All About Spelling
"All About Spelling," part of the suite of tools from All About Learning Press, was founded by Marie Rippel after a personal journey with her son's severe dyslexia. Disappointed by the inadequate resources available, Marie, leveraging her background in language arts education, developed this curriculum based on the Orton-Gillingham approach. This method is revered for its multisensory and structured techniques, designed to assist learners of all types, not just those with learning difficulties. Her initiative has grown into a well-regarded resource helping thousands of families, facilitating easier learning processes in reading and spelling.
Differentiation: What Makes It Special
What sets "All About Spelling" apart is its foundation in the Orton-Gillingham approach, which is specifically advantageous for children with dyslexia and other learning challenges. This curriculum is meticulously structured to ensure there are no gaps in a student's understanding, fostering a thorough comprehension of spelling rules through multisensory techniques. These methods support various learning needs, making it a versatile tool for a broad range of learners (All About Learning Press).
How to Get Started
To begin with "All About Spelling," parents can purchase the curriculum directly from the All About Learning Press website. It's recommended to start with the level that matches the child's current spelling proficiency, which might involve some initial assessments available through the curriculum itself.
How It Works
"All About Spelling" is designed as an easy-to-follow program that parents can implement with their children. It requires about 15-20 minutes per day, emphasizing consistent, short sessions to build and reinforce spelling skills. The program includes interactive activities and uses letter tiles to engage students in a hands-on learning experience. It is predominantly parent-led, requiring active participation from the adult to guide the child through the learning process (All About Learning Press).
What Educational Concepts It Teaches
Basic and advanced phonograms
Spelling rules and generalizations
Word segmentation and syllable division
Morphology, including prefixes, suffixes, and roots
Strategies for choosing the correct homophones in context
Techniques for mastering tricky words and irregular spellings
What’s Good About It
Users often praise "All About Spelling" for its systematic approach that builds a strong spelling foundation from the ground up. Parents appreciate the curriculum's ease of use and its effectiveness in improving their children’s spelling skills, particularly for those who struggle with traditional learning methods. The program's incremental and cumulative nature ensures that each new concept is firmly understood before moving on to more complex topics (All About Learning Press).
What Could Be Improved
While "All About Spelling" receives high marks for its structured approach, some users feel that its rigid format might not be as engaging for children who prefer more variety and creativity in their learning. Additionally, the necessity for significant parental involvement might be challenging for families looking for more autonomous learning options for their children (All About Learning Press).
Advice from Parents
Parents who have used "All About Spelling" suggest supplementing the curriculum with real-world writing tasks to enhance practical application of the spelling rules learned. They also recommend maintaining a regular schedule to fully benefit from the program’s cumulative learning structure, which helps solidify the spelling concepts over time (All About Learning Press).
Who It’s an Ideal Fit For
"All About Spelling" is particularly suited for children who thrive with structured, step-by-step learning processes. It is ideal for students who struggle with dyslexia or other learning disorders that affect their spelling and reading abilities. The program’s systematic approach and emphasis on understanding the logic behind spelling rules make it a powerful tool for these learners (All About Learning Press).
Who It’s Probably Not a Fit For
This program may not be the best fit for students who prefer a more exploratory or flexible approach to learning. Children who thrive on more interactive, technology-based learning might find the traditional, tactile method of letter tiles less engaging. Additionally, families seeking a less hands-on role in daily education might find the program’s parent-led nature too demanding (All About Learning Press).
Grades
The curriculum is designed for children from kindergarten through seventh grade, providing multiple levels to cater to various spelling abilities.
Cost
The program is priced per level, with each level costing approximately $40, making the full set of materials available for around $280 if all levels are purchased together.
Ways to Get It
"All About Spelling" can be purchased directly from the All About Learning Press website. This includes all necessary materials such as teacher’s manuals, student packets, and interactive kits for hands-on learning (All About Learning Press).
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Discover Touch-Type Read and Spell (TTRS), a program uniquely designed to support dyslexics with typing, reading, and spelling through an engaging, multi-sensory approach. Read our in-depth review to see how it can benefit learners across all grades.