Using Letter Tiles to Teach Reading and Spelling
Color-coded letter tiles are a fantastic way to help your child learn to read and spell! Whether you’re using the Letter Tiles app or the physical letter tiles, letter tiles enable your child to quickly and easily grasp new concepts.
Here’s a short video demonstrating how letter tiles can be used to teach reading and spelling. This particular lesson from All About Spelling teaches when to use K and when to use CK at the end of a word.
Do you see how easy that concept was for Oliver to understand? Letter tiles are awesome!
7 Benefits of Using Letter Tiles
Whether you use the Letter Tiles app or the physical letter tiles, the benefits to your child are the same.
- Letter tiles help you explain reading and spelling concepts very clearly.
Concepts and ideas become something your child can see and manipulate. - The different colors help students visualize the different roles that letters have.
In the video above, for example, colored tiles helped Oliver distinguish between vowels and consonants. - Your child can try out the rules and see how they work.
With letter tiles, concepts are no longer abstract or difficult to understand. - Letter tiles hold a child’s attention…
…especially a child who has attention issues or auditory processing difficulties. - Mistakes are no big deal.
It’s much easier to exchange tiles than to erase and rewrite a word. - Letter tiles make it easier to stay on task for longer periods of time…
…especially for younger kids who are still developing fine motor skills and for whom writing is more tiresome. - Letter tiles lay the groundwork for the accomplishment of bigger goals.
Letter tiles don’t take the place of spelling words with paper and pencil. Instead, they act as a fantastic learning tool that will enable your student to learn to spell more quickly and accurately, helping him get to the real goal: writing.
Color Coding Makes Learning Easier
Color coding makes it easy for students to see the role that each type of letter plays in a word. For example, consonants are blue, vowels are red, and phonograms representing the sound of /er/ (such as ER, IR, and UR) are purple. The chart below shows all our letter tile colors.
Letter Tiles App or Physical Tiles—Which Should I Choose?
You can’t go wrong with either the Letter Tiles app or the physical tiles. They are both great options! Here are some considerations to help you decide:
With the Letter Tiles app:
- It’s easy to capitalize words
- You can hear the sounds of the phonograms as you teach
- No more worries about lost letter tiles
- Lessons are easy to teach “on the go”
- Need to switch between students? No problem! Simply select your current lesson in All About Reading or All About Spelling and you’re ready to begin.
The Letter Tiles app has been our most requested product of all time, but the physical letter tiles have devoted fans as well.
With the physical letter tiles:
- No tablet is required to complete the lessons
- Larger tiles are easy to read
- It’s easy to incorporate hands-on alphabetizing practice
- Tricky word parts can be highlighted with markers
- Timeless and traditional educational tool
As you’re deciding between the app and the physical tiles, consider which option would be the most engaging to your child. Which one would your child want to use? Some clues to consider: Does my child prefer colored pencils, or does she like computer games? Is my child used to learning from technology, or is he more comfortable with traditional methods of learning? Does she prefer to read paper books or eBooks?”
And be sure to consider your preferences as well. Do you like the larger format of the magnetic white board? Do you have a place to store the board, or are you attracted to the compact nature of the app?
The bottom line is that teaching and learning will be the same no matter which option you choose. What’s most important is that you have a way to teach the concepts and your child has an enjoyable way to practice and experiment. The physical letter tiles and the Letter Tiles app both provide interactive methods that make spelling and reading concepts more concrete for your child.
Additional Resources for the Letter Tiles App
Basic Features:
Advanced Features:
Additional Resources If You Use Physical Letter Tiles
When you first set up your magnetic white board, you’ll only include the tiles that have already been introduced. You don’t want to clutter up your board with tiles that your student hasn’t learned yet. If you are just starting out in Level 1, then, your set-up will look like this:
By the time you get to the end of All About Reading or All About Spelling, your board will contain all the phonograms:
How about you? Do you use physical letter tiles or our new letter tiles app? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
Marcy Lauben
says:Is the letter tile app a stand alone app? Can you download it and use it without the All About Reading or All About Spelling programs?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceMarcy,
The app does work without All About Reading or All About Spelling, but the tiles are specific to our program. Our two videos, Basic Features of the Letter Tiles App and Advanced Features of the Letter Tiles App, should give you an overview for if the app will work for what you have in mind.
I hope this helps, but please let me know if you have further questions.
Heather F
says:We haven’t used our AAS for a while, as my kids are in public school now. I pulled it back out because the school is just not teaching spelling. I seem to be missing a letter “L”, however I purchased through christianbook.com rather than your website (shipping to Canada was quite a bit cheaper). Am I able to get a replacement tile?
Marie Rippel
says: Customer ServiceYes, we would be glad to replace the missing tile! Please email us at orders@allaboutlearningpress.com and let us know your mailing address. We’ll get it right out to you!
Heather F
says:Thank you!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceHeather,
Yes! Even to Canada we’ll happily replace up to 5 or so tiles. Please email us at support@allaboutlearningpress.com with your shipping address and we can get a new L in the mail to you. Let us know if you need any more than just L too.
Heather F
says:That’s great, thanks! I checked carefully and only L is missing for now 😆.
Sabrina
says:The letters tiles app has been a wonderful addition for us. My kids look forward to do all about spelling thanks to the app. It’s simple yet fun and very engaging for them. Well worth the investment!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Sabrina! I’m happy to hear the app is working out so well for you kids.
Donna Preston
says:Having this app makes the lesson so much more fun for my home-schooler. I love that I can quickly click on the lesson!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceDonna,
I agree! Being able to quickly get the set-up for the exact lesson we are working on really is so nice.
Moriah
says:I’ve been using AAR Level 1 this year with some 1st graders that I’m tutoring who needed a little help getting up to grade level. They loved it and really thrived with it! We’re moving on to Level 2 now. The letter tiles are so simple, and yet so effective–truly a great tool! I enjoy teaching with them and I’m always surprised how quickly the learners grasp the concept after we work with it at the board with the letter tiles. I prefer using the real tiles, not the app. The board we work at hangs on the wall a little bit away from our tutoring table, and when I say “Okay, let’s go over to the board and work on something” I always see the mood of the student change. They get more energized, and I think the change of location and position really helps them. We love AAR and love the letter tiles!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceMoriah,
I was excited reading this! Thank you so much for sharing it. There are benefits and drawbacks of both the physical tiles and the app, and you have shared one of the benefits of the physical tiles very well here! It’s so wonderful that your group of students is doing so well with the tiles and with All About Reading.
Linsey Gammond
says:How big of a magnetic board is recommended for level 1? I purchased a huge 2×3 board, but then noticed the level 1 set up..
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceGreat question, Linsey.
We recommend a 2 foot by 3 foot board so that it is large enough for all of the tiles introduced over all of the levels. So yes, it is mostly empty at the beginning of level 1, but you will be filling it up pretty full by the end.
Some families prefer a much smaller option, such as an automotive oil pan or a cookie sheet, as easier to work with fewer tiles at a time. A smaller magnetic whiteboard, such as 1.5 foot by 2 foot size, would work just as well. However, be aware that all the tiles will not fit on such a small board as you move through the levels.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you need anything else.
Twila
says:I’ll be teaching Levels 1 & 3 this year. How do you recommend me setting up the letter tiles to accommodate both girls? Thank you!! By the way, I LOVE this program!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceGreat question, Twila!
Go ahead and set up the letter tiles for level 3. When you begin your level 1 lesson for the day, just pull the tiles your younger girl has learned so far toward the center of the board so she can focus on them. After a while, when your younger student has mastered the entire alphabet, you can leave the alphabet tiles in place along the top and just pull the consonant teams she has learned toward the middle.
After level 1, when your younger student has learned well over 30 tiles, you can just organize the board so that the tiles your older student is working with but the younger hasn’t learned yet are nearer the edges. You would still put the consonant team tiles together, for example, but the higher level ones would be toward the edge of the board in that area.
Does this make sense? I have taught multiple levels of All About Reading and All About Spelling for years and have found that my younger students don’t have problems with the other tiles being on the board, but keeping the higher level tiles near the outer edges helps the younger student find their tiles faster.
Please let me know if you have further questions or need anything more.
Twila
says:Thank you!!!
Aubrey
says:These have been so helpful for my boys
Thais
says:Thanks for all the tips. :)
Pearl
says:I think my son would love this.
Tracey Jones
says:I can’t wait to use this program for my boys!
Amber Johnson
says:The app would work so much easier. My house is like a black hole, those tiles would never be seen again.
