Using All About Spelling with Older Students
All About Spelling is frequently used with teens and adults. But sometimes parents and teachers aren’t sure how to get started with older students who need remedial work.
Here are four of my favorite strategies:
Adjust the First Few Levels to Your Child’s Needs
Most older children should begin All About Spelling with Level 1. The words in Level 1 are easy to spell, but many students have not learned the concepts behind them, and these concepts are crucial for success throughout the program. For example, most struggling students will know how to spell cat, but they don’t know why cat is spelled with a C instead of a K. They obviously don’t need to practice spelling the word cat, but they may need to learn the concept so they can apply it to words like emergency and concentrate. The beginning levels fill in important gaps like this.
Here are some other Level 1 concepts that older learners may not be familiar with, but that will be a huge help when they get to higher level words:
If you think your older student may be able to skip Level 1, take a look at our All About Spelling Placement Test for help in determining the best placement.
Consider How You Present the Program
To help older kids understand why it’s important to start with Level 1, try comparing learning to spell to something they can relate to, like video games or swimming lessons. Your child may understand that even though the first level of a game (or of swimming lessons) may seem easy, that doesn’t mean he should jump ahead to the fifth level. But it does mean that he can go quickly through the earlier levels, learning what he needs to know so that when he does get to the higher levels, he isn’t overwhelmed by having to learn too much at once.
Anna Gillingham, co-founder of the Orton-Gillingham approach, put it this way: “Go as fast as you can, but as slow as you must.”
With older learners, you will probably go much faster than you would with a younger child, but be prepared to slow down if you reach a concept that your child doesn’t understand. Your goal is to achieve mastery.
Have Your Child Teach a Concept Back to You Using Letter Tiles
When your child can teach a spelling concept back to you, it’s a good sign that he or she has mastered a concept or group of words and is ready to move on. But if your child has to stop and think it through or seems challenged, spend more time on that particular lesson.
Customize the Lessons for Your Child
Older children will need to have the program customized to meet their needs, with specific customizations determined by a child’s prior spelling knowledge. Merry Marinello, one of our customer service reps, encountered this situation with her own children. When Merry started using All About Spelling Level 1, her children were in sixth and fourth grades, well past the “typical” age for Level 1.
The PDF below explains how Merry customized the first sixteen lessons of AAS Level 1 for her children. Of course, you may need to use different customizations for your children, but this may give you some ideas as you start out.
Testimonials from Two Real Moms
Jamie Martin shared a blog post about teaching her teenage son with All About Spelling.
Spelling is important, of course, but never more important than the overall health and well-being of your child! Even with all the hard work we’ve put in, Jonathan is never going to call spelling his favorite subject, nor will it be his strongest one. The way I see it, that’s what spellcheck and dictation are for. 😉
I’ve asked him if, looking back, he wishes that I had pushed him to start earlier. He said, “Sometimes I do, but I think even though it might have made my spelling stronger, it would have made my love of learning weaker. And I don’t think I would be as interested in writing as I am now.”
My biggest advice, no matter what subject you’re covering with your child, is to remember to laugh! Because Jonathan chose to get serious about spelling, he was (almost) always a willing participant, which means we have had some of our best times and biggest laughs during our lessons. (Read more…)
And Bridget shared her son’s inspiring story with us via email…
I am a retired teacher, an instructional coach, and the mother of 4. My youngest son is dyslexic and has struggled with reading and spelling his whole life. He is also a reluctant writer because of his struggles with spelling. He is a smart child, but I couldn’t make sense of what he tried to write.
I was searching for a way to help him and stumbled upon your program online. We made a commitment to see it through. In two weeks we will finish Level 6 of All About Spelling. It has taken us about 7 months to advance through levels 1-6. I am so proud of my son and so thankful for this program. If you could only see where he started and where he is now. I look back at the dictation we were doing seven months ago and the dictation he is able to do now, and I am just amazed. It has taken commitment and hard work from both of us, but the reward is that he can now communicate what is in his mind onto paper.
My son will never be a perfect speller, but I would venture to say he now spells better than many adults. I would highly recommend this program to others who are desperately searching for a way to help their older child. I hope this testimonial will encourage others to take the plunge, be persistent and committed, and see how this program can open doors for your child.
Do you have questions about using All About Spelling with an older student? Post in the comments below, and we’ll be happy to help brainstorm solutions!
Julie
says:I’m brand new to this program (it was recommended to me on a homeschool FB page I follow), and I have a question. We live overseas and I just have one opportunity a year to order curriculum from the States. My child is going into 3rd grade in the fall and definitely needs spelling help (his reading is very good). Would you recommend I purchase levels 1 and 2 for the year? Or how many levels would you recommend? I want to make sure I have what I need so that I don’t have to wait another year to purchase. Thank you!
