Hi, I think that some difficulties seems hard and we ask ourselves why is this happening, but this little struggle with your son has been a real blessing for you because you learned to be very patient and faithful and respectful towards his rhythms! Congrats! And thanks for sharing!!😙😙😙
This sounds so similar to my son and I when we are doing classroom activities specifically reading and writing so I’ll be looking into some of these tools you use and hopefully a follow up video of any tools people have suggested that have really helped you being the teacher and your son learning and progressing in these areas he struggles with this has been an extremely hard year for us with lots of speed bumps we’ve had to overcome so I am so happy to see this video bc it was really what I think he and I both needed! You are so right all kids learn at different paces and sometimes we have just got to slow down and not worry about what others say they should be doing at the age they are but just go at their pace
This was encouraging. My oldest struggles with keeping his sounds straight and he was getting frustrated with level K of good and the beautiful and I had to take a step back and I ended up getting Logic of English Foundations A. I assumed he would go quickly through it but wanted to make sure I started him at the beginning to really cement his sounds and they teach all the sounds for each letter at once. His little bro is going through it as well and it seems to be working so far. He is really remembering the sounds and seems more confident which is exactly what he needed. He just turned 7 a few months ago so I wasn't worried and figured it would click but really wanted him to keep working on it. He's incredibly smart and analytical and i know once he really grasps this he will take off like a rocket. The gentle grammar may be a good fit for him as he is not a huge fan of writing either so I'll check that out. Thanks for the encouragement.
I'm so glad I could encourage you! I was in your shoes, mama! It's so scary to know if you are doing enough or doing the right thing. But he will get it :) 7 may seem to old, but he's got time! You're doing great!
If he is dyslexic, copywork isn’t the best idea for spelling or writing other than handwriting practice. I’d suggest having him write a sentence or some phrases from AAR that he’s able to read from the stories. If he can spell what he’s reading by sounding the words out phonetically or remembering the spelling rules he’s learning from that program, it would be the best help for spelling and enforces his reading as well. So pick a sentence from his reading from the previous day, and dictate it- (not copywork) and have him write it from memory. Ask him after he’s finished if there are any words that don’t look quite right. Don’t tell him if he’s misspelled a word, have him use guided discovery. Message me if you have questions!
Thanks, Andrea!!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼 This sounds like a great solution. We do need to do more dictation. It makes sense to connect it with what he’s already learning 😁😁😁 Plus I love not having to buy another curriculum 😉
I have a struggling reader and this year we started all about spelling and it pairs really well with all about reading! I think it has helped her with her reading and for whatever reason, she does really well with spelling even though she struggles with reading!
I was home schooled all the way through and I really struggled with spelling. Spellbound helped me so much. It’s for all ages and I even asked my mom to do it again the next year.
My son is just a year younger than yours and they sound very similar. He struggled with reading, but after switching to a slower pace and using all about reading he has improved! We use all about spelling for him and he is thriving in that. My son also has a hard time with writing on paper. He would misspell words often when he had to take the time to write it out, so we bought the all about spelling app and he uses the letter tiles on that (it’s an awesome app!, $20) and now he is thriving in spelling! He hardly ever misspells a word now. He loves using the tablet, which is a huge incentive for doing spelling.
I don’t have a struggling reader (more of a natural like your daughter), but we LOVE All About Reading and Explode the Code. I really like the method to All About Spelling. Its super systematic like Reading is, but it’s easy to spread out over a longer period of time if you need it to. ♥️ Progress is so exciting!
Every kid has their own journey to reading! For some it's super easy, for others, it's a longer journey. Curriculums that are simple and systematic really help the struggling reader.
You described my 7yo girl and 5yo boy to a tee! We use All About Spelling along with All About Reading for both, and it is working out really well. I like that it is the same “set up” as AAR, so I think it helps the kids transition easily between reading and spelling, if that makes sense.
Glad it's working! I do kind of wish I would have done AAS along side AAR, but I couldn't fit it in! But I think we've found something that is working for us.
If he does well with All About Reading, All About Spelling goes really well with it. I use All About Spelling in combination with other things and I like it.
My son struggled to keep letters with words & spacing. We began highlighting the space he would need to write. This was a huge help. He knew where his words belonged & was able to see how it should be spaced.
We are using Spelling You See, Phonics and Language Lessons for a Living Education 1 from Masterbooks with our youngest . She is struggling with reading. I’m looking at adding Explode the Code maybe during the summer to keep her going.
I love this. After switching curriculum a lot, I happily settled on Ambleside Online. I released my son and myself from the pressure of him 'having to' read by a certain age. We read a loud, listen to audiobooks, etc. But recently I just had a feeling like he (6.5, kinder/ambleside yr 1) was ready for some more. We just started AAR and we love it! I don't notice that there are any learning issues, but he definitely leans toward math and science. Same as your son, he can narrate well. We're just working on handwriting and next year we'll try All About Spelling. How are you teaching him to type?
