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Tell me about MCT Lang Arts


jessj
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I've used FLL with my kids for 3 years.  I have a rising 4th grader who I am looking for something different for.  She has been through L3 of FLL.  We both got tired of the format of FLL this last year.  For years 1&2 it was great, but this last year was a bit of torture for both of us.  I'm not certain exactly what it was that was so painful for us.  Perhaps the back and forth nature of it?  Looking for something that is more student led, or at least is a short lesson followed by student work. 

I was thinking of trying out Easy Grammar this year as I hadn't found anything that appealed more.  BUT, I just saw MCT!  It is very different from most.  They story format is very appealing!  We're fairly happy with what we use for spelling/writing, etc... it's really only Grammar that I'm looking for right now. 

 

So tell me, how do you use it?  Do you feel like you need the teachers manuals?  And what level would you start a 4th grader who has been through FLL3 with?  Island looks a bit easy for her so I was thinking maybe town?  Do you use the entire series, or do you just use part in your homeschool?  Do you feel it's possible to use only parts of the series and not all?

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If you're looking for something that can be done independently, then MCT is *NOT* for you. MCT is taught via Socratic dialogue and therefore is very teacher-intensive. The grammar portion would likely be easy after FLL 3, but I would place by the writing as that is the most challenging of the MCT components. So most likely "town", but possibly start with "Sentence Island" followed by "town".

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I agree with PP as far as MCT being teacher intensive. But it's more discussion than lecturing, and definitely worth it. As for where to start, I'm not sure as my kids didn't do FLL.

 

Last year is when we started with MCT. My dd was in 4th grade and I had purchased Voyages in English for her as that's what she used in 3rd grade and I loved it. Note that I said, "I loved it." My dd did not like it one bit. I pre-tested her in the vocabulary section and she aced it, so I started looking into vocabulary alternatives, when I found MCT and fell in love. I debated where to start my dd, as she was in 4th and had a solid foundation in grammar. In the end, I decided that I'd feel better if she went through Island level fast and then started Town instead of skipping Island and realizing too late that she should've done Island first.

 

For my 4th grade dd, it was best to start at Island. I'm very glad that I did and do not regret the decision one bit. She's half way through the Town level, and then she'll start Voyage.

 

As for which components we use, well, we use it all. I love it all. The kids (DS also did Island last year and will be starting Town in the fall) loved all components. I've read on these boards that some do not like the poetry books, but my kids and I loved the poetry book in Island. I think it's all good. Yes, you can choose parts that you want to do versus those you don't. I think they could easily be used separately, but they do all flow nicely together.

 

Best of luck in deciding!

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I agree with PP as far as MCT being teacher intensive. But it's more discussion than lecturing, and definitely worth it. As for where to start, I'm not sure as my kids didn't do FLL.

 

 

I think this is why we got tired of FLL.  For level 3 it DIDN'T feel worth it to sit there together.  We both felt like it could have easily been written to the student and done independently.  That's where the idea of possibly switching to independent work came in.  But if it is interesting and worth it... then I'm totally ok with that!

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So... what would you purchase if you were me? 

I am happy with our writing using a combo of WWE and Imitation In Writing.  Is it reasonable to leave out the MCT writing portion? 

I would need Grammar & Practice.  Possibly need Building Lang and Poetry.  We study Latin, so do you think Building Lang is necessary? 

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So... what would you purchase if you were me? 

 

I am happy with our writing using a combo of WWE and Imitation In Writing.  Is it reasonable to leave out the MCT writing portion? 

 

I would need Grammar & Practice.  Possibly need Building Lang and Poetry.  We study Latin, so do you think Building Lang is necessary? 

 

Are you looking at the Town or Island level? If you are looking at Island, I would not worry about the vocabulary book, but the poetry one is nice, albeit far more advanced than most poetry books written for that grade range. I have heard great things about Caesar's English from the Town and Voyage levels. Sentence Island mostly focuses on creating well-written sentences, and a lot of people enjoy it, but if you're happy with what you have, then stick with your plan.  

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Would you do the vocabulary if you are also doing Latin?

 

The Latin Roots book in Island was okay--a good introduction for my kids who hadn't had any Latin experience. Since your child already knows some Latin, I don't think it would be worth it to get the Latin book from Island. Caesar's English, however, is awesome. So, if you're going with the Island level books, I'd skip the Latin portion, but if you're going with the Town level, definitely get Caesar's English I.

 

Just my $0.02. ;)

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FYI, most of the grammar instruction in both "island" and "town" is actually in the writing books. So even if you don't plan on doing the writing exercises in "Sentence Island" or "Paragraph Town" you will still need those books. If you're on a tight budget, I would actually skip "Grammar Island" as all the information is covered in more depth in "Sentence Island".

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My 4th grader was working on FLL4 and we had the same feeling about it. So when we found MCT, we were thrilled! We did Sentence Island, and then jumped into the Town level. It was fine. Don't skip Sentence Island!! Even if you don't do the rest of Island.

 

The Grammar books are pretty repetitive - at least Town and Voyage are. So I think you'd be fine with skipping Grammar Island. I agree that much of the applied grammar instruction comes in the writing books. If you are planning to do WWS, do Paragraph Town first - some kind of explicit instruction in paragraphing will make WWS go much more smoothly.

 

Caesar's English is the bomb!

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I really like the new CE - I've had both.  It adds a lot of Roman history, and it makes very explicit connections among the grammar, writing, vocab, and poetics.  The old one was great, but I"m glad we got the new one.

 

With CE2, OTOH, we had the old version so we used it, and it's been fine.  So really, it works either way.  But if I was buying it new I'd get the enhanced.

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