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Review: All About Spelling Level 2

My devotion to All About Learning Press is bordering on a personality trait at this point, so naturally, we moved straight into All About Spelling Level 2 the moment we cleared Level 1. My first order of business? Surgically removing the spine of the Teacher’s Manual and replacing it with a spiral binding at Staples. There is something profoundly satisfying—and perhaps a little nerdy—about a lay-flat book that stays open exactly where you need it. It’s the ultimate homeschooling luxury, and I highly recommend it for your sanity.

This program is a multisensory extravaganza that ensures your child hears, sees, and physically manipulates the language. It comes with everything but the kitchen sink: phonogram cards, word banks, and even a "jail" for those rebellious words that refuse to follow the rules. While the program traditionally uses letter tiles, we’ve opted for the tablet app to prevent the inevitable tragedy of me vacuuming up the letter 'Q.' However, we haven't abandoned the tactile fun entirely; we’ve just customized it to fit our daughter’s interests.


In Level 1, the program provided tokens for phonemic awareness, but Level 2 leaves the "tokens" up to your imagination. In our house, that means Hot Wheels. My daughter uses a Lamborghini to signify a consonant and a Mustang to track a vowel sound. There is something hilarious about watching a miniature car signify a silent 'e,' but it works! It keeps her engaged, keeps the "boredom monsters" at bay, and proves that you can teach high-level orthography with a side of "vroom vroom."


Level 2 really gets into the "nitty-gritty" of spelling concepts. We’re talking syllable division, soft consonant sounds, and the "er" sounds that usually trip everyone up. It builds beautifully on the foundation of the first level but adds enough depth to keep things interesting. I’ve also started letting her type her spelling lists on my iPad keyboard case once or twice a week. It’s excellent "real world" practice, and since the standard computer keyboard is a bit large for her hands, the iPad is the perfect ergonomic middle ground.

We acquired this level through our 2nd Grade Timberdoodle kit, and I consider it a non-negotiable for our school year. It’s a game-changer for kids who struggle with traditional "rote memorization" spelling lists because it teaches the logic behind the words. If you aren't using All About Spelling, I genuinely want to know what your "must-have" curriculum is. Tell us your secrets in the comment section below—I’m always looking for my next favorite thing!

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