Spelling programs

Back before I started homeschooling I found myself looking at various spelling programs. One program that I looked at was All-About-Spelling (AAS). This was back before AAS got the slick new website. I liked a lot of the information on the AAS web site, but it was a new program and wasn't fully developed yet, so I went with Spell to Write and Read (SWR).

I've been very happy with Sparkle's progress with SWR, even though I've recently almost completely ditched SWR. (I'm using a homegrown program with SWR's phonograms, spelling list, and spelling rules, none of which are unique to SWR. With minor variations they're the Orton-Gillingham phonograms and spelling rules with the Extended Ayres words that are used in multiple programs. )

Then I recently revisited the AAS web site and have been drooling over it. I've looked at its scope and sequence. I've seen its sample lessons. I've read many of its articles. I've started using some ideas from AAS. I've read the rave reviews, and I totally believe all of them. If I had to do it all over again, I'd be very, very, very tempted by AAS.

Fortunately, I realized that AAS wouldn't be a good fit for us. AAS introduces words in order of spelling difficulty as determined by spelling rules. AAS also requires mastery of a rule before moving on. SWR, on the other hand, introduces words according to spelling difficulty as determined originally by testing school age children. That means that the SWR word list has a lot of high frequency words at the beginning, even though many of those words follow more complex spelling rules. SWR also introduces lots of spelling rules and phonograms up front without requiring mastery of them.

So what? With the SWR word list, Sparkle is learning more high frequency words sooner than she would with AAS. That translates into her knowing how to spell a greater percent of words in normal sentences. By introducing the phonograms and rules up front, a la SWR, Sparkle has a passing familiarity with them, and I can reference them when we encounter an unfamiliar word in reading or personal writing.

If Sparkle had a harder time with spelling, I'd probably still be really tempted by AAS, but now I can think about it without being wistful.