My oldest is a struggling learner with autism and dyslexia. For spelling I actually found a program on teachers pay teachers that has worked well for him. The list is smaller, but it has space for bonus words if you want to add them. I allow my son to add any new word he knows how to spell 100% that hasn’t been on a previous list, and some of those words have surprised me. I love it because the sheet we use as a test, has the space you write the words from memory. Then it has a sentence using those words, with grammar errors, or mis spelling , that you correct. Then a sentence below that which uses current words and previous spelling words to read and illustrate.
My son is 7 and in 2nd grade. He’s nowhere near where my daughter was at this age with reading. She’s quite advanced and it came to her naturally. I’ve been getting concerned that my son is “behind” compared to most others.
So I have to ask, since you use All About Reading, but didn't mention All About Spelling, have you tried that? Seems like it would be a natural fit since it uses the same letter tiles as AAR and will reinforce the same concepts. When I used AAS with my daughters, we mostly just used the letter tiles, since the physical part of writing was difficult for them. So at least they were learning the concepts, even if we weren't using the curriculum as intended. I also used some of the spelling lists from AAS on Spelling City (so my daughter could type the words). So maybe those are some options if the writing part of it is difficult for your son!
I did try All About Spelling with my oldest in the past, and I didn't like it that much. It's hard to say why I didn't like it, but I felt like it was adding something to my plate that already felt full. I haven't tried it with my boy, but what I decided to do instead of adding an additional curriculum, I'm having him do words that go right along with the lessons he's doing in AAR. And then I add a list of sight words to work on each week, too. In that past the tiles were much better than writing it, but he has been writing on a white board with no problems lately. I will probably use the tiles for spelling with my youngest before he is ready to write.
Same with my boy. No matter what I do he cannot blend sound together no matter what. Until he turn 7 he fly through AAR level one within 2 months. Now 8 months later he is starting level 3.
The middle years is so different then elementary school. My husband the high school teachers says he could never teach our children to read and Im always like but your a certified teacher lol
Dysgraphia and dyslexia a lot of times come together. Saying that fine motor exercises can help handwriting and crossing midline and whole body work to incorporate both hemispheres of brain. We have tried several spelling programs so I feel it is very individual and just what the child and parent can tolerate.
I’m going to try out a reason for spelling this year. My son also is in his reading level. Would you by any chance want to sell the readers for all about reading?
That's great you are using A Reason for Spelling! I decided to finally try All About Spelling this year with my younger two. YES! I'm done with Level 1 Readers, would you like to purchase them? Email me at ashleyweaver356@gmail.com.
Great question about the workbooks... I don't fully LOVE them, but he likes independent work, and these are simple workbooks he can do on his own while I work with my other kiddos. He will move away from these as he becomes a more advanced reader and then will just move into reading and narrating.
GREAT question! He CAN read now, but his endurance is still lacking... reading small letters or too many pages tires him. I am working on his endurance now. I have seen the new AAS!! I am still working through our old edition of AAS 2 :) Then we are switching to IEW's Phonetic Zoo. My son is really good with auditory learning, so I think that it will be good for him! He still REALLY struggles with spelling and writing.
It is wonderful!! Loved it so much and it was super simple. We’ve only used Level 1, but it was easy to work into our week. We didn’t do it EVERY day, about 2x a week.
Thank you for sharing this. My 2nd grader has been struggling as well and some of the resources you shared I believe will help tremendously.
Hi, I think that some difficulties seems hard and we ask ourselves why is this happening, but this little struggle with your son has been a real blessing for you because you learned to be very patient and faithful and respectful towards his rhythms! Congrats! And thanks for sharing!!😙😙😙
Thank you 💜💖💜
Thanks for sharing! Super helpful!
Finally click! Yay so awesome. I've heard so many great things about that curriculum
This sounds so similar to my son and I when we are doing classroom activities specifically reading and writing so I’ll be looking into some of these tools you use and hopefully a follow up video of any tools people have suggested that have really helped you being the teacher and your son learning and progressing in these areas he struggles with this has been an extremely hard year for us with lots of speed bumps we’ve had to overcome so I am so happy to see this video bc it was really what I think he and I both needed! You are so right all kids learn at different paces and sometimes we have just got to slow down and not worry about what others say they should be doing at the age they are but just go at their pace
Aw! I'm glad this was helpful! You are a great mama!
