Apples is different than any other spelling program out there, taking into consideration the unique needs of poor spellers. Once a week your student is introduced to a spelling rule (called a clue). He will study that rule for the entire week, applying it in all kinds of spelling situations: puzzles, fill-in-th-blank, complete-the-Bible-verse, etc. Some of the clues break a word down into syllables. For example, your student will be taught that the syllable that sounds like "-shun" is usually spelled "-tion." (Exceptions are addressed as well.) Your student will then apply that rule over and over in many different ways: action, motion, redemption, caution, etc. Apples builds another important skill in poor spellers. A good speller can look at a word, and even if they aren't sure how to spell it, they know it doesn't "look" right. Apples introduces your student to this skill by teaching them to recognize mispelled words in sentences with carefully-controlled vocabulary and specific rules. Possibly for the first time in his life, your student will be taught to recognize when a word doesn't "look right" - and if your student is like mine, that's a skill he really needs!