Why Classical Homeschoolers Love AAR and AAS
Are you part of a Classical Conversations community, or do you follow the classical model as outlined in The Well-Trained Mind? Do you have a child enrolled in a classical school or co-op? Or maybe you’re just beginning to explore the idea of using the classical approach in your homeschool.
No matter where you are on your classical homeschool journey, you don’t have to wonder about how to teach reading and spelling, because I’ve got some great news for you.
Classical homeschoolers LOVE All About Reading and All About Spelling!
I can’t wait to share what we’ve heard from some of our classical friends, but first let’s take a quick look at an important question.
What Is the Classical Approach?
Classical education encourages learning in three stages known as the trivium.
- The grammar stage begins by laying a foundation. During this stage, kids focus on absorbing the facts and rules—the “who,” the “what,” and the “where.”
- Next comes the dialectic (or logic) stage. At this stage, kids focus on developing a logical understanding of the “why” behind what they know.
- And finally, during the rhetoric stage, kids focus on applying what they know through communication and expression.
So the next question is this:
How Do AAR and AAS Fit into the Classical Approach?
First let’s take a look at All About Reading.
All About Reading fits perfectly into the grammar stage (approximately K-4th grade). This is the stage where kids “learn to read,” so later they can “read to learn.” This systematic phonics program takes a “parts-to-whole” approach—children learn the parts of words (phonograms and affixes) and how those parts work together to make words. The program uses direct instruction, so your child is told exactly what he needs to know, with no fluff and no guessing.
All About Reading is also useful in the dialectic stage for kids who previously struggled with reading and need remedial help. The program isn’t “dumbed down,” and students can progress at a level that is comfortable for them. Levels 3 and 4, in particular, give kids the opportunity to reason and analyze through comprehension activities.
After completing Level 4, students have the technical skills to read just about anything that is within their vocabulary and comprehension level.
Now let’s look at how All About Spelling fits into the classical model.
All About Spelling also takes the parts-to-whole approach. Phonograms are introduced as the most basic unit, and instruction gradually builds to the more complex system that makes up English spelling. By the end of the program (Level 7), students are able to spell at the high school level.
All About Spelling begins in the grammar stage after students are able to read at a basic level. In a precise step-by-step manner, instruction continues through the dialectic stage. Dictation and word analysis activities encourage students to apply what they are learning and help move information into long-term memory.
At the end of Level 7, students develop their own plan for a lifetime of spelling success. With this self-guided process, students take what they’ve learned into the rhetoric stage.
Here’s What Classical Experts Say
Jessie Wise and Susan Wise Bauer, co-authors of The Well-Trained Mind, are well-respected authorities on the classical approach. In the newly revised fourth edition of The Well-Trained Mind, they recommend both All About Reading and All About Spelling to their readers.
The Well-Trained Mind shares some general thoughts about what makes a reading or spelling program “fit” the classical approach.
Most of the curricula they recommend aren’t divided into grade levels. Like us, they believe that “you should always spend as much time on one level as you need and progress to the next level only when your child has mastered the first level, whether that comes before or after the ‘normal’ age.“
The authors of The Well-Trained Mind also believe that reading and spelling should not be taught together. I like how they put it: “It’s important to allow students to progress at a natural pace in each of the language arts areas without frustrating them by limiting their progress to the speed of their worst subject.“
In addition to fitting the classical model, the programs the authors selected to include in The Well-Trained Mind met four important qualifications:
- Academic excellence
- Ease of use for the parent
- Clarity
- Affordability
In the authors’ recommendation of All About Reading, they write:
“We find this to be the most age-appropriate and parent-friendly Orton-Gillingham program on the market.”
And they had this to say about All About Spelling:
“In keeping with our approach, All About Spelling allows spelling to be studied at its own pace, rather than connecting it to other language arts areas, and does not require significant handwriting in the early years. Directions are clear, there is little busywork, and teacher preparation is minimal.”
But for many moms, the next question may be even more important than what the “experts” think.
What Do Classical Homeschool Moms Say?