This was encouraging. My oldest struggles with keeping his sounds straight and he was getting frustrated with level K of good and the beautiful and I had to take a step back and I ended up getting Logic of English Foundations A. I assumed he would go quickly through it but wanted to make sure I started him at the beginning to really cement his sounds and they teach all the sounds for each letter at once. His little bro is going through it as well and it seems to be working so far. He is really remembering the sounds and seems more confident which is exactly what he needed. He just turned 7 a few months ago so I wasn't worried and figured it would click but really wanted him to keep working on it. He's incredibly smart and analytical and i know once he really grasps this he will take off like a rocket. The gentle grammar may be a good fit for him as he is not a huge fan of writing either so I'll check that out. Thanks for the encouragement.
I'm so glad I could encourage you! I was in your shoes, mama! It's so scary to know if you are doing enough or doing the right thing. But he will get it :) 7 may seem to old, but he's got time! You're doing great!
Thanks for sharing your update.,
If he is dyslexic, copywork isn’t the best idea for spelling or writing other than handwriting practice. I’d suggest having him write a sentence or some phrases from AAR that he’s able to read from the stories. If he can spell what he’s reading by sounding the words out phonetically or remembering the spelling rules he’s learning from that program, it would be the best help for spelling and enforces his reading as well. So pick a sentence from his reading from the previous day, and dictate it- (not copywork) and have him write it from memory. Ask him after he’s finished if there are any words that don’t look quite right. Don’t tell him if he’s misspelled a word, have him use guided discovery. Message me if you have questions!
Thanks, Andrea!!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼 This sounds like a great solution. We do need to do more dictation. It makes sense to connect it with what he’s already learning 😁😁😁 Plus I love not having to buy another curriculum 😉
Omg this is amazing advice! Thank you for sharing this!
Scythe poster behind you! Ha! Love that game!
I will looking into gentle grammar. Thank you!
It's so great!
I have a struggling reader and this year we started all about spelling and it pairs really well with all about reading! I think it has helped her with her reading and for whatever reason, she does really well with spelling even though she struggles with reading!
I was home schooled all the way through and I really struggled with spelling. Spellbound helped me so much. It’s for all ages and I even asked my mom to do it again the next year.
Thanks for the tip!
That's so true not every kids learns at the same pace.
Yes typing has been so helpful for my son too
My son is just a year younger than yours and they sound very similar. He struggled with reading, but after switching to a slower pace and using all about reading he has improved! We use all about spelling for him and he is thriving in that. My son also has a hard time with writing on paper. He would misspell words often when he had to take the time to write it out, so we bought the all about spelling app and he uses the letter tiles on that (it’s an awesome app!, $20) and now he is thriving in spelling! He hardly ever misspells a word now. He loves using the tablet, which is a huge incentive for doing spelling.
That's such a great idea! I will have to check out the app. My son would love that too for sure!
You look beautiful, that shirt is fabulous! 🙌
Would love a detailed video about the AAR program.
Coming soon!
“Combining your powers” 💥 love it
🤩
Such a good mom listening to your children's need 😍
You are so kind :)
We love Explode the Code, my 6 year old is on book 2. He did the primers as well.
I don’t have a struggling reader (more of a natural like your daughter), but we LOVE All About Reading and Explode the Code. I really like the method to All About Spelling. Its super systematic like Reading is, but it’s easy to spread out over a longer period of time if you need it to. ♥️ Progress is so exciting!
Yes!
Ummm..loving your hair and shirt! You look stunning!!
You’re so kind Anna! 😘😘😘
We use SpellingYouSee. Loving. It.
Every kid has their own journey to reading! For some it's super easy, for others, it's a longer journey. Curriculums that are simple and systematic really help the struggling reader.
I've been using Spelling You See for my struggling reader, seeing progress so far! It's a very gentle approach.
This is the one on my radar!! Thanks for the input ☺️
Thank you 🙏🏼
You are welcome!
All about spelling is a great curriculum!
Breaking it up into smaller sessions and consistency has work well for me
You described my 7yo girl and 5yo boy to a tee! We use All About Spelling along with All About Reading for both, and it is working out really well. I like that it is the same “set up” as AAR, so I think it helps the kids transition easily between reading and spelling, if that makes sense.
Glad it's working! I do kind of wish I would have done AAS along side AAR, but I couldn't fit it in! But I think we've found something that is working for us.
Yes!! Same with my son. Oh my the verbal action of communication he is soooo great at that. Writing and spelling....not so much.
If he does well with All About Reading, All About Spelling goes really well with it. I use All About Spelling in combination with other things and I like it.
No tears is an accomplishment!!
My son struggled to keep letters with words & spacing. We began highlighting the space he would need to write. This was a huge help. He knew where his words belonged & was able to see how it should be spaced.
I LOVE this tip and will have to try it! Thanks!
Good idea
We are using Spelling You See, Phonics and Language Lessons for a Living Education 1 from Masterbooks with our youngest . She is struggling with reading. I’m looking at adding Explode the Code maybe during the summer to keep her going.
How has your language arts been going?? Seeing any improvement??