Piper
says:The new letter tiles app is AWESOME! Prior to using the app, we had used the physical letter tiles for levels 1 & 2. While the physical tiles were certainly useful for alphabetizing, we love the easy access of the tiles on the app, the smaller space required, and the fact that all the tiles needed for each lesson are ready to go as soon as you select the lesson number. I can’t emphasize enough how much easier the app has made both, our spelling and reading lessons.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServicePiper,
Thank you for sharing your experience with the Letter Tiles for Learning app!
Jessica R
says:This seems so simple. We need a different strategy! I hope this is the year we get to add it to our list of curriculum.
Judith
says:Always such helpful ideas and tips, thanks!
Rachel
says:This curriculum has even helped me with spelling!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceRachel,
I know what you mean! I was always okay at spelling but needed spell check. However, after finishing All About Spelling twice, I’ve improved myself and it’s rare that spell check finds anything more than typos anymore. 😀
Elizabeth Foster
says:My four year old loves working with these.
Tara
says:Love this.
Kathie Sickler
says:This is a great curriculum.
Stephanie Lewin
says:We just got level one of All About Spelling and I can’t wait to get started!
Ren
says:Fascinating!
Sara
says:Just set up our letter tiles board. Can’t wait to try it out with my two girls! The sooner they can learn to read well, the sooner they gain more independence to learn.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceSara,
Just seeing the letter tiles board all set up is often a huge motivation for students! There is something about those colorful tiles that just makes kids want to build and read words.
Have fun learning to read well!
Carol
says:Oliver is a smart boy! How old is he?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceCarol,
Oliver is a smart boy for sure! 😊 He was in the 1st grade right around his 7th birthday when this was filmed.
Sarah Key
says:This looks like a great method for teaching letter sounds and building words.
grace
says:a wonderful way to learn correct spelling
Corrie David
says:We love the physical letter tiles, but the app would be handy if we were out and about.
Margarita Rice
says:Thanks for the info!
Andrea
says:I love the variety of helps for children as they learn the rules. The colors, manipulation of pieces, and discussing the rules hits all the learning styles. Thank you!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Andrea!
Carol
says:Thank you much for this info! I like it.
Tamra Erickson
says:This is so helpful for me with my students and my own children. I have 2 kids who really struggle with spelling.
Georgia
says:I love those letter tiles. For a child with coordination difficulties in writing, the tiles make spelling much more enjoyable and easy
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceExcellent point, Georgia! The letter tiles and the letter tiles app can make a huge difference in spelling success for students that struggle with pencil and paper.
Rosie Siebenthal
says:After teaching 3 of my 5 children to read using a different method it looks like my 4th needs something different. I am excited to delve into reading with her using AAR!
Angelique
says:We recently started with this program and the app will really be helpful when we travel.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAngelique,
The app is really great for traveling lessons! 😊
Olga
says:I love this app. I just wish we would have access to the lessons on the app itself. That would make teaching heven more easier but still my students enjoy doing work on this app and learn faster.
tamboz
says:Loving the app – just wish my iPad was bigger!!
Wendy
says:This looks like a fantastic program. I would love to try it.
Audra Talley
says:My kids love using the letter tiles!
Amanda Wright
says:I think this program would help my son greatly. He is a very hands on/ visual learner.
Michelle R
says:We have yet to use this curriculum but are very interested in trying it; heard so many great things!
Janet Judy
says:I love All About Reading! I have found, though, that my daughter was having problems and getting frustrated when she had to read the practice sheets and new word sheets. So, we have started spelling out all the new words and practice words with the letter tiles instead of reading them off the sheets. She can zip right through them this way! No more frustration!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceJanet,
What a great adaptation you made to enable your daughter to have success with the practice sheets! You’re a wonderful teacher.
Sue
says:I second the motion about a developing a flash card app!! Would save busy mamas a ton of time. Otherwise, love, love, LOVE your program! Have used it for 5 kiddos so far and have heartily recommended to many moms. Keep up the excellent work!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you for the suggestion, Sue. I will definitely pass it along to our development team!
Tara Segrave-Daly
says:My 9yo daughter is a very tiny wheelchair user and the 3′ x 2′ board is just very impractical for her. She can’t reach to the top of it, and we haven’t found a reasonable way of positioning it so she can use the board the way her siblings do. I’m excited to see an app to solve those issues for us :)
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceTara,
The app sounds perfect for your daughter’s needs!
Brittany
says:I LOVE your reading program! I love the tiles and recommend a folding magnetic whiteboard for the first couple levels (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DJGUCUO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ). I might have to take a look at the app, though. I would love to see a flashcard app from you- something to replace all the boxes of flashcards (and save SO much prep time). Keep up the good work.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceBrittany,
That folding whiteboard looks cool!
I’ll pass along the suggestion for a flashcard app. Thank you.
Rebecca Sheets
says:I apologize if the answer to my question is listed somewhere else on this site. Is the app a one-time purchase? Or is there an annual renewal fee?
Thanks!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceRebecca,
I’m happy to answer any questions you may have! The app is a one-time purchase with no further fees. After you purchase, all future updates will be free.
This page has a lot of information about the app, but if you have any other questions or need anything, just let me know!
Felicia B
says:Thanks for this video! It helped so much!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Felicia! :D
Carol Correia
says:Thank you so much for your information and video of using the colored tiles. I am director of an adult literacy council, and I am looking for a useful tool to incorporate into the program.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceCarol,
The Orton-Gillingham approach, which are programs are based on, was initially created for adult learners. The colored tiles can be the difference between understanding and not for many students!
Susan
says:My kids loves the tiles. It helped them see the words right in front of them
Kristy S
says:I absolutely love the new app! I love that I don’t have the opportunity to misplace the tiles and my kids love to use the tiles even more because they are on the computer. I’ve already told several people to get it right away! Thanks for making it even easier to teach spelling!!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYour enthusiasm for the app just jumps off the screen, Kristy! Thank you for sharing how well it is working out for you.
Sarah
says:Thank you for including the video in this post! That gave me a great idea of how the spelling program works! I’m looking forward to trying it next year.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Sarah. The video does do a great job of showing how teaching new concepts in All About Spelling works.
Please let me know if you have any questions or need any help.
Brianna
says:I’m considering buying the app when we move on to the next level of AAR. One of the benefits of homeschooling is a flexible schedule, but I like to work in extra practice when we end up stuck in line or in a waiting room :)
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceBrianna,
The portability of the app is one of its benefits for sure!
Roslyn
says:We like our physical letter tiles to introduce concepts. Once introduced, I also use different colored markers and a little white bord if my child objects to the manipulative that day.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceGreat way to adapt the lesson to make it less objectionable for your child, Roslyn! Thanks for sharing this idea.
Amanda
says:Love the new letter tile app. Worth the money but I still like the tiles too. Great reading and spelling programs.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAmanda,
I’m happy to hear that you are loving the new Letter Tiles for Learning app!
Nicole Cohoon
says:My children love the new app! I let them use it as a “game” after their lessons are over. Thank you for such a useful tool!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceNicole,
It’s great to know that you are finding the app so useful and that your children are loving it! I especially like how they use it as a game. :)
Dawn
says:I find the letter sounds app to be very useful to make sure I am pronouncing my vowels correctly.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceDawn,
It’s great to hear that you have found the Letter Sounds app so helpful! However, when you move beyond the first sound of each letter and also want to know the sounds of the vowel teams, I think you’ll find the Phonogram Sounds app even more helpful.
Amy
says:GLAD there is finally an app. Wish it was cheaper
Kimmy
says:Excited to try out the app!
Yvonne Sager
says:We love the tiles… colorful and sturdy.
Alisa
says:I love the tiles!
I am wondering if you have any recommendations for letter tracing apps for preschoolers.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAlisa,
We don’t have any recommendations for letting tracing apps, sorry. There are too many variables, such as the type of device you plan to use, what handwriting program you will be using, and so on. I recommend looking for an app that uses letters shapes that match your chosen handwriting curriculum as closely as possible.
Gina
says:These tiles (& program) have changed my sons life!
Erica
says:We use both! The board is so helpful during lessons — my child will sometimes use it to “teach” his teddy bear, which takes some of the stress away. We love the app for reinforcement and (believe it or not) fun.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceErica,y
Thank you for sharing how you use both the physical tiles and the app. I love the image of him teaching his teddy bear, though!
Natalie Fluckiger
says:I didn’t realized how complex reading was until I had a children that struggled. I love how indepth this approach is!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Natalie!
Yes, it is the Curse of Knowledge. When we know something so well, so completely, we can forget just how complex it really is.
