Placement guide, language arts
Which level of All About Spelling should my child start?
How All About Spelling levels line up with school grades, how its placement test works, what to do if your child lands between two levels, and the mistakes parents most often make.
The short answer. Level numbers are not grades. The publisher calls it a mastery-based program that is not a grade-level program, and says most students, including older ones, start in Level 1. A 5th grader in Level 1 is normal. The online placement test only ever recommends Level 1 or Level 2, so a parent expecting it to place a strong 6th grader in Level 4 or 5 will be surprised.
Use the publisher's own placement tool to choose the level (free, online). If you are not sure where your child really is, or the result surprises you, check the level first: it is quicker than a wrong book.
All About Spelling levels and the grades they usually suit
| Level | Usually suits grade | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
| All About Spelling Level 1 | Not given by the publisher | Phonograms A-Z plus TH, SH, CH, CK, NG, NK, short vowel words, initial blends, compound words, segmenting words into sounds. 25 lessons. The publisher says almost all students start here. |
| All About Spelling Level 2 | Not given by the publisher | Phonograms WH, EE, ER, AR, OR, OU, OY, OI, AW, AU, OW, Vowel-Consonant-E words, plurals of words ending in silent E, open, closed and R-controlled syllables. 31 lessons. |
| All About Spelling Level 3 | Not given by the publisher | Phonograms AI, AY, UR, OA, OO, EA, ED, IGH, IR, EY, common contractions, consonant-le syllables, consonant and vowel suffixes. 30 lessons. |
| All About Spelling Level 4 | Not given by the publisher | Phonograms TCH, DGE, EW, EI, WR, KN, EIGH, EAR, PH, TI, OE and more, /shun/ spelled TION, adding prefixes. 38 lessons. |
| All About Spelling Level 5 | Not given by the publisher | Phonograms SI, IE, OUGH, UI, GN, OUR, CI, EI and IE spellings, adding two suffixes to a word, irregular plurals. 28 lessons. |
| All About Spelling Level 6 | Not given by the publisher | Phonograms MB, GU, AUGH, IBLE and ABLE endings, suffixes such as AIN, IVE, TURE, ICE, ATE, adding LY to consonant-le words. 30 lessons. |
| All About Spelling Level 7 | Not given by the publisher | Latin roots, Greek word parts, French, Spanish and Italian loan words, keeping or dropping silent E before suffixes, ANCE versus ENCE. 30 lessons. The publisher says a child who finishes is spelling at high school level. |
Grades are the publisher's own guide. Many children sit a level above or below, especially after switching programs.
How All About Spelling placement works
- A free step-by-step web test that the parent runs with the child, with paper and pencil.
- Each step ends with a yes or no question.
- The steps are: read five short words aloud, then (unless the child has finished All About Reading Level 2, 3 or 4) spell eight dictated words, segment five words into sounds, give the sounds of 30 phonograms, write ten phonograms from their sounds, spell 14 short vowel words, answer at least 12 of 16 spelling rule questions, and write four dictated sentences with no spelling errors.
- Any 'no' ends the test with Level 1.
- Passing every step gives Level 2, which is the highest level the test assigns.
- If the child cannot easily read the first five words, the publisher says to build reading first and highly recommends finishing All About Reading Level 1, except for struggling readers, who may start spelling Level 1 anyway.
Open the publisher's placement page
If your child lands between two levels
The publisher says students should start no higher than Level 2 so they learn every rule and the syllable types. Families who believe a child belongs higher than Level 2 are asked to contact the publisher for individual placement help. For older students, the publisher says to move as fast as mastery allows inside a level rather than skip levels, and each early lesson has a 'Can you skip this lesson?' check.
Problems parents often run into
- Parents report that Level 1 feels slow and young for an older child, and that the publisher still recommends it, so older children often move through it quickly as review.
- Parents who start an older child at Level 1 end up buying several levels, since the publisher itself suggests buying more than one level at once for older students.
- Lessons are scripted and parent-led, with letter tiles, flashcards and a review box, so it is not a program a child works through alone.
- Parents are often unsure whether to start spelling before reading is solid. The publisher says to wait until the child reads at a basic level, except for older struggling readers.
Point of Progress in 20 seconds
Ready to see where your child stands?
See where they stand →Switching to All About Spelling from another program
- Coming from another program, take the online test. It will still place the child in Level 1 or 2, and the publisher handles higher placement by email.
- The publisher says students with prior Orton-Gillingham instruction may start at Level 2, and a student who already spells at junior high level can start Level 7 with modifications after contacting customer service (publisher staff replies on its blog).
- After a break of more than about a month, the publisher suggests at least two weeks of review before continuing (publisher staff reply on its blog).
When you don't need a whole level
A placement test answers one question: which book. If your child is mostly on track but shaky in one area, say fractions or paragraph writing, a full lower level means months of review they do not need. Practising just the gaps is faster, and keeps them in the book that fits the rest of their skills.
Questions parents ask
How long is a All About Spelling lesson?
20 minutes a day (lessons, called steps, can take several days or a week)
Is it bad if my child places below their grade?
No. Programs pace topics differently, so a lower level often reflects the order things were taught, not how able a child is. What matters is starting where the work makes sense.
Do I need a placement test at all?
If you are switching programs or your child has had a hard year, yes. Starting too high is the most common reason a new curriculum stalls in the first month.
Keep reading
Curriculum finder
Match math and reading programs to your child, your faith and your state.
Which level of Logic of English?
Levels, grades and how to place.
Which level of Explode the Code?
Levels, grades and how to place.
Which level of Fix It! Grammar?
Levels, grades and how to place.
Which level of Brave Writer?
Levels, grades and how to place.
Best secular language arts
Secular reading, spelling and writing programs compared.
Best Christian language arts
Christian and Catholic reading and writing programs.
Sources
- allaboutlearningpress.com/spelling-placement
- allaboutlearningpress.com/aas-placement-test-1
- allaboutlearningpress.com/aas-placement-test-2/
- allaboutlearningpress.com/aas-placement-test-3/
- allaboutlearningpress.com/aas-placement-test-4/
- allaboutlearningpress.com/aas-placement-test-5/
Know where they stand before you buy the book.
About forty minutes at home, math and reading & writing, grades 3 to 10. The report is ready as soon as the test finishes.
Test your child, $9.99 →or with the ten-week workbook, $19.99This page is Point of Progress's own research, compiled in November 2026 from publishers' websites, placement materials and parent reviews. Publishers update their products, levels, placement tests and prices from time to time, so please verify all information with the provider before you buy. Point of Progress is independent and is not affiliated with any publisher named here.