I love this. After switching curriculum a lot, I happily settled on Ambleside Online. I released my son and myself from the pressure of him 'having to' read by a certain age. We read a loud, listen to audiobooks, etc. But recently I just had a feeling like he (6.5, kinder/ambleside yr 1) was ready for some more. We just started AAR and we love it! I don't notice that there are any learning issues, but he definitely leans toward math and science. Same as your son, he can narrate well. We're just working on handwriting and next year we'll try All About Spelling.
How are you teaching him to type?
Thank you for the grammar recommendations!
We used Typing.com! It’s been simple and free!
We just started explode the code again for my first grader.
My oldest is a struggling learner with autism and dyslexia. For spelling I actually found a program on teachers pay teachers that has worked well for him. The list is smaller, but it has space for bonus words if you want to add them. I allow my son to add any new word he knows how to spell 100% that hasn’t been on a previous list, and some of those words have surprised me. I love it because the sheet we use as a test, has the space you write the words from memory. Then it has a sentence using those words, with grammar errors, or mis spelling , that you correct. Then a sentence below that which uses current words and previous spelling words to read and illustrate.
That sounds great!! Can you share the link with me???
Can you please share the link?
My son is 7 and in 2nd grade. He’s nowhere near where my daughter was at this age with reading. She’s quite advanced and it came to her naturally. I’ve been getting concerned that my son is “behind” compared to most others.
So I have to ask, since you use All About Reading, but didn't mention All About Spelling, have you tried that? Seems like it would be a natural fit since it uses the same letter tiles as AAR and will reinforce the same concepts. When I used AAS with my daughters, we mostly just used the letter tiles, since the physical part of writing was difficult for them. So at least they were learning the concepts, even if we weren't using the curriculum as intended. I also used some of the spelling lists from AAS on Spelling City (so my daughter could type the words). So maybe those are some options if the writing part of it is difficult for your son!
I did try All About Spelling with my oldest in the past, and I didn't like it that much. It's hard to say why I didn't like it, but I felt like it was adding something to my plate that already felt full. I haven't tried it with my boy, but what I decided to do instead of adding an additional curriculum, I'm having him do words that go right along with the lessons he's doing in AAR. And then I add a list of sight words to work on each week, too. In that past the tiles were much better than writing it, but he has been writing on a white board with no problems lately. I will probably use the tiles for spelling with my youngest before he is ready to write.
You are HILARIOUS 🤣
Same with my boy. No matter what I do he cannot blend sound together no matter what. Until he turn 7 he fly through AAR level one within 2 months. Now 8 months later he is starting level 3.
Yay!!! My boy is now in Level 3 as well and it is going so much quicker than 1 did!
The middle years is so different then elementary school. My husband the high school teachers says he could never teach our children to read and Im always like but your a certified teacher lol
Oh yes, so true!! It is totally different!
Dysgraphia and dyslexia a lot of times come together. Saying that fine motor exercises can help handwriting and crossing midline and whole body work to incorporate both hemispheres of brain. We have tried several spelling programs so I feel it is very individual and just what the child and parent can tolerate.
Yes, thank you for sharing!
Is the box you have in the background for your AAR cards? If so, do you know where you got it?
It's an index card box! I think I got it at Walmart? Look for one that holds 3x5 cards. I have three for all of my AAR word cards!
I’m going to try out a reason for spelling this year. My son also is in his reading level. Would you by any chance want to sell the readers for all about reading?
That's great you are using A Reason for Spelling! I decided to finally try All About Spelling this year with my younger two. YES! I'm done with Level 1 Readers, would you like to purchase them? Email me at ashleyweaver356@gmail.com.
Try journaling with him
Do you think that the work books are necessary?
Great question about the workbooks... I don't fully LOVE them, but he likes independent work, and these are simple workbooks he can do on his own while I work with my other kiddos. He will move away from these as he becomes a more advanced reader and then will just move into reading and narrating.
Where did you get the Gentle Grammar printed?
Hi! I printed it with Family Nest Printing! It was quick and affordable. Try it here- lddy.no/uvdn
Thank you
Is he still a struggling reader? Have you seen the new color AAS?😊
GREAT question! He CAN read now, but his endurance is still lacking... reading small letters or too many pages tires him. I am working on his endurance now. I have seen the new AAS!! I am still working through our old edition of AAS 2 :) Then we are switching to IEW's Phonetic Zoo. My son is really good with auditory learning, so I think that it will be good for him! He still REALLY struggles with spelling and writing.
Do I need to be a home school parent to use these materials?
No! If you’d like to use these with your kids as help after school or on the weekends, you can totally use them!
We love AAR
Love it!!
I’m wondering if you have liked gentle grammar now that you have used it
It is wonderful!! Loved it so much and it was super simple. We’ve only used Level 1, but it was easy to work into our week. We didn’t do it EVERY day, about 2x a week.