Angela
says:Really love this program! It has improved my daughters’ spelling so much. I catch myself even citing rules when I am writing and can’t remember how to spell a word!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAngela,
I know what you mean! I carefully segmented a word this morning that I was having trouble spelling. :D
Emily Main
says:I love the new ap. My boys do too. I love the space saving and my boys definitely prefer the electronic version. Since I often get my curriculum second hand I often would not have the special tiles unique to each level and try to make them on my own. The ap eliminates this problem.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceEmily,
That is an additional benefit we didn’t consider. Thank you for pointing it out.
Deb Dell
says:My children love the letter tiles…I am going to get the tiles app in addition for them to work with while it is on sale! We love this curriculum!
Sau Myaw
says:The teaching is so great!! Want to learn from you. When l have money l will definitely buy your products. Today l am looking for a land outside twon to buy. But no money yet. Please pray for me.Thanks a lot.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou are in our hearts, Sau Myaw. We love getting updates about your progress in getting your school started.
Melissa Q.
says:Playing with the letter tiles has become one of our favorite ways to practice our phonogram and reading skills. They really helped my reluctant reader find a fun and engaging way to learn!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceMelissa,
Thank you for letting us know how the letter tiles are helping your reluctant reader be engaged and have fun!
Debbie Mullis
says:As use the O-G approach to tutor children who are dyslexic. My students love working with the letter tiles because they do NOT have to remember how to form the letters at the same time they are learning how to spell words. I do have them write their spelling words because motor memory is so strong but I break it up by doing activities with the tiles. Mine tiles are simply white cardboard tiles with the vowels printed in red and the consonants printed in blue. I like the set shown above. My students use colored pom-poms to represent the phonemes by placing them above the tiles. This shows me that they understand how many sounds are in a word opposed to how many letters.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceDebbie,
Thank you for sharing how you use tiles in your tutoring! This was interesting and helpful.
Chrissy
says:We love the letter tiles app! No more picking magnets up off the floor when the little brother comes in the room. Is there a faster way to clear the white board of tiles? I would highly recommend the app to anyone who is interested in All About Spelling or has little brothers like like us. ;)
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceChrissy,
If you pull a tile up to the center top of the screen the entire working area will be cleared of tiles. The “Basic Features” video explains this function.
Lisa
says:Do you have to select a lesson in the letter tiles app or is there an option to choose your own tiles for a revision lesson?
Chrissy
says:You can select a lesson to have a limited number of tiles available to use or you can choose to have all of the tiles displayed at the same time. Personally, I prefer to have them all available.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceLisa,
There is an “All Tiles” option that brings up all the tiles available in the program. In addition, any lesson selected will include all the tiles for that lesson plus any tiles introduced prior to that lesson. You will be able to do revision or review work without needing to choose a previous lesson. However, there is not an option at this time for you to be able to pick and choose which specific tiles are available.
Does this answer your question?
Rachael
says:The letter tiles have been a lifesaver at our house.
Melanie B
says:We use the board and the app. My boys (3) are all enjoying the new app. Thank you!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou are welcome, Melanie! We are pleased to hear your boys are all enjoying the app.
Lauren
says:I find that the tiles are so vital with spelling! I think this would be a wonderful fit for my struggling speller.
Nicky
says:Found this really helpful! Thank you
Klare
says:We love AAS! I’m super excited to get the app.
Lana D
says:We love the letter tile method. My daughter has now gone through all 4 levels of AAR and reading like a champ. We just purchased the ap for my younger daughter. Love it!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceLana,
Thank you for letting us know that your daughter is reading so well!
Marie Havens
says:I love the All About Spelling Tiles and am really excited to try the app! As an educational therapist who does a lot of structured literacy work with students, I have found this to be my favorite set of tiles. Even though I will likely use the app, I will never give up the physical tiles. The movement/manipulation of tiles is so valuable for most students.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceMarie,
We are happy to give you both tools! The app is great for convenience and ease of use, but the physical tiles are wonderful for when students just need to touch and move real things.
Gloria Ortiz
says:Awesome 👏
Cara F
says:Very helpful.
Kathryn Taylor
says:My boys love to use the letter tiles. I added magnets to the back of each tile so we can use them on our magnetic white board and it works great! It makes each lesson more hands on (which means they are learning better b/c they’re more engaged.)
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceKathryn,
Yes! Thank you for sharing how the letter tiles help your boys with learning.
jenny
says:We are almost done with level one!
I would love to win level 2!!
Does your tile App work ONLY with mobile devices?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceJenny,
Our Letter Tile app is for tablet type devices. It is available for:
– all iPads from the iPad 2, released in 2011, to current models which are updated to iOS 9.3 or later.
– all Android tablets running Android version 5.0 to the most current model.
– most Kindle tablets since 2014 that are updated to FireOS 5 or later.
Kayla
says:I have been using AAR and AAS for how long and have never noticed the color coding. Wow. Thank you for pointing this out for those of us who don’t pay attention. Thank you for making such a wonderful program.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceKayla,
You are welcome. A lot of thought and work went into even the smallest aspects of All About Reading and All About Spelling!
Ann in Cambodia
says:Brilliant. Can’t wait to try it with my students, especially those with learning difficulties
Delpha Powell
says:I use the letter tiles vertically on a cookie sheet for space and portability of my small reading group lessons in a SPED program at school. Since our time is short, I mainly use the tiles for segmenting/blending, finger tracking and decoding one syllable words. I select beginning sounds on the left, line up the middle vowel sounds at the top and select the end sounds on the right side. The children love to manipulate the tiles and make the words I dictate. They can also make their own which helps them learn the rule that every word has a vowel.
I look forward to trying the new app so that more than one child can use at a time.
Thank you AAL for all you do to help children love learning!
Delpha
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceDelpha,
Thank you for sharing with us how you use letter tiles in your small reading groups. It sounds great. I especially appreciate how the tiles helps your students learn the rule that every word has a vowel.
Melissa Shears
says:We love All About Spelling! My son”s attention span is generally short, but AAS keeps him interested…and his spelling has improved dramatically with this more tactile approach!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceMelissa,
Thank you for letting us know that All About Spelling has helped to keep your son interested and improved his spelling so much!
Laurie
says:A the great way of teaching!!!
Tara
says:This program looks great!
Can’t wait to get started!!
Rl
says:We love the tiles. They are a great learning tool. Can’t wait to use the digital ones!
Kira
says:It is great to get this reminder about the color coding. Any tools for helping my son remember the concepts I am teaching are great. Sometimes I substitute banana gram tiles for the magnet tiles if we are at the library and don’t have the board with us. I realize the value of tying it back to the board though. With the banana gram tiles I try to turn lessons into games and have him spell words with the sound we are working on that day. It helps to engage him. So thrilled with his progress. We are on level three in the middle.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceKira,
Playing games is a great way to review! We have other review games in this blog post too.
Angela
says:Looking forward to using the tiles with my dyslexic son!
Sally Chancellor
says:We love our letter tiles, but the app sounds great – no more scooping the whiteboard away from the toddler in a panic ;)
Susan
says:The tiles have been useful both for my emerging reading (we also use All About Reading) and for my 4th grader, to solidify the concepts she uses when writing every day. Even my toddler is developing some print awareness by watching us, and will move tiles around and say “a…a…a.”
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceSusan,
I can just picture your toddler. It must be so cute!
Tanya
says:Great video- can’t wait to try letter tiles
Bethany
says:We love these tiles!
Lauren
says:Love the idea of making spelling fun!
Amanda
says:Love this method! Works great with the CM of homeschooling
Jolie
says:This Letter Tiles App is awesome!
Amber David
says:I love using the letter tiles!! I wish I could get the app in the Windows app store so I can use it on my Asus tablet/computer 🙁 but still love the tiles, my kids love using them too!! ❤❤
Anneta Phillips
says:I haven’t used letter tiles with my child but I am excited about using them.
machele hoo
says:What a great idea for teaching for teaching spelling, very hands-on, and visual too!
Carrie
says:The letter tiles have been helpful for my son who is a hands-on learner.
Laurel
says:Love this manipulative idea!
Sharee
says:That looks very interesting! I would love to try it!
Nicoline Blaker
says:I didn’t know there was an app! I totally purchased it the minute I saw it! My daughter stopped doing the tiles because she got tired of dragging the tiles down to spell. This app will make it much for fun!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceNicoline,
The app is brand new, so don’t feel like you’ve been missing out because you didn’t know about! We have had a lot of reports already, though, about students that are reluctant to use the physical tiles happily using the app even beyond lesson time.