Homeschool mom and blogger Becki Malloy first read The Well-Trained Mind ten years ago and immediately became “wholly invested” in the classical approach. Here’s what Becki has to say about how our programs fit into the classical model:
“When you begin to learn something—whether it be to read or how to grow a garden—you start in the grammar stage. You learn the basics and work up from there. You make sure those foundational pieces are cemented in place in order to build knowledge from that base. All About Reading and All About Spelling do exactly that.
“AAS doesn’t just start with the short sound of A and lists with those words. Rather it starts with the foundational concept that letters make sounds, and sounds make words. Put that in place and you can learn to spell anything or read anything.
“AAS and AAR fit into the classical approach in a somewhat unconventional, although precisely perfect way. They start reading and spelling at the grammar level, not as something to be memorized, but as something to grow in understanding with.
“Perhaps without even meaning to, AAR and AAS are the best classically-based reading and spelling programs I’ve invested in.”
Renee Seats describes how effectively AAR and AAS fit into her family’s classical homeschool:
“Both programs easily incorporate into a classical education since they are a no-nonsense approach to learning and focus on skill mastery prior to moving on to future lessons. They also incorporate multiple learning pathways so that all students—no matter their learning style—are sure to find activities that interest them and also meet their learning needs.
“I have tried a few other methods and I always quickly get frustrated with the gaps or the lack of consistency in those programs. I cannot recommend AAR and AAS highly enough for anyone using a classical approach in their children’s education.”
Classical Conversations community member Beth Hodges shared the importance of memorization:
“Classical education uses memorization and exposure to set up memory pegs in our kids’ minds. It sets a foundation for our kids to learn on and add new information. Then as children learn new information they are able to add to already learned information, building their foundation.
“This is exactly what All About Reading and All About Spelling do.”
So do classical homeschoolers love All About Reading and All About Spelling? Classical homeschooler Claire Wilkerson ties it all up into one nice, neat package.
“You could not have created a curriculum that is more compatible with classical education if you had tried.”
The Bottom Line: AAR and AAS Fit the Classical Approach in Several Ways
The experts and homeschool moms agree—AAR and AAS are the perfect choice for the classical approach. Here are a few reasons why:
- Our programs set up “learning pegs” through the use of modeling and imitation (through letter tile demonstrations).
- Lessons involve memorization of the phonograms and spelling rules. Then we transition to application with real words, using phonograms as building blocks. Application occurs during dictation exercises in AAS and reading from decodable books in AAR.
- We ignore grade levels, and instead focus on mastery-based learning.
- We teach reading and spelling separately.
- Our programs have no gaps.
If you are exploring reading and spelling programs for your classical homeschool, you’ll want to download these free reports to find out more:
- Learn more about the Orton-Gillingham Approach. This report covers the seven core elements of this method and why they have such a positive impact on a child’s ability to read and spell.
- Find out what makes AAR and AAS so effective by downloading our “20 Best Tips for Teaching Reading and Spelling.”
Do you use the classical approach? If not, how do you categorize your approach to education?
Colleen
says:This has been the ideal spelling program for us!
Sue Boswell
says:Love what I ‘m learning about AAR and CC
Sarah
says:I plan on using the classical approach to homeschool my boys next year. I want to base their learning on what they know, not on what they should know for a certain grade. My oldest finds math very easy to understand, but has a harder time with reading. My youngest is already showing that reading will come easy for him. No one grade level curriculum will fit their needs.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceSarah,
It sounds like you are well prepared for a wonderful homeschool experience!
Christy Maloney
says:YES! I am a classical method homeschool mom and I love AAR and AAS. IT’s great for my kiddos still in the grammar stage and who have sensory stuff! My son love to “change the word”. :):)
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceChristy,
My kids love “Change the Word” too. It’s a great activity. Thanks for letting us know that AAR and AAS has worked so well for your kids with Classical Homeschooling.
Raquel Barrera
says:Thank you for sharing this article and your incredible work and dedication to equip our children, and parents, with the tools needed to learn and succeed – naturally :)
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou are welcome, Raquel. We are very happy to help parents and teachers help students succeed!
