logic of english foundations questions about

[mom2Hh]

I'm getting ready to purchase Logic of English Foundations and have some questions that I haven't figured out from their website. So for those of you who use or have used the program...

 

What components do you feel essential besides the teacher manual and student workbook?

 

Is the manuscript style of handwriting they use D'Nealian or Italic?  I can't tell from the samples they have.  (Odd that they just call it manuscript when there are so many types of manuscript...?)

 

Could the phonogram cards be made at home?  (I'll be using the program with only one child, my younger.)

 

Can I make the manuscript game cards myself?

 

(as far as making them myself- I know anything is possible but not sure how many cards there are or what's on them.  I'm not trying to be cheap but we need to save money wherever we can....)

 

How essential are the tactile cards?

 

It sounds like the readers are IN the workbooks- is that correct?

 

What is the minimum you'd buy for a good experience?

 

and I feel that it would be easier for my son to learn "regular" manuscript at first (like handwriting without tears).  Am I wrong? Is it possible to teach a different handwriting style with this program?  It seems it would be difficult if the workbook is in italic type.  (My older son is learning italics but he first learned regular print- HWT sort-of.)

 

 

 

[kirstenhill]

I'll try my best to answer the questions.  :-)

 

 

I'm getting ready to purchase Logic of English Foundations and have some questions that I haven't figured out from their website. So for those of you who use or have used the program...

 

What components do you feel essential besides the teacher manual and student workbook?

 

You will almost certainly use phonogram cards too, but you can make your own.

 

Is the manuscript style of handwriting they use D'Nealian or Italic?  I can't tell from the samples they have.  (Odd that they just call it manuscript when there are so many types of manuscript...?)

 

I guess I don't know the difference between these two styles, so I can't answer this one.

 

Could the phonogram cards be made at home?  (I'll be using the program with only one child, my younger.)

 

Yes -- but it would be a bit of work to duplicate since they have information on the back as well (hints as to the sound, rules when the phonogram can/can't be used)

 

Can I make the manuscript game cards myself?

 

Yes -- there are some special cards, but you can probably figure out what they are as you come upon the games that need them.  They say things like Dragon, Rotten Egg, etc with small pictures.  Otherwise the cards just have the letters on them.  I think just one of each single and multi letter phonogram. 

 

(as far as making them myself- I know anything is possible but not sure how many cards there are or what's on them.  I'm not trying to be cheap but we need to save money wherever we can....)

 

How essential are the tactile cards?

 

I have had students in Essentials and Foundations A-C (I did the beta test) and we have never had them. So I guess you don't really need them...but I also haven't really done much of the handwriting instruction in the program.

 

It sounds like the readers are IN the workbooks- is that correct?

 

Yes, they are being sold in the workbook

 

What is the minimum you'd buy for a good experience?

 

I guess I would buy the teacher manual, student manual and the phonogram cards.  I think it would be tempting to end up not making ALL the phonogram cards or not write in all the info, and I have found them to be pretty essential to the LoE programs.  We rarely use the game cards.

 

and I feel that it would be easier for my son to learn "regular" manuscript at first (like handwriting without tears).  Am I wrong? Is it possible to teach a different handwriting style with this program?  It seems it would be difficult if the workbook is in italic type.  (My older son is learning italics but he first learned regular print- HWT sort-of.)

 

We have kind of ignored the handwritng instruction.  I really did TRY and teach DS6  last year (as a K'er) by the LoE handwriting methods, and I was a flop at teaching him that way.  He still (even as a first grader) does not see the point AT ALL in having nice handwriting and no matter how much I try to convince him, he won't be swayed and pretty much writes however he wants to write. He just ignored how the "examples" were written and wrote his letters his own way.  I'm using a bit of Foundations A with DS4, but we aren't doing handwriting really at all -- we just skip those parts.  He taught himself how to make his upper case letters and doesn't want to learn lower case yet, so I just let him write all in upper case.  I know, I know...send the handwriting police after me...LOL!!!!   My DD already knew how to write in cursive when we started LoE Essentials, so no problems there.  So I think you can forge your own path if you want with the handwriting if you think that's a better fit for your family.