Karianne
says:I really like the idea that mistakes are not a big deal. My daughter is quite the perfectionist and will get hung up on things she got wrong. Instead of being a big deal to erase and do it again she can move on smoothly with just exchanging tiles. The momentum of the lesson won’t be haulted.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceKarianne,
Great point! The tiles are very helpful for students that get upset about mistakes for this very reason. Thank you for sharing this.
Lisa
says:Can the app be used on a touch screen computer or only a tablet or phone?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceLisa,
Right now the app only works with tablets. Unfortunately, it won’t work with even larger phones, as there are 165 tiles and the size would be just too small. However, I will pass on your request for an app for touch screen computers.
Rebecca F
says:This looks like a fun way to teach reading and spelling!
Courtney W
says:This looks like a great learning tool! Thank you for the video example of how these letter tiles can be used!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceCourtney,
It’s great to know that the video was helpful for you. Thank you.
Tanya
says:This does work well
Patty
says::)
Molly Cash
says:This looks like a neat resource. I’ll have to add it to my future curriculum aids list. 😊
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceMolly,
I know it is early for a lot of homeschoolers, but I am one that already has a “need for next year” list well started!
Kristin
says:I think my son would really the app!
Brenda
says:I am anxious to try the letter tile app!
Julie
says:Just ordered my first AAR kit. Can’t wait to use the letter tiles.
Cheryl
says:Great ideas…I want to try the app.
Anna
says:I love the letter tiles! They really are wonderful for kinsthetic learners! The way they are organized on the board makes them user friendly. I don’t use the app, just because my son does best with less screen time. However, we love the physical letter tiles. :)
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAnna,
Yes! It is the differences between students that moved us to offer the app while continuing to have our physical letter tiles. Some do better with physical, some respond better to digital. However, whether physical or digital, the tiles make a large difference in learning!
Melissa
says:I just purchased the tiles app for our IPad. I use it with my 10 year old. She likes it better than the tiles. Having been using AAR & AAS for 2 + years she was feeling the tiles were “baby-ish”. She’s responded better to the app. I know the tiles have helped her progress to where she is at in reading so I’m thrilled with this new option.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceMelissa,
Thank you for sharing your daughter’s reaction to the app!
Brandi
says:My 10yo struggles with spelling, I’ve been looking at this program and the more I see,the more I think it might help.
Melissa
says:It was just what my 10 year old needed. She was feeling the tiles were too baby-ish as she’s used them and her preschool sister is starting letters also made it worse. May not work for every 10 year old, but has helped mine feel better about the lessons.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceBrandi,
Do you have any specific questions or concerns?
Here are some ways that All About Spelling can help kids that struggle with spelling:
– Each lesson time is simple and explicit and will include 3 simple steps: the review of what was learned the day before, a simple new teaching, and a short practice of that new teaching.
– Incremental lessons. All About Spelling breaks every teaching down into its most basic steps and then teach the lessons in a logical order, carrying students from one concept or skill to the next. Each step builds on what the student has already mastered.
– AAS is multisensory. Research has shown that when a child is taught through all three pathways at the same time, a method known as simultaneous multisensory instruction, he will learn significantly more than when taught only through his strongest pathway.
– AAS uses specially color-coded letter tiles. Working with the letter tiles can make the difference between understanding or not understanding a concept.
– AAS is scripted so you can concentrate on your child. The script is very clear, without excess verbiage.
– AAS has built-in review in every lesson. Children that struggle generally need lots of review in order to retain concepts. With AAS, your child will have a Review Box so you can customize the review. This way, you can concentrate on just the things that your child needs help with, with no time wasted on reviewing things that your child already knows.
– All About Spelling has a gradual progression for increasing the student’s stamina and fluency in writing, from words and short phrases in Level 1, to phrases and short sentences in Level 2, to 12 dictation sentences per step in Level 3. Partway through Level 3, the Writing Station activity is introduced. In this exercise, students write sentences of their own that they make up using some of their spelling words. In this way students have begun to use words in a more real-world context through dictation and writing, to help them transition to longer writing assignments.
All About Spelling has a one-year guarantee. You can try them, and if for any reason you feel that they aren’t the right match for your child, return them for a full refund.
I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have additional questions.
Heather
says:I love this,
Karen H
says:We have used the magnetic tiles for several years and are considering a switch to the app now.
Nichelle Isaacson
says:I love this idea!
Sharon
says:The letter tiles are a hit with my son age 8. He started age 6, on the spectrum as they would say in publuc school. This method works for him
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceSharon,
We are happy to know that the letter tiles have helped your son. Thank you.
Margaret Cox
says:Can’t wait to try these!
Erika
says:Wonderful! I can’t wait to know these tricks inside and out!
Abbie
says:We are in LOVE with AAS! It has transformed spelling from something my son dreaded, to his second favorite subject (coming in, just after math…which he also loves because of manipulatives). His improved spelling skills have made him a much more confident writer, and he no longer groans (as much) over writing assignments…Andrew he often writes comic strips and short stories, just for fun, now.
We have purchased the app, and look forward to using it, on the go!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAbbie,
Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know how much of a difference All About Spelling has made for your son! Way to go!
Suzanne W.
says:I think my boys would really enjoy this app. I may buy it.
Stevie Arledge
says:I can’t wait to use this app in our homeschool!! My Dyslexic son loves using the tablet. I think he will so enjoy this. Thanks!
Amber
says:We love using the letter tiles hands on, but I am excited for the app too! It will be great to have options and add variety and flexibility to the lessons.
Betty So
says:It is great to have an electronic version for the tiles, especially for overseas users! I hope All About Learning will consider selling their books in electronics version as well in future.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceBetty,
Right now, only the All About Homophones book is available as an ebook. The All About Spelling and All About Reading programs are not available as ebooks because there are too many components, making it impractical. However, I will certainly pass your suggestion on to our development department; thank you for your interest!
Lisa R
says:We can’t wait to try the app! It solves our wandering letter tiles problem! Thank you!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou are welcome, Lisa!
Stacie
says:Thanks for the helpful info!
Lori Price
says:I’m excited about the tile letter app! It is great to have options with this program.
AJ
says:Thank you for your program! It has truly been a blessing. Teaching my son this program, I am learning things I never learned in school.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou are welcome, AJ. (I’ve learned lots of new things through teaching All About Reading and All About Spelling too!)
Dawn
says:We LOVE AAR and AAS!!
Rachael P
says:This looks awesome! I’d love to try it
Aliesa
says:My daughter and I are loving the new app! So much easier and faster and neater!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAliesa,
Thank you for letting us know that both your daughter and you are loving the app!
Heather Trowbridge
says:I wish we could try the app for free. My 9 year old hates the letter tiles. I would love to do the electronic version, but I would be so upset to spend the cash for her to hate it that way, too.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceHeather,
Depending on the device you have, you may be able to return the app if your student does not like it. Apple store allows for refunds within 90 days and Google Play store allows for refunds within 48 hours. However, Amazon specifically states that all app sales are final and they don’t accept returns of apps.
Emily Hart
says:Looks amazing!! Would love to try it with my kids!
Julisa
says:I have the physical tiles but now you’re tempting me with the app! Ahhhh!
Kimberly
says:I’ve held off on buying this because the tiles end up all over my house. So excited about the app!!!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceKimberly,
The app does solve the wandering tile problem!
Heather F
says:The app looks great! I might just have to try it out 😉
Julie
says:My son loves using the letter tiles to form words. He has created his own games and likes to quiz me too.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceJulie,
Having, or allowing, students to quiz the teacher is a great way to review!
Jennifer L. Yoder
says:I love that you have two options of tiles now. I have some students who need to be able to feel the tiles in their hands, and build things hands on and I have others who get frustrated and overloaded with having to handle the tiles so much. But they needed the colorful visual so we used markers, but the tiles app will be perfect for them! Also love that you replace lost tiles. Awesome work ya’ll!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceJennifer,
We love that our two options will help you better teach your students and meet the differing needs!
Batmom
says:Love love love the new tiles App!!! Thank you!!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Batmom! We love that you love the app!
CASSANDRA HUBER
says:I love the idea of letter tiles. We have not tried this yet, but now we will!
Colleen
says:We can’t wait to try the app!
Candice
says:My son has ASD and suspected dyslexia and we are going to give this a try.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceCandice,
You may find our article on Teaching Reading and Spelling to Autistic Children helpful. Please let us know if you have any questions or need any help.
Kathy
says:We love the tiles!
Caroline Pope
says:Love this program! It is so simple to teach and my kids have really taken off with their reading and spelling!