Jill
says:We love Classical Conversations and All About Reading!!
Sarah Maynard
says:We are considering homeschooling our four. I love learning more about this approach as it seems quite natural to me. I’ll nee to check that book out too!
Keri K.
says:We do Classical Conversations and LOVE AAR and AAS!!!
Emily
says:My house loves All About Spelling!
Colleen Cruff
says:We love AAS!
Christina
says:We are using the AAR program for the first time and my daughter loves the simplicity. It’s not long and drawn out and she loves to do all the fun hands on activities.
Lauren S.
says:We are in our 4th year with Classical Conversations and AAR/AAS are a perfect fit for my 7yr old daughter. I love that there is little to no prep for me. She loves the activities and stories. She always chooses to do her reading lesson first each day! It has been great going at her own pace – we have gone quickly through the reading levels and are slowing down for spelling. I recommend AAR/AAS to all of our friends!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceLauren,
Thank you for letting us know just how well AAR and AAS are working for you and your daughter.
Desiree
says:We love AALP!!! It has made my job as a mom/teacher easier and less frustrating for my child that has learning disabilities! I’ve see all 3 of my kids improve quickly on their spelling and reading skills!
Thank you AALP for this amazing curriculum!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you so much for sharing your kids success with us, Desiree!
Amy
says:We are a classical homeschooling family and love AAR.
Nicole Schofield
says:In our classical homeschool, we love AAR and AAS. The approach through phonograms makes perfect sense. I even use the “word card” organization technique to organize our Latin vocabulary cards.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceNicole,
The card system is a very effective way to keep track of what needs to be reviewed, isn’t it?
Rachael Carri
says:We belong to CC and my son loves AAS!
Kris
says:As a special education teacher, I am interested in viewing AAS resources to consider recommending them to families and other teachers when I run professional learning opportunities
Jamilyn
says:I was looking for something that took the guessing out of spelling and AAR seems to fit the bill!
Chelsey Stafki
says:I had no idea I was using a Classical approach to my son’s spelling instruction. It is however, an excellent curriculum. It’s also been an eye opener for me. I attended public school and often didn’t learn the reasons behind why words were spelled a certain way, we simply memorized the words on our spelling list for the most part. We absolutely love All About Spelling!
Beth
says:Love the classical approach and looking forward to using AAR and AAS with my youngest.
Whitney Hunt
says:Great information!
Stacie F
says:This is my favorite blog article from AAL. Ww will be using both programs for my kids now that we’ve joined a classical homeschool distance learning program.
Stacy
says:I am new(ish) to homeschooling, but have really liked the AAR & AAS programs. I have many friends who use the “classical” approach and would like to learn more about it myself.
Tanya
says:We love AAR and AAS and do a classical / eclectic education
Sharon
says:I use All About Spelling but have never heard of the classical approach. I plan to look into it and learn more about it.
Bree
says:I love the idea of meeting the child at their level for every aspect of schooling, but sometimes it’s hard to juggle so many pieces and programs. I like using a combined LA with something like AAS to help weak spelling skills.
Michelle
says:I love this program! I have used it on my 3 girls up to level 3.
Leah
says:Really want to try this.
Wendy Thelen
says:I do love the how easy AAR and AAS are to use for the average homeschool mom.
Sabrina
says:So true!
Susan McCallum
says:We love AAR and we do classical conversations!!!
Carrie Hernandez
says:We love classical education, and AAS is definitely a great addition to any classical homeschool!
Nicole
says:I love classical education and aas
Kellista
says:AAR is th first homeschool friendly reading program I’ve found that meets the needs of our family and the standards of curriculum for a multi sensory approach. I’m a former first grade teacher and I used similar methods in my classroom but couldn’t find anything that matched my reading instruction standards and our budget. We love AAR and recommend it to anyone we meet who homeschools.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you for this recommendation, Kellista!
Ashley lawley
says:Not part of Cc but friends and I started our own co op!
Melissa
says:We love AAR. It has made such a huge difference with my once struggling reader!
