First, let me start off by saying that I have not been compensated for this review at all. I purchased all the materials on my own and wasn't given anything to say what I'm going to say. In fact, I don't even think that the company is aware of this review, so...
Learning how to teach spelling has been as much of a process for me as it has been for The Monk to learn how to spell. As a literacy teacher, all I really taught was how to read and what reading was about - spelling was a side lesson used when editing papers and such. So, teaching an 8 yo how to spell words that I have long taken for granted as been an interesting endeavor. Luckily, after looking through various spelling programs and such, I found a curriculum that I absolutely love. Not only does it make it easy for me to teach spelling, but it's highly interactive for my tactile son who likes to play with things while he learns (that's part of the ADHD).
All About Spelling is fantastic. The magnetic tiles that can be moved and manipulated makes learning how to spell fun. The Monk loves putting words together on the board and it makes it easier for me as well. The Teacher's Manuals are full of helpful tips and tell you exactly what you should be doing during the lesson to help your student, but it's not so stringent that there isn't some wiggle room for you to be able to tailor the lesson. The lessons are short and sweet, which helps when you have a child who really struggles with anything that takes longer than a 1/2 hour (the wiggles start to set in around that time and then concentration is all gone...but, again, that's an ADHD thing - at least for The Monk).
Although he was a bit older when we started, we began where we should have, at the beginning with Level One. It helped me know where to start and it gave a solid foundation for building upon as we have made our way into Level Two. I also highly recommend breaking down and purchasing the Interactive Kit (esp. if you have a child who needs something hand-ons to do). There is a Basic and a Deluxe option. Although it was more expensive, we went ahead and got the Deluxe, although, honestly, if you have a storage box for the cards, you don't really need to get the Deluxe. I got it b/c of the box and the tote bag and now...honestly, I'm not even sure where the tote bag is...(I think it's in our classroom supply closet).
Since our classroom isn't as big as I would like (although, I confess, we are very lucky to have a separate room at all), our learning board isn't as big as is suggested with the program, but the one that we have works well enough. There's plenty of space for the letters and for word building. As we continue to add more tiles though, we'll have to wait and see if the board continues to work as well as it is.
Learning how to teach spelling has been as much of a process for me as it has been for The Monk to learn how to spell. As a literacy teacher, all I really taught was how to read and what reading was about - spelling was a side lesson used when editing papers and such. So, teaching an 8 yo how to spell words that I have long taken for granted as been an interesting endeavor. Luckily, after looking through various spelling programs and such, I found a curriculum that I absolutely love. Not only does it make it easy for me to teach spelling, but it's highly interactive for my tactile son who likes to play with things while he learns (that's part of the ADHD).
All About Spelling is fantastic. The magnetic tiles that can be moved and manipulated makes learning how to spell fun. The Monk loves putting words together on the board and it makes it easier for me as well. The Teacher's Manuals are full of helpful tips and tell you exactly what you should be doing during the lesson to help your student, but it's not so stringent that there isn't some wiggle room for you to be able to tailor the lesson. The lessons are short and sweet, which helps when you have a child who really struggles with anything that takes longer than a 1/2 hour (the wiggles start to set in around that time and then concentration is all gone...but, again, that's an ADHD thing - at least for The Monk).
Although he was a bit older when we started, we began where we should have, at the beginning with Level One. It helped me know where to start and it gave a solid foundation for building upon as we have made our way into Level Two. I also highly recommend breaking down and purchasing the Interactive Kit (esp. if you have a child who needs something hand-ons to do). There is a Basic and a Deluxe option. Although it was more expensive, we went ahead and got the Deluxe, although, honestly, if you have a storage box for the cards, you don't really need to get the Deluxe. I got it b/c of the box and the tote bag and now...honestly, I'm not even sure where the tote bag is...(I think it's in our classroom supply closet).
Since our classroom isn't as big as I would like (although, I confess, we are very lucky to have a separate room at all), our learning board isn't as big as is suggested with the program, but the one that we have works well enough. There's plenty of space for the letters and for word building. As we continue to add more tiles though, we'll have to wait and see if the board continues to work as well as it is.
If you are looking for a spelling program that is engaging, easy, and interactive, then, again, I would recommend All About Spelling. It really is a good program.