2009 at 12:44 PM
Hi, Jolantha. I am an All About Spelling fan (groupie?!), too - we found it this past November - and so I had to come read what you had written after I saw your recent review of All About Homophones on THL. Great summary here of the program; I'm continuously trying to find ways to explain AAS to people quickly but effectively and your review does that. So I might link people to your post here in the future. :^)
By Tina Hollenbeck, At March 6, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Thank you for this terrific review! I am very interested in this program. I hope you will post about your experience with Level 2 as well.
By Homeschool Friend, At July 25, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Is "All About Spelling" suitable for 1st grade? Is the 1st level for Kindergarten even, or would it be best to wait a little longer?
By Jaime, At May 20, 2010 at 9:06 AM
Once again I'm seriously considering buying a program you've highly recommended (you just write the best reviews, what can I say...). The other subject my nearly-4th grade son hates besides math is spelling. We've been using AVKO Sequential Spelling 1 this past year, and he doesn't like it at all (even though he's done well). Although he has learned to spell really big words, the daily 25-word tests are monotonous...tedious...boring. My question is how do I know which level to put him in if I get All About Spelling? I wish I had known about this program from the start. He also hates writing...do you have a recommendation for that? : )
By Debbie, At June 23, 2010 at 12:58 PM
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