Kerri Wartnik
says:My children were homeschooled using The Well Trained Mind. I found the recommendation in this blog to re-emphasize the basics of reading by doing AAR level 4 or 5 or both very wise. I did something similar with my children in 8th grade. (They were not struggling much, just wanted to cement concepts before high school level work.) Each successive child leaped ahead of their peers after that review, reading college level texts throughout high school. They earned a huge amount of scholarships for college, due to all the brain growth from advanced reading! My youngest has dyslexia, and I am super thankful for the deep understanding of words she is gaining with this program. She won’t be limited as she would have been without it!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceKerri,
What an interesting perspective of reviewing reading basics before a student moves onto higher level learning. Thanks for sharing this.
Rachel
says:We have done Classical Conversations for a few years now. All About Spelling works perfectly in the classical method. :)
Betsey
says:We love using all about reading and I’m looking forward to starting level 1 with my next kiddo when she turns 5
Gail Timmer
says:I have AAS level 2 and feel it should fit into any program. All kids will benefit from being taught using their senses, the rules( wow, suddenly spelling makes sense) , sequentially and leaving no gaps!
Yvette
says:Very insightful.
DoRena
says:I did weeks of research trying to find a spelling and reading program that would fit our family, and I am so glad I found AAR and AAS! We are part of a Classical Conversations community and follow the Classical model, and these programs fit with our other curriculum perfectly. Thank you!
Sabrina
says:We are a part of a Classical Conversations community & love AAS!
Lisa Eubanks
says:We love using AAR and AAS!
Kimber
says:I’m so glad we found AAR and AAS. It’s our favorite curriculum!
Taelor Edmisten
says:Doing level one reading with my son, our first year homeschooling – so far loving it!
Suzann
says:We just finished level 1of the spelling, and this program is great!
Corrine
says:We just ordered and can’t wait to try it out! I feel like it will be a great fit for both my kids. Love that it’s a mastery program.
Melissa Matias
says:We absolutely love the spelling and reading programs and I strongly believe it has helped develop a great foundation for being a good speller and reader for life!
Kristen
says:I was so super excited to see that recommendation in the Well-Trained Mind. It validates what I was thinking and feeling the whole time.
Lindsay
says:We have a classical home education approach & we love All About Learning Press!
Kerrie
says:Love this program
Katie
says:Wonderful to see so many choosing a classical aproch
Kayla Wheeler
says:I am new homeschooling. I’ve been trying to study the different methods of homeschooling, specifically classical education. This was a great article. Thank you for the wonderful information! We use AAR. I knew my daughter would like it, but it was a pleasant surprise when I discovered how much my very active son loves it too. He doesn’t just love it, he’s really learning. AAR has brought me peace of mind. I was really nervous about teaching him, but this program is a perfect fit.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceKayla,
Thank you for letting us know that AAR has helped you become confident in teaching. That’s one of the things we aim for!
Byers mom
says:We love how AAR and classical education fit together!
Kristina Poehls
says:😃
Marci
says:Can’t wait to start using All About Spelling!
April Payne
says:Have done Classical Method with two of my kids now and find that AAS and AAR have really helped my son who I never thought would be to do the classical method due to his learning disabilities! Now we are full steam ahead. He is well on his way to Level 4 AAR! Still cruising through AAS 1 but we are getting there and that’s what counts!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceApril,
Thank you so much for sharing this! I’m so happy to hear that AAR and AAS have helped you to be able to Classically homeschool your son!
Brandi
says:AAR is an amazing an amazing! My daughter is thriving on it! I couldn’t have chosen a better program to help my kids learn to read!
Sheryl
says:My All About Reading level 1 package arrives today. I am also using All About Spelling level 1 and enjoying it.
Brenda
says:Thank you all about spelling for helping my daughter become a better speller and reader!
jackie
says:i am a new mom and appreciate this overview of the classical approach as i begin my research of home school philosophies! thanks!
Brenda
says:We have tried so many different curriculums and our homeschool family and fine just want to be the most comprehensive and result oriented programming ever. !!