Angie
says:We started All About Spelling this year and I have seen great improvement in my daughters spelling.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAngie,
Thank you for letting us know that All About Spelling has lead to great improvement in your daughter’s spelling. That’s exciting!
Carrie
says:We love the letter tiles and have found them so useful in helping my dyslexic reader/speller!
Erin Kell
says:Would love to try All About Spelling with my son.
Stacy Farm
says:I’ve just bought the physical letter tiles so that my little ones won’t spend too much time on the screen. But the app is so tempting too!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceStacy,
We understand! For some the physical tiles are better and for some the app is better. And, for some, it is better to have both, such as using physical tiles at home and the app when traveling.
Jessica
says:We love the letter tiles, but I hope to try the app soon! I am always so worried we’re going to lose the tiles, especially with a 2yo little monster running around that loves anything that belongs to his older brothers!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceJessica,
Toddlers and tiles can be a problem!
Christine Baird
says:We are loving both the reading and spelling programs and how the tiles help my son build words. He loves to create his own! I’ll probably continue to use the physical tiles the most, but the app is going to make travel so much easier! Thank you!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceChristine,
You are welcome. Thank you for telling us about how much your son enjoys the tiles!
Grace E Del Vecchio
says:I just discovered All About Spelling and really want to start the curriculum with my children. I see benefits for my 4th grader to learn the “why” for spelling while my Kg will begin to learn spelling as she is strengthening her reading skills.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceGrace,
All About Spelling is an excellent program for both of the purposes you described, learning the “whys” of spelling and strengthening reading skills. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Deidre Swan
says:Is it possible to photocopy these blogs. There is so much helpful information.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceDeidre,
You are free to print the blog pages in order to read them at your leisure if that is what you are asking.
Lotus
says:So much info need more time to read.
Jenni
says:We love AAR. Looking forward to using AAS!
Jenny Downs
says:This looks like a great spelling program! If my son is in third grade next year would he start at level 3? Thank you!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceJenny,
No. The levels and word lists in the All About Spelling program are arranged by concepts and spelling patterns rather than by grade levels. Though many of the words presented in Level 1 are found on typical first grade lists, other words in the same book can be found on typical fifth grade lists. The method we use defies normal grade level classification.
For example, another spelling program lists the words cross, off, and plant on their fourth grade list, but these words can easily be spelled by a child completing the Level 1 book. That same program includes the words school and yellow on its first grade list, but expecting kids to spell words like those before mastering more basic syllable types undermines their future spelling ability.
All About Spelling groups words in a logical manner based on similar rules or spelling patterns regardless of their supposed grade level, which allows students to progress quickly and confidently. AAS Level 7 takes students up to high school level spelling. The program teaches all of the words on the Ayres list (except a few which aren’t in common use anymore), which ranks words up to 12th grade, as well as words from other lists that are ranked between 9th and 12th grade.
We recommend that most students start with level 1 to build a strong foundation in spelling.
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.
The article Which Spelling Level Should We Start With? has more information on the concepts taught in All About Spelling 1 and will help you decide if your student can skip level 1 and go into level 2.
Level 2 of AAS focuses on learning the syllable types, when they are used and how they affect spelling. This information is foundational for higher levels of spelling. Three syllable rules are introduced in Level 2, and then more in Level 3 and up. For this reason, we don’t recommend starting higher than level 2.
However, we encourage parents and teachers to “fast track” if the student knows how to spell most of the words but does not understand the underlying basic spelling concepts. In this case, very quickly skim the parts that he already knows and slow down on the parts that he needs to learn. Pull out several words as examples. Make sure he understands the concept being taught, and then move on. This blog article has a good example of how you might fast track.
Andrea Ott
says:Omg! I didn’t realize this was available! I will be downloading this app right away! We are a military family and will be moving soon. I have been going through our curriculum to see what we can take with us and what has to be shipped with our furniture and such. I didn’t think we could do our spelling on the go, because we wouldn’t have our board. Now I will be able to continue with our spelling lessons! Thank you so much!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAndrea,
You are welcome! The app is excellent for learning while traveling!
Kimberly DeBlasio
says:Love all about reading and spelling
Mindy
says:We LOVE AAR and AAS! These really are great programs with great results. Fingers crossed for the giveaway…haha!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceMindy,
Thank you for letting us know that AAR and AAS are working out so well for you!
Ana
says:So cool! Thank you!
Anita
says:This looks like a great idea for teaching. Do you have recommended ages?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAnita,
Letter tiles, whether physical tiles or in the app, are a great teaching tool for a very wide range of ages. They are wonderful for very young learners, even as young at 4 years old for some children, that are eager to learn but need something more hands on than plain paper. However, letter tiles can be the difference between continuing to struggling and grasping abstract concepts for many learners even into adulthood.
Older children and teens often feel too old for tiles, even though they made need them. You can work around this by using the tiles for demonstration of concepts only for these students.
I hope this answers your question. Please let us know if you have further questions.
Jenni
says:I enter this contest every year and have never won. I wish I could afford this curriculum.
Emily D
says:I am excited to use the new app and learn the program.
Sara
says:I didn’t know about the app! Excited to look into that further!
Sharon
says:I love the new app! Thanks!!
Katherine
says:What a difference AAS has made for my daughter who struggled with spelling! And I’m learning so much, too, that I never learned! It’s exciting for me and encouraging for her that I’m still learning, too! :) What a great program!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Katherine. It’s wonderful to hear how much of a difference AAS has made for your daughter!
Amanda
says:I have had the tiles sitting in the closet and just couldn’t get it together. I think I understand now. But somehow I think the app would be more popular at my house. :)
Shauna
says:Can not wait to try this!
Christine
says:This looks great!
DG
says:Love the app!
Jessica
says:Great 👍 information
Hannah
says:Great info!
Andrea
says:The app is very expensive. We use a white board.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAndrea,
The app took a lot of research and programming to make it correlate with all of the levels and lessons in both the reading and spelling programs. You can easily select the specific lesson you are using from the drop-down menu and see the tiles introduced up to that point.
The Letter Tiles app is not a necessary component for success using AAR and AAS. We developed this for those who want the option of taking their lessons on the road, or for those who prefer to use an app instead of the physical letter tiles and magnets.
The program will continue to work well with the physical tiles.
Denette
says:Love this!!
Staci pickens
says:I think it’s very cool that you developed this app.
Faye
says:I am a volunteer tutor for two adults in a literacy program. One student is 70 years old and reads on a 2nd grade level. The other student is 56 and reads on a 1st grade level. I am interested in the physical tiles, but I didn’t see a place to order the tiles. Am I missing something. I do not have a budget so I am thinking about making my own tiles. Are they copyrighted?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceFaye,
Here is the link to our letter tiles. Our tiles are copyrighted.
Sarah
says:Love having a choice between the new app and the physical tiles!
Eilene Glasgow
says:Even my big kids enjoy using the tiles.
Kristien
says:After reading this I am eager to try letter tiles. I would rather buy them though because i do not like using apps for learning.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceKristien,
That is one of the reasons why we will continue to offer physical letter tiles as well as the app! It great for people to have options.
Koren Klein
says:Started using letter tiles for my son just to copy words with. He really took to it. He likes holding them and not always writing. The tiles are a great second to when he starts to whine about writing too much, ha!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceKoren,
Yes! The tiles are wonderful for little hands that tire easily!
helen lee
says:I started homeschooling my 2 girls this year, ages 5 and 7 and I’m confident that “All About Spelling” is for us! Love the ease of use for the parent but doesn’t’ compromise on the great content. My 7 year old is already reading and writing above her age level, but I’m really seeing how this curriculum gives her a really good foundation for her writing/spelling skills. Looking to use this for the years to come!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceHelen,
Thank you for sharing how All About Spelling is laying a good foundation for your students!
Lynette Williams
says:Pretty excited about the letter tiles app. We tried out a different letter tiles app that didn’t align with the colors or even all the sounds. It worked for when we were on the road, but not nearly as well!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceLynette,
We are very happy to provide an app specific to All About Reading and All About Spelling!
Dawn
says:Thanks for the tutorial of the new app. I just purchased it today and will start using it tomorrow, so this gave me a heads up as to how to navigate within the app.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceDawn,
You can access an “Advanced Options” video either here or in the app by opening the menu in the upper left-hand corner. It’s helpful for knowing how to fully use the app.
Nicole
says:Thanks for developing the tiles app! We’re so excited to use it!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou are welcome, Nicole!
Beverly
says:I love this concept. We’re getting ready to learn phonics in homeschool
Carol
says:I love this! I will start right away with using tiles to teach my children about spelling.
