Happily Homeschooling

All About Spelling Review

All About Spelling

“I love spelling.” It’s not usually what you hear from your child, is it? Many times children groan when they hear it’s time for spelling, some may even cry. Why? Often because it’s too difficult for them to do. They can’t grasp it with the concepts used to teach. Well there is a way that will help change that.

We were given the opportunity through the TOS Crew group to review All About Spelling. This is an incredible spelling curriculum that is right for almost everyone. (I say almost only because I don’t like to use absolutes.) This curriculum uses hands on, visual, and auditory styles to help children learn how to spell. It is based on is the Orton Gillingham approach. Orton was a neuropsychiatrist that developed techniques to help dyslexic persons after studying language-related problems. Gillingham studied under Orton and continued his ideas. The approach is multisensory, sequential, incremental, cumulative, individualized, based on phonograms, and explicit (Orton Gillingham Approach).

There are currently 4 levels available with 2 more coming. Each level uses a combination of the following: phonogram cards, key cards, word cards, sound cards, and letter tiles. Each set comes with everything you need except containers to hold the tiles and cards in and a magnetic board for use with the tiles. It is not necessary to use the magnets on the tiles, however. The set also comes with divider cards for the flashcards that can be used to show what has been introduced, what has been mastered, what has yet to be presented.

Why is this program so great, you ask? It works. Right from the start I could see that this curriculum was different than any other we’d seen. Level One uses the phonogram cards to help the student identify and say the proper sound for each letter. There is an audio CD that can be purchased for $14.95 that helps with pronunciation. My first thought was that we would fly right these cards since my son already knew his letters and sounds. What I discovered was that though he knew the sounds, he wasn’t necessarily saying them right. For example, when saying b you don’t add “uh” at the end, like “buh”. It actually took a few minutes for him to master the correct sounds. I realized at the beginning that his reading will also improve by using this curriculum. Though he is in third grade, his reading level has just started to improve (thanks to many of the items we have reviewed). While sounding these letters out correctly, I could hear what part of his problem was: sounding out words while adding extra sound to certain letters. I was amazed. It was so simple and yet not quite so obvious.

Each level in All About Spelling “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.” There are tips and ideas that are given in each level to help the teacher (you) help the student (your child). There is no long prep time that must be done prior to the lesson. You can read the lesson quickly and move right into it with your child. Because there are different pathways used, if your child is quickly distracted or “bored”, you can change it up and keep going. It can be as fun as you want it to be. The letter tiles are color coded and with the magnets on the back you can put them up and play games with them. All About Spelling does offer games that can be purchased, too.

We are still working our way through the levels and will continue to we are through all 4 lessons. I’m looking forward to purchasing the next 2 when they come out, too.

I encourage you to take a look at this awesome curriculum. I know you will find it to be different than anything you have come across for spelling.

Level One and Two can be purchased for $29.95 each

Level Three and Four are $39.95 each

The additional items can also be purchased for varying prices.

To purchase, go here and click on the level or product you want to explore.

I know you will not be disappointed.