 

[sunnyday]

Is the manuscript style of handwriting they use D'Nealian or Italic?  I can't tell from the samples they have.  (Odd that they just call it manuscript when there are so many types of manuscript...?)

 

I haven't used it but I looked into it and can answer this. They originally had used D'Nealian but then they had someone create a font for them that corrected some of the issues they had with D'Nealian.

 

http://www.logicofenglish.com/products/fonts

[FromA2Z]

I'm getting ready to purchase Logic of English Foundations and have some questions that I haven't figured out from their website. So for those of you who use or have used the program...

 

What components do you feel essential besides the teacher manual and student workbook?

 

I'll be different and say 2 sets of game cards.  You can use the game cards as phonogram cards.  They are smaller and do NOT have the pronunciation and hints on the back for the teacher.  However that info is listed in a chart in the front of the teacher manual.  The game cards include the "special" cards you will use for games.  The games (along with some workbook sheets) are the primary method of reviewing the phonograms.  The phonograms cards are too big and bulky to use for games.  My ds loves playing the games so we use them 2-4 x a week.  I only use the phonogram cards when introducing the phonogram for the 1st time.  I rarely use each individual phonogram card more than once.  If you don't think you will want to do the games, and instead want to just use  the phonogram cards as "flashcards" for review, then they of course would be a better alternative.  (They are big - 5x7).  FYI - Level A does not use the game cards as much as B & C.

 

Is the manuscript style of handwriting they use D'Nealian or Italic?  I can't tell from the samples they have.  (Odd that they just call it manuscript when there are so many types of manuscript...?)

 

Neither but closer to italic...I believe.

 

Could the phonogram cards be made at home?  (I'll be using the program with only one child, my younger.)

 

You could using an Avery name tag template.  The info for the phonogram cards is in the front of the teacher's manual.

 

Can I make the manuscript game cards myself?

 

Yes,  they are just the phonograms plus the "special cards"  You would have to figure out what the special cards are by reading the instructions for games.  

 

(as far as making them myself- I know anything is possible but not sure how many cards there are or what's on them.  I'm not trying to be cheap but we need to save money wherever we can....)

 

I believe there are 70 phonogram cards in each set plus about 10-15 different game cards.  This is the total for all 4 levels of foundations (A-D).  So you will not need to make then all at once.  i.e. In level A - you will learn 26 phonograms - and I think use (maybe) 1 or 2 of the specialty game cards.

 

How essential are the tactile cards?

 

I didn't use them for my current ds.  (We are beta testers - so they weren't available).  Since I don't have to buy anything for my next two dc, I think I will get them for my next.  But certainly not essential, especially if you won't be doing her handwriting.  

 

It sounds like the readers are IN the workbooks- is that correct?

 

YES

 

What is the minimum you'd buy for a good experience?

 

TM, Workbook, game cards,  dry erase board (does not have to be LOE board - though I do like it.  It has BIG Line on one side and smaller lines on opposite side.)  

 

and I feel that it would be easier for my son to learn "regular" manuscript at first (like handwriting without tears).  Am I wrong? Is it possible to teach a different handwriting style with this program?  It seems it would be difficult if the workbook is in italic type.  (My older son is learning italics but he first learned regular print- HWT sort-of.)

 

We do use the handwriting in LOE.  It is not essential, and you can use a different program.  I did not use the handwriting sheets supplied in LOE A for handwriting (which is where you would see the font).  My ds started A at 4.5.  We used the handwriting instruction provided  and did: air-writing, sensory writing, paint bags, and dry erase board.  LOE suggests using these methods for younger kids.  Letter "writing" is considered essential in the program as a tactile/kinesthetic way of learning/remembering the phonograms.  My ds did not have any problems learning the handwriting and it did start off very step by step.  (I have HWT - but found it too "squished" for my taste.)