Beth
says:This looks great! We have recently gotten ADHD and high functioning autism diagnoses and already had fine motor and sensory processing issues, so we are looking for a way to revamp our learning into multisensory areas. This looks like a very promising option!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceBeth,
You may find our article on Teaching Reading and Spelling to Autistic Children helpful.
Janice Cundiff
says:The hands-on materials will be great for my grandsons and my students! Thanks for such useful resources and the lessons plans to make effective use of them.
Robert
says:I think that’s a great idea. Anything that makes it easier for kids (or adults) to learn to spell properly should be a winner. Having a choice between app and actual physical tiles makes it even better.
Kim
says:I’m using AAS with 6 of my children in two different groups (yes, it does work to teach them together). We only use the tiles with my older ones (in Level 4) for new concepts or to really illustrate something. They just don’t seem to need the tiles much and think it takes too much time. My three younger ones in Level 2 use them much more, but still not for every word in every lesson.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceKim,
It is natural for students to need the tiles less and less as they progress. However, it is often extremely helpful to go back to the tiles, either physical tiles on in the app, when they are having difficulty with a concept or word.
Ivylynn Newell
says:How do I get the 25% off?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceIvylynn,
The price in the app stores already reflects the 25% off. Currently, the price is $14.99, but after the 9th of February, the price in the app stores will be the full price of $19.99.
Ivylynn Newell
says:Ok, thank you! We are super excited to use this new app! 🙏🏻
Holly Grenoble
says:Can the new app be used for general spelling or only with the lessons from All About Press?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceHolly,
The app as an “All Tiles” option that will give the student access to all the tiles so that any word the student wishes to spell can be built with the tiles.
Tamara
says:The school I worked at a few years ago had letter tiles in the special ed room and I loved them! They were so useful for helping the student I worked with to remember all of the spelling rules we were working on. They were also great for teaching how rhymes work.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceTamara,
Yes! Thank you for sharing your experiences with tiles.
Nancy Ball
says:Wish it was available for our computer that switches to a tablet😐 or for a mobile device.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceNancy,
Unfortunately, the bank of tiles would be super tiny on a phone or mobile device and it would take multiple screens to access the 165 letter and word part tiles plus syllable tags. The tiles would be so small that one finger would “touch” more than one tile. It would be frustrating at such a small size.
I will pass along your request for an option for use with a computer that switches to a tablet.
Lynn Chambers
says:HI there. I would like to know if the Letter App would be useful even if one isn’t using the All About Spelling Program? I live in South Africa, so the resources are much more difficult to purchase, but I think the Letter App would be a great addition to my tutoring practice. Please let me know your thoughts.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceLynn,
The app is useable to spell any word that the student or teacher desires, but how much it would be useful would depend. It doesn’t teach by itself, but if the teacher could introduce the student to phonograms and spelling rules, it would be very useful.
However, we do have a South African distributor that sells All About Spelling and All About Reading. It’s The Book Connection.
Trixie Sheffield
says:I love using tiles. Hand on learning. The students love playing with them. It is a quick and easy way to show them word families.
Jennifer
says:I love the hands on, multi-sensory approach of AAS with the letter tiles. I briefly used it for some remediation over the summer but then switched back to another program I had already purchased. I wish now I hadn’t. I have kids with dyslexia and attention issues and the other program of lists and writing just seems to go in one ear and out the other. No retention! I want to get my kiddos on this program and continue with it!
Sheila
says:My younger ones love “playing” with the tiles in the white board even when it is not school time. I am excited about the app.
Grandma Nine Times
says:Anytime manipulatives are involved the learning factor grows and stays.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYes! We are big fans of multisensory and kinesthetic learning around here!
Angelina Vickers
says:Love idea of Letter tyles and the app is very user friendly!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceAngelina,
Thank you for letting us know you find the app user friendly!
Nanabug
says:Just purchased the app and LOVE it!!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceWoohoo! Please let us know how your student (or students) likes it too.
Olga Lobban
says:I want to add to my last comment that this program has been revolutionary for my daughter. She went from not reading at all to nearly reading chapter books in 8 months. It has been truly remarkable for her!!!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE AAR! I just want the letter tile app on my phone, so we can keep up lessons on road trips and on the go. :)
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceOlga,
That is amazing progress! Thank you for sharing it with us. We are so pleased to have had a part in your daughter’s success in reading!
Olga Lobban
says:When oh when oh when oh when will the letter tile app be available for my Android phone? We don’t have an iPad, tablet or Kindle, but we are always on the go, and I so often wish I had a letter tile app with me!!!! Until then, please oh please oh please, can you redesign the physical magnet tiles with stronger magnets, so they *stay* on my magnetic whiteboard hanging on the wall. Thank you!!!!!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceOlga,
Unfortunately, we will not be able to make the Letter Tile app available for phones. The bank of tiles would be super tiny and take multiple screens (there are 165 letter and word part tiles plus syllable tags). One finger would “touch” multiple tiles at that small size.
I will pass on your suggestion for stronger magnets. Thank you.
rebecca walters
says:I bought the app as soon as I read the email! My kids have loved this program but have dreaded the tile work. This is my oldest DD’s second year in both AAS and AAR and it’s been a fight since day one. The rest of the work she enjoys, but the tiles were “sooo slow and boring”. My other two children agreed but haven’t given me nearly the same fight. As soon as I bought it last night my 6yo noticed and began playing with the app. Instead of watching the TV (which was on) she sat next to me on the couch asking for spelling words! We used it for all our lessons today and the kids were so excited to be using the tablet instead of the white board. Even stubborn DD was happy with the tile App! It was so much quicker and easier to use. As soon as we were done this afternoon I packed up the tiles and white board. We have a very small study space so having less clutter is AMAZING! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!
However….My son and I had some trouble breaking words apart to read. Most of the time it didn’t work…and when it did it never broke the word where we were trying to separate it. Oh and a small glitch…my DD is in Book 2 Lesson 15 learning about bossy R and the syllable tag is missing. It doesn’t show up until some time in AAS 3 somewhere near the end of the book. I couldn’t figure out exactly where.
We still really enjoyed the app regardless and all new apps have some hang ups.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceRebecca,
We are so happy to know that your children enjoyed our new app so much! We are very excited to have it available!
Regarding the problem with the syllable tags, we’re working on this issue and it should be fixed by the end of the week. You can check in your app store for the free update at that time. In the meantime, if you need a workaround for this Syllable Tag issue, you can select “All Tiles” from the program selection menu.
I will pass on your problem with dividing words into syllables. Can you tell us what device you are using and what operating system?
rebecca walters
says:Samsung Galaxy Tab (some number I do not remember) Android base.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceRebecca,
We are looking into this, but I wanted to let you know that the free update to fix the syllable tag issue is available! Find the app in the Google Play store and there will be an “update” button (unless you have your device set for automatic updates, then it might have updated already).
Jen
says:My son is struggling and I wish I could afford this. It looks so good.
Karen
says:I use my MacBook with students. Will you adapt the app so I can download it to my laptop?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceKaren,
Right now it’s only made for tablets. I’ll be sure to pass your request on to our app developer, though!
Karma
says:Looking forward to using the new tiles app!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceKarma,
Let us know how you like it!
Jenny
says:Great info!
Deb Dell
says:This is so great. My children both received kindle fires for Christmas and this is a great way to save space than the large white boards. I’m excited to see the sale price as well! :)
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceDeb,
Great timing that your children just received Kindles and we just released our Letter Tiles app!
Julia M.
says:This is very helpful. I love the app, would be great for in the car and road trips. At home we have fun with magnetic letters and make super long crazy words that I sound out for him.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceJulia,
I love the challenge of sounding out the crazy long words little kids create!
Carol
says:I’m a tutor and use All About Spelling with 3 4th grade students, 1 6th grade young man and an 8th grade girl. If you have older students do not be afraid to use this program with them. There are no age boundaries here.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you for sharing this, Carol! Sometimes people wonder about using All About Spelling with Older Students and it’s great to hear from teachers and tutors that have done it successfully.
Rosie
says:Thanks for the info
Kelly M
says:Thank you for the free downloads! Your spelling curriculum is on my wishlist for next year. I am learning a lot from your blog posts.
Miranda
says:I like the idea of the easy to use magnetic letter tiles! Also, thanks for the free Spelling Rules posters!
Robin E. at All About Learning Press
says: Customer ServiceMiranda,
You are welcome!
Joni Jones
says:My Kindergarten boy is captivated by the letter tiles. As an active boy, the kinesthetic connection is improving his reading by leaps and bounds!