Robin
says: Customer ServiceJulie,
Good question. You will definitely need Levels 1 and 2, but there is a good chance that you may need Level 3 as well. It isn’t as likely that your student will finish all of Levels 1, 2, and 3 in one year, but I think it is likely that he will at least need to start Level 3 before you can get your next order.
Summer
says:My 3rd, 7th and 8th graders are in level 1 together. My 5 year old sits in too, although he can’t read yet. I know we are way behind on spelling. I thought they would eventually just get it without a specific program, but they never got as good at spelling as I wanted. Your article has encouraged me to keep going.
Heather
says:I have 3rd and 5th grade kiddos and neither are strong spellers (but neither am I!) I would like to help them out so they feel confident in their writing… especially my 3rd grader.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceHeather,
Do you have questions about All About Spelling and how it can help your kids become confident, successful spellers? I’m happy to help.
Rosey
says:I am starting my 3rd grader, excited to see how much it will help him spell better
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceLet us know if you have questions or need help with anything as you start All About Spelling, Rosey. We’re happy to help!
Audrey Farlow
says:Thank you for this wonderful article. I have two older boys who would greatly benefit from AAS.
Godswill
says:Hi
Rebecca E
says:This post is so full of helpful hints, advice and tools. I’ve had AAS on my shelf for a year but this post makes me feel more prepared to start it with my older child.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceI’m glad this post was helpful for you, Rebecca! However, if you need more help or encouragement or just have questions, please feel free to ask! We are happy to help.
Michal
says:After 3 1/2 years of public school and 2 years of homeschool, my sixth-grader still struggles with spelling. Without a diagnosis of where the problem lies, I’ve finally decided to invest in a comprehensive program that starts from the beginning. These tips are just what I need to adapt the program for her!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceI’m glad these tips were helpful for you, Michal. If you need help or anything, please let us know.
Nicole Christofferson
says:Helpful information, thanks!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Nicole!
Carla
says:Thank you! I was stressed about starting level 1 with my older child, but now feel more at ease.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceI’m glad this blog post has helped you feel more at ease, Carla! However, if you have additional questions or concerns, let me know. I’m happy to help!
Shilo
says:Very insightful, especially as I consider starting with my older daughter. Thank you!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Shilo.
McKenzie Nicholas
says:I love this post. I started all about spelling level with my 9 year old so I love the tips that are shared.
Ashley
says:This makes me excited to get started with AAS and AAR! Thank you for not only offering the curriculum but some great pointers as well!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou are so welcome, Ashley!
If you have questions about placement or anything else, we are happy to help!
Carol
says:We begin first grade this fall. It would be wonderful to win the spelling program to get off to a good start. Thanks for the opportunity!
Mom_of_3
says:Thank you very much for taking the time I lack to help others! I have 3 girls and being able to hop on here and get the help I need is priceless. :)
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome! But if you find you need help that isn’t on the blog, or you can’t find it, please contact us. We are happy to help!
Jennifer McCraw
says:Thank you for letting us use your hard work to also teach our kiddos!
jackie
says:this will be very useful when i start teaching my son reading and spelling next year. thank you for all these amazing resources and wonderful tips to help us succeed!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re so welcome, Jackie!
Alisha
says:I have seen these books and I look forward to using them, my oldest is just now in pre-k and I cannot wait to see how well he does!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceWe have lots of fun stuff on the blog for Preschoolers, Alisha!
Amy
says:This was extremely helpful! I was contemplating what level to start on but it is so true that knowing the concepts or the “why“ behind things helps the knowledge to stick. So instead of skipping level one because we have those words memorized we will start there to learn concepts and hopefully it will be a quicker run through.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceI’m glad this was so helpful, Amy! Starting with Level 1 is especially important for students that are struggling with spelling, even if they have memorized all the Level 1 ones. The foundational rules and concepts in Level 1 will make a big difference in higher-level spelling. And Level 1 typically does go quicker for older students.
Ree H
says:As an associate in an elementary, these tips are great! I can easily apply them with some of the kiddos I work with.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceGlad these will be helpful, Ree!
Roxanne Faccini
says:We are absolutely loving AAR. My daughter is reading!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceWonderful, Roxanne! So exciting to hear that All About Reading is helping your daughter be successful with reading!
Katharine Gindin
says:Great suggestions about customizing the plan.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Katharine.
Denise
says:Thank you for this blog – it has helped me determine how time isn’t important but making sure they have the fundamentals to move forward.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Denise. Yes, the foundational skills must be mastered before a student is ready to move on to more complex concepts.
Lk
says:Started when my son was 10-works well, not too childish
Lk
says:Started when my son was 10; other teachings hadn’t stuck. This is working well!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceI’m so excited to hear that All About Spelling is working well for your son! Thank you.