 

I have to say that I love this program.  It has been very thorough and enjoyable for my ds and he has really thrived.  He probably is a "natural" but I appreciate the completeness and ease of it.

[Soror]

What components do you feel essential besides the teacher manual and student workbook? I'd at least buy the phonogram cards.

 

Is the manuscript style of handwriting they use D'Nealian or Italic?  I can't tell from the samples they have.  (Odd that they just call it manuscript when there are so many types of manuscript...?)

 

Could the phonogram cards be made at home?  (I'll be using the program with only one child, my younger.)

 

Can I make the manuscript game cards myself?

 

(as far as making them myself- I know anything is possible but not sure how many cards there are or what's on them.  I'm not trying to be cheap but we need to save money wherever we can....) you could but I don't know that it would be worth it fore the time and energy. The game sets just have the phonogram on them(without the pronunciation cues) and some special cards, rotten egg, dragon, etc.

 

How essential are the tactile cards? they weren't available when we started. I'm considering them for my dd#2 but I'm not sure yet. I can see that they could be especially helpful for the younger child

 

It sounds like the readers are IN the workbooks- is that correct? yes

 

What is the minimum you'd buy for a good experience?

 

and I feel that it would be easier for my son to learn "regular" manuscript at first (like handwriting without tears).  Am I wrong? Is it possible to teach a different handwriting style with this program?  It seems it would be difficult if the workbook is in italic type.  (My older son is learning italics but he first learned regular print- HWT sort-of.) I used HWoT w/ my oldest but I just used LoE font for dd. I found their handwriting instructions to be fairly easy. You could use another font if you wanted though.

[mom2Hh]

Thank you everyone.  Their website is confusing with saying the minimum you need is the teacher's manual and student workbook but it sounds like some of the cards are just as important.

 

What about Doodling Dragons?  Have you found it really useful?  Is it just a reading book? (meaning it's not a workbook?)

[Soror]

Doodling Dragons wasn't released when we beta tested so we didn't have it but we bought the app when it was on sale and it was well worth it . I wish we would have had the app when we started as I think it would have been fun practice for dd and dd(almost)4 enjoys playing on it which I think will give her a head start when I start the program with her. I would highly recommend it for one starting out w/ Foundations. I don't have the book but judging from the app and what I've seen I believe it is a fun book introducing all the 26 single letter phonograms and all the sounds they make It depends on how much you have to spend, the teachers book and student book are essential the cards and game cards are useful. I think for the time and effort to make them yourself that the phonogram and game cards are worth it but you could make them if needed.

[Mrszjk]

We are using LoE and I have found that it was worth getting the phonogram cards. You can do without Doodling dragons but honestly my kids love it and ask to read it for fun. 2 of my kids like feeling the letters and 1 hates the feel of the sandpaper. Could they live without them? Yes,

but the program is designed to teach using many learning styles and tactile learning is a great way to reinforce what you are teaching. I also switched all the kids from manuscript to cursive and there was no problem. If anything their handwriting improved greatly. You could teach it with the teachers manual, student book and flash cards but all the extras are what makes it unique and adds to the intrest of the program.

 

[Teneo]

Doodling Dragons is a favorite book and app of my son. He's always asking if he can give it as a gift to his friends.

 

Their tactile cards I made my own. At the same time I've slightly changed a few things to be italic friendly in the cursive workbook (whited out loops). I love how they explain the elements of share common to letter formation and then describe how to form each letter using those elements (like swing, swoop, curve, tall, down, etc). T and I are working on chanting the letter formation using the stroke elements.

Game cards would be harder to make. Part of it is you are playing with different fonts because the program is trying to help children recognize letters in different styles. So you'd need to make for example a set of bookface and a set of cursive. Plus the extra playing cards.