April
says:Great article. Thanks!
Sandra Bickham
says:I have been so impressed as a first time user of AAS. Both of my children have come so far in their reading and writing in only one month. I did not expect to see such quick improvement. And they both say lessons are more fun this year! This is exactly what we’ve been looking for!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYeah! Great, quick progress, Sandra. Thanks for sharing it!
Mindy
says:AAS is easy on busy mom as well. The lessons are straight forward and easy to present even if you are not able to prepare the night before.
Katie Abbott
says:We are classical homeschoolers and AAS is a good fit
Susan Morgan
says:So far, AAS is working for my 6 year old. We are almost finished w AAS 1 and I will continue to use this curriculum.
Audrey
says:Gives me more reasons to love AAL press even more! I recommend AAL to all my homeschooling friends. We have had such a good outcome from AAL. Thanks for being such a good company!
Erica
says:We love All About Spelling!
Dawn
says:Love that this fits with the Classical approach!
Deanna
says:I am very interested in classical education and am thrilled that AAS fits the model!
Alyson Hollowood
says:AAS has helped my 3rd grader tremendously with spelling. With other curriculums, he would get a “100%” on his tests, but would not carry over proper spelling into other work. Now he is enjoying writing more since spelling is not the struggle for him that it once was!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAlyson,
I love that his progress in spelling has improved his enjoyment of writing. That’s important!
Kenda Wathen
says:While I do not use the classical method per say. I can see how this fits well there.
Amanda
says:I don’t do classical conversations but do have a friend that I think would find this interesting. 😊
Susan
says:We use a classical approach. I love all about reading and spelling!
Alecia
says:We love AAL!
Sarah
says:We love AAS in our house. The interactive tiles and cards have made spelling a favorite subject! Thank you for providing such a great product to all the homeschool families out there!
Autumn
says:We’ve been using aas for 3 or 4 years now, and I still love it just as much as I did in the beginning. Such a systematic, sensible approach to spelling!
Jen
says:We do a relaxed approach, I’m
eager to add AAS to our routine.
Chelsey
says:We do not use a classical approach, more traditional, but I’m really looking to switch our spelling curriculum. Hopefully AAS is
the push we need!
Amanda Banks
says:We are almost done with level 1, & are looking forward to level 2.
Mia Nichols
says:The AAS program has been a huge help to my family. My oldest is a great speller naturally but the my youngers aren’t. AAS makes it easy for us to help them. It breaks the lessons down into easy-to-manage sets.
Baindu
says:This was insightful. I’ve heard of the Classical approach, but didn’t know much about it.
PatriciaT.
says:Excited for my children to start learning with this program.
Sara H.
says:If AAS works anywhere near as well as AAR does with our child, I’d be all in! We love AAR, & are looking forward to starting AAS.
suzy
says:This sounds promising for us! Thank you so much for this explanation!
Charissa
says:We love AAS.
Jaz
says:so excited to dive in and explore this new approach :) Sounds great!
Karen Fong
says:love all about spelling. just learned my youngest has dyslexia and glad we’ve been doing this program intensely this last year. so much improvement
Christine
says:I love CC and I love AAS
Joanna schock
says:This is a great program! I highly suggest it to others.
Debbie
says:I have a dyslexic son and we use AAS and AAR and love it! It has been great for me to learn how to help my son.
sheila
says:Hoping this helps my oldest who struggles with spelling!
Nina Hoppe
says:We love All About Spelling, it not only made teaching easier on me but explained why we spell words the way we do in English. The cards help cement the rules and phonics with the lessons.
Sarah Jendzio
says:We love aar and aas!
Teresa
says:Sounds interesting!
Stephanie Dorothy
says:We do Classical Conversations, and are loving AAS and AAR! So glad we found your programs, is the perfect fit!!!
Stephanie
says:Looking forward to using AAR and AAR level one this year. Just started two weeks ago. So far so good!
Shanna
says:I just started AAR with my struggler. I would love to try AAS!
Georgia
says:Great program!