Marie Rippel
says: Customer ServiceI’m happy to hear that your son likes using the letter tiles, Joni. Thanks for your kind words!
Kellie Duggin
says:My 3rd grader loves using the letter tiles! We used them in 2nd grade too. Can’t wait for my daughter to start using them!
sue
says:Smart idea
Stephanie H.
says:So thankful for AAS!
Jennifer C
says:I think the tiles have helped my little one retain the information. : )
Erin
says:I love using the letter tiles. It makes building words so easy!
Nikki Jackson
says:I love the letter tiles! My son is very visual and this helps him to see the spelling rather than just discussing it. My daughter also loves to “teach” her stuffed animals using the tiles.
Christina Chisholm
says:I love the letters tiles! And so do my kids!
Michele Flowers
says:This is very helpful! Thanks!
Sonja
says:My twins love letter tiles!!!
Erica
says:This is something I am going to try to implement. What I like is the ability for the child to have less stress with mistakes because they can trade tiles easily. Thank you for sharing this post!
Gretchen
says:We just started All About Reading Level 1 this year. This Spelling program looks like it is going to be great for my hands on daughter!
Lisa Glendinning
says:My daughter is a hands on learner and having a program with letter tiles would be so helpful to her! This program looks great, I would love to own one!
Kristen
says:I use this program and AAR with both my kids. My daughter, who is a hesitant reader, asked if we could use the letter tiles because she LOVES them. Both kids also love organizing them and looking at tiles we haven’t learned yet.
Robina
says:I haven’t used AAS spelling yet. But I think my girls would love it.
Cassy Brackett
says:Wow, these are a great tool to teach spelling and reading…and FUN!
Shelley
says:I haven’t used AAS before, but really feel my kids would be drawn to the letter tiles. I have visual and kinesthetic learners and we love more hands on approach and would keep phonics and spelling from being boring.
Tamara Gordon
says:The use of color-coded letter tiles really appeals to my visual and kinesthetic learners! I also love how this program combines a review of phonics and spelling into one program. Phonics used to be a drudgery for us, but we’re all much happier with “All About Spelling.” Thanks for the great product.
Sarah
says:I just started AAS with my 3rd grader. Before using this program, I felt that we just pushed to memorize the words with no true lessons being learned. Now we are understanding why words are spelled a certain way. She loves the tiles. They are much for fun than the typical spelling contract tasks, it is almost like a game. She is doing great on her advancement through the steps and enjoying it too!
Sarah
says:I just started AAS with my 3rd grader. Before using this program I felt that we just pushed to memorize the words with no true lessons being learned. Now we are understanding why words are spelled a certain way. She loves the tiles. They are much for fun than the typical spelling contract tasks, it is almost like a game. She is doing great on her advancement through the steps and enjoying it too!
Jacqueline scifres
says:I love the letter tiles. I believe it makes the learning process easier and lots more fun for kid and mom!
Eileen
says:I have now used AAS and the tiles for 4 kids. We are in Level 4,3,2 and 1. I get a break and then kid number 5 will start in 2 years, but it has been incredible for my children. We love the tiles and the visual and tactile combination really helps (my boys especially) retain the information! Thank you for this program!!!
Julie K.
says:The letter tiles were great for my son! I like using them for spelling practice instead of only pencil and paper.
Christina
says:We love using the letter tiles in spelling – they are great for practicing alphabetical order, easy to move around if a mistake is made (no hunting for that ever elusive eraser!) and I love that they have a permanent home on our magnetic wipe board. We have many levels of AAR and AAS and thus a handful of replacement letter tiles – we’ve changed one “n” to “ñ”, and “l” to “ll”, and added a few accent marks to half tiles. We now use our AAS board for reading/spelling Spanish. It’s perfect!
Amancia
says:I honestly often use a whiteboard that she or I write in. But she wants to use tiles now and this post has got me ready to do it!
R
says:My struggling writer is able to focus on his spelling when using the tiles.
rebecca f
says:my kids love using the letter tiles!!
Tracie W
says:My daughter loves this method. She is the sort that gets bent out of shape about making a mistake on her paper, and insists on erasing am every small incorrect mark. A practice run with the letters tiles seems to take the stress off when it is time to write on paper.
Hannah Wetzel
says:Ah! Now it makes sense! You know, I was actually wondering over the purpose of the tiles. I’m starting All About Spelling with my oldest in January so this clears up some of my concerns.
steph j
says:Love using the tiles for spelling. Helps them to see them and touch them.
Melissa
says:really enjoy using the tiles with my children and it makes practice fun. i am always looking for more ways to use them as the color coding REALLY does help them SEE the word after they have built it!
Connie May
says:Love this idea, this will definitely help my son. Thank you.
Amber
says:I’ve never used All About Spelling, but I really like this idea of using letter tiles. I have a visual learner, and this might be a big help to him when he gets into spelling (still in K4). I am definitely interested in looking into this further.
Aimee
says:My 10-year old son loves using the tiles for spelling. He loves moving them around, and I think the visual color aspect is helping him see the difference between vowels and consonants. It is easy to make sure you have one vowel in each syllable when the vowels are a different color than the consonants.
Anne S.
says:Love the letter tiles idea. I have been trying to figure out how to do this with magnetic letters and it’s just not working. Thanks for the tip!
Diana N
says:I’ve backed off using the tiles. These are some very good reasons to break them out again. Thanks for the reminder!
Brooke M
says:We just recently received AAS level one, we are excited to use it!
Rebecca Johnson
says:My kids adore letter tiles, and they really work well for my dyslexic son!
Kimberly
says:I should have been using letter tiles all along with my “must-move” child! Why did I not think of it before – it’s so helpful to have something to physically move around!!!
Susan D
says:The letter tiles make it easier for my children to stay focused for longer periods of time and make the lessons more fun. So grateful for this curriculum!
Kala
says:The letter tiles has helped my hands on daughter so much!
Whitney @ It's Gravy, Baby!
says:So many great tips & tricks in this post. I love that the letter tiles allow the kids to be hands-on. We look forward to using AAS when the time comes!
AMY WARREN
says:I used this method with my struggling speller several years ago, now he is a great A speller at 14
Amanda B
says:The letter tiles are great!! My kids love to practice spelling words…which is great because they don’t realize that they’re actually learning and not just having fun/1 =)
Sheryl
says:Using letter tiles has helped my daughter see how words are put together for spelling. . She is able to see the rules put into practice and catch any mistakes easily.
Angela S.
says:These letter tiles have been key to my son’s letter reversals, as well as giving him a break from the task of physical writing.
Linda Waldman
says:I love this. I found out that my son didn’t really know all of his vowel sounds when we started using this program and can see why spelling was a challenge for him. We’re still on level one, but moving through it, I an see how much it helps.Using the letter tiles for writing will be a great help since he hates writing.
Jen
says:We like the letter tiles and I agree, they are great for tactile learners. My daughter loves to spell words using them and it makes the lessons fun.
Anita
says:I like using letter tiles! They are really helpful for the tactile learners.
Natasha Puryear
says:We love the letter tiles….just wish my youngest would leave them alone so we quit losing them lol
Teena
says:I love the letter tiles. It has helped my daughter so much! It makes learning fun for her too.
Kristen
says:My daughter and I have found the spelling tiles help her SO much. I am so happy with this program.
penny
says:I love love love the spelling tiles, and the kids love them too!
Angela
says:The letter tiles are great! It’s so helpful when the kids spell a word to see right away that they left our a vowel, or that a word has a suffix, or is a vowel team, etc. My 8 year old daughter has even corrected me by replacing the two phonograms I used with the correct vowel or consonant team!
Sela Y.
says:I’m just starting AAS 1 with my second child. My first one is a natural speller and hasn’t needed the tiles as much, but this second child of mine…he does so much better with the tiles than without because they are tactile and they do indeed keep his attention longer. So glad we’ve found AALP, thanks!!
Michaela Cooper
says:I’m a newly graduated speech pathologist & using tiles sounds like a great idea. It could particularly help my clients that have handwriting difficulties. I think the colour coding aspect is particularly important as I have a significant number of clients even in the upper primary grades who do not have a clear understanding of vowels versus consonants.
Tracy
says:My children spot their errors very quickly with the tiles. They don’t seem to get as frustrated as they did when working with pencil & paper alone. My son has derived great benefit from AAS – those developing fine motor skills won’t let him work with pencil for very long before his hands are tired and work gets sloppy…. but he can slide those tiles around for a long time! We have them on a large whiteboard, and we combine tile work with writing the words in dry erase marker. Somehow that’s WAY more fun than a pencil! Thanks for AAS Marie, it has made a world of difference for us!
