MCT users - need your advice

[pro31lady]

I want to use mct for the grammar section only.  After reading lots of threads on this, it seems that both grammar island and sentence island have grammar in them and I should get both.  Also, I am planning to get practise island - both student & teacher books.

 

1.  Is this what you recommend?

 

2.  Can I get just the teacher edition of both books (grammar island & sentence island) or do I need student editions as well?

 

3.  How updated are the new editions?  Would getting an old edition used be a good option or have they really improved them so that I would want the newer editions?

 

4.  These will be for my younger children.  If I want an older child (hs age) to get review for grammar - something she has always struggled with - would you use these for her to read through or would you get a higher level?  [cost is a factor for me here].

 

Thanks for your thoughts!

[Gratia271]

Given cost factors, I would recommend the following:

 

Grammar Island:  updated edition is far superior; you could get by with only Teacher edition provided you are doing it with your students so that both of you see it.  There are sidenotes in TE as well as answers to the sentence parsing which you could cover as you go. 

 

Practice Island:  if you don't mind writing/typing the sentences from the TE (or dictating to your student), you could forego the student edition.

 

Magic Lens:  I recommend this for your HS student.  If I recall correctly, you need both Teacher and Student for complete content coverage.  The updated Magic Lens 1 is outstanding. 

 

Hope that helps. :)

[Crimson Wife]

If cost is a factor, I would get the "town" level set + Sentence Island. Your younger child can do SI and your older child can start with Grammar Town.

[Reefgazer]

If it's grammar you want, get Grammar Island and Practice Island; Grammar Island is the story and "lessons" and Practice Island is the written practice.  That should give you plenty of grammar practice without Sentence Island.  Practice Island is $10, but you can save that by writing the grammar sentence of the day on a whiteboard or piece of paper and working it out.

 

I found both the student and teacher manuals helpful, as there are suggestions and some answers to sentence problems in the teacher manual that aren't in the student manual, and part of the beauty of the program is reading side by side with your kid.  But if you know grammar and don't mind sharing a book, the teacher manual and Practice /whiteboard would be enough. 

 

I haven't seen the old editions, so I can't comment on how they differ from the new ones.

 

Yes, these books are perfectly appropriate for an older child to review from; I used them to teach myself grammar alongside by daughter.