Grace K
says:I know this is an older post but I just wanted to say I needed it and thank you!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Grace. It is an older post, but its helpfulness has not diminished! I still refer people to it quite often.
Carol Wise
says:Need help with 10 y p going into 5th grade high achiever yet poor speller
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceCarol,
Your student is in much the same place my daughter was in. She was in the second half of 4th grade, reading well above grade level, but a terrible speller. I started her on Level 1 of All About Spelling. She was able to finish that level in just a month (approximately 20 minutes a day 5 days a week), yet she made remarkable improvement in her spelling in that month! She went on to complete all seven levels of All About Spelling in about four years’ time, and now I sometimes ask her how to spell words!
All About Spelling is a building block program with each level building upon the previous one. The rules and concepts learned in Level 1 are applied in Level 2, and then those are applied in Level 3, and so on. Placement for spelling is based on the student’s knowledge of spelling rules and concepts rather than grade level, reading level, or the words a student has memorized.
For example, we find that many students simply memorize easy words like “cat” and “kid” but have no idea why one uses a C and the other uses a K, or that the same rules that apply to these words also apply to higher-level words such as “concentrate.” Other students switch letters or leave out letters entirely. This usually occurs because they don’t know how to hear each sound in the word. Level 1 has specific techniques to solve these problems.
If you have additional questions or concerns, please let me know. I’m happy to help!
Amanda
says:I am homeschooling my 4th grader for the first time this year and notice that she has some spelling gaps. According to the placement test she is borderline level 1 and so I want to start her there to fill the gaps. Do I need to buy the teacher’s manual and student workbook to just review most of the concepts or can I purchase just the student workbook? Also, I have ordered the All About Reading deluxe interactive kit through my charter school and am awaiting approval. Should it go through, does it have the same letter tiles as the spelling interactive kit?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceGreat plan, Amanda! When a student has gaps in spelling, it is best to start at the beginning to fill those gaps.
All About Spelling does not include workbooks. Rather, the Student Packet has cards used for organizing the customized review that helps make the program so effective. You will absolutely need the Student Packet and the Teacher’s Manual to fill the gaps your student may have. The All About Spelling Level 1 Materials package includes both.
As outlined in this blog post, you will simply go through the level more quickly. You will very quickly skim the parts that she already knows and slow down on the parts she needs to learn. Pull out several words as examples. Make sure she understands the concept being taught and can demonstrate it back to you with the tiles or app, and then move on.
Note, our current promotion is for a free Spelling Interactive Kit and Review Box with the purchase of All About Spelling Level 1 and Level 2. Since your student will likely go through Level 1 very quickly, I recommend getting Level 2 anyway. However, the promotion ends on Friday, February 25, and is only available for individual orders, not charter schools or purchase orders.
If you cannot take advantage of the promotion, you do not need a full Spelling Interactive Kit if you receive a Reading Interactive Kit. The Basic Interactive Kits for reading and spelling are almost identical (these have the letter tiles, magnets, and divider cards). So, if you already have a reading kit, you would only need one or two components from the Spelling Interactive Kit:
– Spelling Divider Cards (These are different than the Reading Divider Cards that come in the Reading Interactive Kit. You’ll need these to organize the customized review of the spelling cards.)
– Optional: Spelling Review Box (This is used to store the spelling cards, or you can use a card box you find elsewhere.)
I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have additional questions.
Laura Fineberg
says:Very Helpful. thank you
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Laura.
Amy N
says:We are on level 3 of AAS and my 10 year old is not able to transfer the skills into daily writing. He has used the AAR up through level 4 and reads beautifully, but spelling has not caught in or crossed over into a daily habit. Is there any advice, help or recommendations you can give regarding your products?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceWhat you are describing is common for many students, Amy.
When students are writing outside of spelling time, they have many more things to focus on such as content, creativity, organization, punctuation, spelling, grammar, capitalization, what kind of audience they are addressing, and more. It’s a lot to think about at once! Many kids are in junior high or high school before they are able to put these skills together effectively. Even professional writers need proofreaders, so students definitely need ongoing training in this area.
One thing you can do is have him self-edit his writing the next day, looking for spelling errors as well as capitalization, punctuation, homophone, and organization errors. With my children, we called it “CHOPS”; they had to CHOPS their writing. The acronym helped them to remember to look for Capitalization, Homophones, Organization, Punctuation, and Spelling errors. (Organization meant things like word spacing and correct letter formation in the early years, and paragraph indention and logical order and flow to their sentences as they got older.)
Here are two articles with additional tips to help you:
Automaticity in Reading and Spelling
How to Handle Spelling Mistakes