Maxine N
says:I love how the letter tiles encourage my reluctant writers to still learn spelling. They enjoy it! I didn’t know how useful they were with understanding and development though. That’s great!
Gretchen Louise
says:Letter tiles have really helped me see my daughter’s problem in spelling as it happens, rather than later on when I’m looking at her work.
Shecki @ Greatly Blessed
says:What a good reminder! We have some letter tiles, and I think my 4 year old might be ready to start working on some letter names. If nothing else, I can work on her spelling her name.
jenna sybert
says:I would love to try AAS, Currently we are doing AAR, but looking forward to adding this component!
Sephra
says:My son loves AAS! He actually begs me to do the lessons. Great program!
Karesa
says:I haven’t used these specific tiles but have used the concept of these spelling rules before when tutoring dyslexic children. These rules worked wonders. Even my five year old can understand most of them. I love the Orton-Gillingham methods.
Julie Larsen
says:Looks like fun– ;)
Danielle
says:I’ve always wondered why spelling tiles seemed so much easier for my child.
Question: My daughter has gotten into the groove of the lessons and wants to skip doing the letter tile part, she isn’t making any mistakes (we are about two thirds done with level one), should I let her or is it worth the battle to get her to use the tiles?
Merry
says:Hi Danielle,
What you can do is use them just for the demonstrations, and then let her decide if she’d like to practice with the tiles first or just go to writing them.
If you start to see mistakes, you can always have her do more practice with the tiles.
Karina
says:Hi Marie,
Letter tiles – what a brilliant idea! I’ve been using all kinds of other items and this seems so much easier. At least my kids are getting several tactile methods of learning letters. Thank you for sharing.
Sincerely,
Karina
Shevon
says:The use of letter tiles is a great way to give your child the opportunity to manipulate words and play with spelling patterns.
Elaine
says:We’re excited to get our letter tiles; I think they will help my kids tremendously!!!
Ashley Barrett
says:We love our letter tiles. We also took it a step further and got reading rods which use the red and blue as well. They have been fun to mix things up and to make the tiles more portable by just taking our bucket with us and building. Our letter tiles live on our whiteboard :)
Lisa
says:Can’t wait to try this with my daughter!
April
says:We have been using AAS for several years. The tiles may it more visual for my daughter. It is better for her than just reading, memorizing, and writing on paper. Thank you for this program.
Sarah Marie
says:Thank you for these great ideas!
Valerie
says:We used to use the magnetic letters on the refrigerator. Now that we have been using the letter tiles as directed in level one on our magnetic board, our son has really responded to improved spelling in a concrete way. I really appreciate that the lessons are well written and easy to follow. Our son is continually improving with each lesson. When he gets stuck, I just go back to those tiles and it works!
Taneil
says:My boys like the tiles and compete with each other to see who can alphabetize them the fastest.
Kerri
says:We have loved the letter tiles in aar1! Excited to see how they work in aas for us!
Aila hoori
says:Letter tiles were great with all about reading now we are going to start level of all about reading.. I’m sure they help a lot with spelling too.
Katie
says:I think this would be great for my kids
Virginia
says:We use cookie “letter tiles” from the dollar store with our 5 y/o. Would love to have an official set!:)
Rebecca
says:I have been so thankful to use this program (and AAR) for my sweet daughter who has phonemic awareness deficit. It has opened up the world of reading in ways I doubted would ever happen.
Sarah
says:My kids and I LOVE AAS! Thank you!
amy
says:My son HATES to erase letters when he’s made a mistake. You are right though, if he makes a mistake using the tiles, he doesn’t think it’s a big deal!
Heather S
says:My kids enjoy practicing with the letter tiles, but their favorite part is making silly words. They always spend far more time playing than it actually takes them to spell the words I ask. Little do they know I think it’s great to practice all those other words, too. :)
Ashley
says:My son loves letter tiles!
Christelle
says:Great idea! I look forward to trying this with my son.
Erica Stokes
says:We love to make letters with Scrabble tiles and fridge magnets. Using tiles (manipulatives) really helps make spelling stick!
Jenny K.
says:The letter tiles are a great help for my 2 girls. Both of my children are visual learners. Being able to see the letters in front of them rather than visualize them while staring at a piece of paper has made a huge difference. I wish I had been taught how to spell like this!
Kendra
says:My son is a visual learner and loves using the tiles to make words and go over phonic sounds.
Helen
says:Our son really loves using the letter titles. It helps to cement the words!
Kelly
says:My kids love using the tiles.
Jennifer C
says:Love this for my hands-on learner!
Teresa
says:Thank you for your suggestions. They have been invaluable!
Maria
says:My daughter doesn’t work well with the tiles and prefers pencil and paper but I still break them out every time we have a letter team to show her how they work together.
Merry
says:Maria, that’s a good approach. Some kids are ready to move beyond the tiles sooner than others. Using them for demonstrations of new concepts can still help them get that visual of seeing the letters as one phonogram, and writing is a kinesthetic activity as well.
Maryna
says:Love these, I have made some letter tiles some time back for our Afrikaans friends in South Africa, there are not as pretty as yours, but parents find them very helpful for their kids.
Anneri
says:I tried to teach my daughter some spelling rules like c says /s/ before e,i and y rule, but she just could not remember it. We have started using AAS level 1 and I was amazed when she immediately understood (and remembered) that rule after i use the letter tiles to demonstrate it. Same with the floss rule. Now we are ready for level 2!
Mary
says:I am looking forward to using the magnetic letter tiles with my son. I think seeing and touching the letters will really help him.
Michelle
says:We are loving the program so far. The letters tiles have been very helpful!!
Erin R
says:Letter tiles would definitely be beneficial for my son. He has some fine motor issues, so having to write out spelling words would be frustrating for him. These tiles are great!
Lydia R.
says:Every so often I would jumble up the a-z tiles and have my son rearrange it to let him practice alphabetical order. Now, he’s on level 2, and I don’t have to remind him to rearrange the tiles after spelling out words!
Tiles helped him with the floss rule. For the most part though, he prefers writing instead of manipulating the tiles.
Amy
says:I can’t say enough about what AAS has meant to our family! We stared Kindergarten going the Sonlight multi-subject package route and by 1st grade, we began discovering that we needed something “outside the box” but we weren’t really sure what we needed. We kept coming back to AAS and decided to try it this summer and are about done with Level 1. AAS really pointed out areas where my child was struggling and revealed some underlying reading issues and dyslexia. The tiles have been such a great addition because it gives my busy son something to physically put together. As he “builds” a word with tiles, he is building the word in his mind which creates this mental picture that he rarely forgets. The constant team tiles have really helped him put sounds together and to visualize a word before writing it. There have been lessons where, because of time, we skipped the tiles and just went straight to paper and those are the very concepts my son is still struggling with because we didn’t take the time to thoroughly learn the concepts when they were first introduced. We are having to back track because of that (lesson learned!!). Because of the success we’ve seen w/AAS and how it’s carrying over to reading as well as working with a tutor and seeing how her methods line up with the format of AAR, we are looking to switch over to AAR within the next month as well! While I wish we had started out with AAL in the beginning, we learned some valuable, life-changing lessons about homeschooling and letting go of the standard educational and age expectations as well as letting go of what’s not working despite the money invested in it for the benefit of our child and his education and future…lessons we wouldn’t have learned otherwise.
Brandy L.
says:We love AALP products and own every single spelling and reading product and recommend them whole heartedly to everyone. We’ve had great success with both programs and it’s the some of the only curriculum I don’t want to part with once we are done with it. With that said, all three of my very different children LOATHE the tiles and no one was more surprised than me. After a few years of having them up on the board to use, I finally took them down at the beginning of this year because they just didn’t see any action. Even my young boys who do not enjoy the physical act of writing one iota, still prefer writing over using the tiles. For some reason, the tiles frustrate my kids. They all say they can just write the words much faster. For a few weeks I did color code the dry erase markers we used to write the words to match the letter tiles because I could see the benefit, but even that annoyed them. I think they also didn’t like how easily the tiles fell off the board. Turns out my kids just didn’t need to use them to be successful. They are all wonderful spellers and readers.
Jenny Johnston
says:My daughter also loves using the tiles instead of having to write out the words when she is first learning. It makes it a lot easier for her to make a mistake. I also found that she is more tactile and uses the tiles to her benefit to remember something. For example, trying to remember that f, l and s are doubled at the end of a one syllable word with a short vowel….she started pointing to the tiles and now she has no problem remembering which letters usually double. Could not be happier. Thank you!!!