Kristin
says:Thank you for this article. This gives me the confidence to use AAS in our classical homeschool!
kathy
says:been using for 2 years now love it
kathy
says:love AAS would love to continue on with next level
Kristin
says:I follow the classical approach to homeschool and would love to get All About Reading and Spelling!
Tiffany
says:My son loves aar!!! Always asks when it’s his turn for reading!!
Nicole
says:My daughter loves the All About Reading Curriculum and so do I! She asks everyday if it is time for her reading lesson!
R
says:We are loving AAR.
Jessica Bailey
says:I’ve been using AAS for 5 years now. We love it.
Tiffany Towberman
says:We do Classical Conversations for our school framework. All about Reading fits great for us as a supporting component. My son is able to be more engaged during our community learning days thanks to his increased confidence from All about Learning. Thank you!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceTiffany,
Thank you for letting us know this side result of more engagement with learning because of his confidence. What a great thing!
Catherine
says:Thinking about the Classical approach to homeschooling and see now how AAS fits in nicely. Good article!
L.
says:I love the hands on approach. Makes it much more engaging for my child.
Julia Minges
says:Just one more reason I’m super excited to be embarking on our first year of reading with AAR!!! We read our first story in the reader yesterday, and my son went ahead and worked through the second story, even though it’s still two lessons away! That excitement for learning!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceJulia,
I love the motivation!
Marion Hutto
says:I have never used this, but I do like what I’ve read.
Deronda
says:My daughter has trouble with spelling and reading and I would love the opportunity to win aas to see how she does with it. Thanks
Kayla B
says:I’ve been hearing so many great things about AAR & AAS. I’ve never used either, but I would love to give them a try!
April
says:We are two lessons away from finishing Level 2 starting Level 3 of All About Spelling and are also completing All About Reading Level 2. My 8 year-old is doing amazing with AAS and AAR and it makes my job so much easier. I’ve never actually thought of myself as having a classical approach to homeschooling but after reading this article and several comments… it looks like I do!
Lacey Laverriere
says:We love the classical education model because it’s a common sense approach to learning. AAS fits in perfectly with this approach. My son felt great entering his first spelling bee last year because he had the tools to spell and he won! He’s even been able to explain to others that argued or were unsure of how to spell something that he knew because of a particular spelling rule that he learned in AAS. Thank you Marie Rippel for making it fun and easy to teach spelling successfully!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceWow, Lacey, a spelling bee winner! Congratulations!
Mrs Momma
says:As a follower of the classical homeschooling method, it’s so great to hear that AAR and AAS are in line with this.
It’s especially reassuring when you have The Well Trained Mind book providing such positive feedback about it.
Jen
says:I just got AAS level 1 and am very excited to start it with my 7 year old!
Heather
says:I have been usin AAS for 4 years now and loved it so much that when my younger student was ready I started AAR with her. It fits right into our Classical Conversations education and overall classical approach. I couldn’t agree more with this article. It really breaks down both subjects into easil-digestible pieces so my students aren’t overwhelmed or confused. We can spend as much or as little time as needed on each lesson. Thank you! You have given me tools to turn my reluctant reader into a more confident one who has the tools to decode harder words.
Bethany
says:We have used the pre-reading level and level 1 and truly love AAR. The curriculum is systematic and thorough, easy to use, multisensory and engaging for my littles! We are excited to add AAS 1 with AAR 2 in the near future! I plan to add other recommendations from The Well Trained Mind at that time – First Language Lessons and Writing With Ease, as well as continuing our Handwriting Without Tears.
Nancy
says:Thank you for this article explaining the stages. It will interesting information to share with my colleagues.
Stacey
says:I love classical style of teaching such as Charlotte Mason. We learned this method last year in Kindergarten. I wish I had learned of a all about spelling and reading before purchasing another boxed curriculum this year which we are struggling with.
Karen
says:I have educated my children classically from the beginning and am so grateful that we finally found AAS and AAR. I have three children at very different levels (One struggling speller, one struggling reader and speller and one who is flying through the program.) Each child has benefitted from the program. The no gaps approach has cleared up many consistent problems with my oldest’s spelling and for my struggling reader it has been a lifesaver. Thank you!
Lisa Potts
says:This website is very helpful. Thank you.
Laurie
says:This is a very helpful site. Thank you!
Emily
says:Just started using this program, (level 1) my son loves it!
Alli
says:Love using AAR! My kids would also enjoy AAS.
Meggan
says:We are Classical Homeschoolers and AAR and AAS have been amazing for us! Thank you!
Anne Herzeg
says:Love this site and find it very useful!
Samantha H
says:We homeschool using a classical approach and love AAR. I previously used AAS with my oldest child in a classical UMS. I have tried other spelling programs with my middle child, who is a struggling speller. I think maybe I should start her on AAS…
Kristin
says:I love this! My daughter just loves the AAR and AAS approach. I love that it is classical and teaching her the phonics rules. I never thought she’d actually be able to recall all that info but she can. I’m so impressed!
Marta Wood
says:We love the classical method and your site offers great information!
I am so interested in AAS it may be the answer to our prayers.
AAS looks like what we have been seeking for piece of mind as we have concerns about end of year (2017) testing.
Awesome! Thank you!
Kylie McKay
says:I like that this is based on OG.
Michele
says:We’re at the beginning of our second year of Classical conversations, I’ve just started AAS and it fits perfectly with my 6 yo child! He’s a great reader, but without much formal instruction about how to read. So, I worried that he may struggle later because he didn’t learn the rules of reading or of spelling. But, I also worried because it’s difficult to hold his attention, especially with things that are not challenging to him. AAS is perfect! Even starting at level 1 with very basic words, it holds his attention. He can’t wait to get to the next lesson to discover what we’ll do with the cards we haven’t used yet. He loves to “MASTER” things and to be able to mark his progress (quickly so far) on the chart! My 4 year old sometimes follows along too.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceMichele,
It’s great to hear your son is enjoying All About Spelling, even with the “easy” words. And as you know, those concepts will lay the foundation for much harder words later! Thanks for letting us know how it’s going.
Valentine
says:This is our second year using AAR and first year using AAS. I can’t believe how my son went from a non-reader to a confident, nose-in-a-book reader so quickly. He is less thrilled with writing, but what he is learning through AAS is providing him with more confidence to express himself through writing as well. Wonderful programs, so glad I stumbled upon them.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceValentine,
Thank you for sharing your son’s success with us!
Steph
says:We do CC and use AAR. It has been such a wonderful fit for my son! We are almost finished with level 1 and will add in AAS when we start AAR level 2. I also just started AAR Pre-Reading with my 4 year old and he loves it. I wish I knew about this program back when I was first starting out with my oldest. Both my boys LOVE Ziggy. We have so much fun, and my boys are learning so much!
Alexis Christenson
says:This program is just perfect for us and I can see, after only five weeks of learning, all three of my children are more confident in their spelling and reading.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAlexis,
This is a great!
Melissa
says:This has improved my children’s spelling tremendously.
T
says:I like it.
Rachel
says:Just started AAR this year and love it!
Rachel E
says:AAR/AAS is the only thing I’m more enthusiastic about sharing than our Classical Conversations community. It has worked wonderfully for my children, and boosted my confidence in how to teach reading. So grateful for these programs and the friends that shared them with me.
Liz Lynch
says:I have enjoyed using AAS! We have done 2, 3 and are almost done with 4! It helps every type of learner. The prep work before each class is very minimal. No messy long-winded lesson plans. It is ready to teach . Looking forward to 5 soon.
Karen
says:We mostly school classically, but it’s hard for this mama to totally leave behind the idea of a schedule and going with just 20 minutes per day. It takes 20 minutes just to do the review sometimes!
Paula
says:I love classical homeschooling. My daughter is enjoying all about reading.
Kelli N.
says:Just started AAR and AAS and my daughter is really enjoying it!
Naomi
says:We are homeschooling classically, and I love how AAR & AAS fit in with our schooling. The lessons are mastery based, so we go at our own pace; no pressure to finish a lesson every day.
Erin
says:I completely agree! I love the slow methodical and repetitive approach, as well as your simple activities designed to reach learners of all types. We classically educate abd this is the only program I will you for reading:)
Erin
says:Slowly going through AAR 1 with my kindergartner. It feels like a very natural approach for us both!
Sara Derreberry
says:My family uses a classical approach for homeschooling and it has been such a blessing! My daughter tested last school year and I was recommended AAR and AAS. Her test coordinator recommended starting her at the pre-reading level to gain confidence as we had already tried other approaches and nothing was sticking. Within 3 months of casual “school” through the summer, she is now reading and is in the second portion of the level 1 program. It was amazing! The program works so well and my child has gone from dreading reading practice to begging to read to me several short stories at a time. I would recommend this program to anyone! We love it!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceSara,
This is remarkable progress in such a short time! Thank you for letting us know, and keep up the great work.
Christy
says:As I start homeschooling and am working toward a classical approach I appreciated the insight of this article.
Jamie
says:We love AAR and, now we are enjoying AAS for the first time!
Jody R.
says:I’m loving both AAS and AAR! I find it’s even helping me as I’m learning spelling rules that I never learned in my years of schooling.
Jody Reynolds
says:I’m loving both AAS and AAR! I find it’s even helping me as I’m learning spelling rules that I never learned in my years of schooling.
Candace
says:We homeschool classically (with Classical Conversations) and we LOVE AAR & AAS! It’s one of the best changes we made to our homeschool!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceCandace,
We are happy to hear we have been a good change for your homeschool!
Karen
says:This looks like such a good program
Deann
says:When my copy of The Well Trained Mind came I looked for All About Learning products in it immediately! I am so glad your curricula was included, we have been using both AAR and AAS and love both of them!
Jamie
says:We do CC and love AAR and AAS!
Sarah
says:I’m looking forward to using AAS this year with my boys!
MaryAnne
says:I am a classical homeschooler, and I too love AAR and AAS for dyslexic children. I am also using the pre-reading AAR with my four year old.
First year Home Schooler
says:Interesting article !!
Candace
says:We are classical homeschoolers & we LOVE AAR & AAS!! It’s a perfect fit for us.
Belle
says:AAR and AAS are both super programs!
Celia
says:We just started level 1 of AAS and we are loving it so far!
Carrie Bergherm
says:I’m a huge proponent of teaching phonics and teaching the spelling rules. Once those are learned, spelling is so much easier for the rest of your life. I have the first level of AAS and love it! I’ll be needing to get the 2nd level soon.
Angela
says:Thanks for AAR! It has been great for my son!
Heather
says:Not part of cc, but we sure like AAR!
marcia
says:We are trying the classical method for the first time this year and joined a CC, I didn’t know this spelling was a good fit.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceMarcia,
I’m glad this blog post was informative for you. Let us know if you have any questions.
Crystal
says:We love allabout spelling. It is really helping my son.
Kristine M. Malingowski
says:Good article! I’m excited about using these programs with my youngest.
Karla Slager
says:I use classical approach and could not agree more. AAS has been a wonderful addition to our curriculum.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThanks, Karla!
Jennifer Thetford
says:We are very excited to start AAS and AAM this next fall with our kindergartener!
mrs Johnson
says:some of my children do classical conversations
Dawn K.
says:We love All About Spelling. We are on Level 3 this year and love how it explains why we spell things the way we do.
Angelique Strauss
says:This sounds so good. Considering to try this.
Amber
says:I just started homeschooling kindergarten and I think this program would be very beneficial.
Tera
says:I am homeschooling for the first time this year. This sounds like a great program
JENNIFER
says:Love AAS!!!
Ally Huddleston
says:We are looking for a new spelling program. Thank you for the blog post!
Savannah
says:Our family is a part of Classical Conversations and we also love AAR and AAS. There are several families at our community who use them, as well. Thank you for such a great product that our whole family appreciates and enjoys!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThanks, Savannah!
Ellen
says:We’ve so been enjoying both All About Reading and All About Spelling!