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Will this help my 8th grader catch up to grade level in writing/grammar?


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I posted this question in another thread about working with an 8th grader to catch up in grammar & writing, but thought there might be more input in a separate thread.  Any help is much appreciated.

I have an 8th grader who is behind in English/Language Arts.  The amount of work needed to catch up, per my original WTM-ish plan, is overwhelming.

I just finished looking at the Abeka Grammar & Comp. I & II samples.  Which level should a child start with if they have only been introduced lightly to simple subject-verb-adjective diagramming and only an overview of the parts of speech?  Is there enough repetition that it would be OK to start in level 2?

 

If level 1 is the best starting point, is it possible to accelerate the lessons a bit?  How many Grammar & Comp. lessons are scheduled per week in the "Homeschool Lessons Curriculum" guide (teacher's manual)?

 

Is the Abeka English curriculum so integrated that any one subject (Grammar & Comp, for instance) is dependent on use of Abeka for other language arts subjects?  Is it necessary or ideal to use the whole Abeka English kit and kaboodle, or does it make no difference if Abeka Grammar & Comp. is paired with non-Abeka literature, spelling, and vocabulary?

Finally, I'm curious which parts of my original plan this would replace.  It looks like it could possibly be a way to start from a very basic point in grammar knowledge & writing skill and move forward to being "on grade level" by the end of the book, which is appealing.  My original plan included Writing With Skill 1 (continuing into level 2 mid-year) with Writing With Ease 3 & 4 slowing continuing alongside, Rod & Staff English 5 continuing on into the next level(s) when finished mid-year, and some writing across the curriculum in literature, history, and science a la WTM.  I also hoped to work in some of The Creative Writer.  This is probably too much, which makes Abeka G&C look simple and easy to use.  But what parts of my original plan are not replaced by Abeka G&C?

 

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What about taking WWS level 1 on the wtmacademy?  They also offer a tutoring service if your student is struggling.

The grammar is tough! My son used Shurley English, but now I am looking for something new for 8th grade too. I can't imagine doing WWS & WWE , etc...  Sounds overwhelming.

Good Luck

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Have you looked at a IEW? I found this to be a great fit for my boys last year and I really wish we had started sooner. My boys are also going into 8th and are not where I would like them to be, but I'm pretty confident that if we keep plugging along, they soon will be.

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It's been awhile since I used Abeka. If I recall correctly, Language worked fine on its own, but it would stink to try accelerating because of the work volume and the way concepts are mixed up.

 

Rod and Staff English lends itself to condensing/accelerating better IMO. You'd probably want to start with the 6 book. This also includes writing.

 

Analytical Grammar would also be a good solution for that age. You'd have to add composition.

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My DD came from public school to homeschool in 6th grade and of course, they had no grammar training whatsoever.  I bought the "Island" level of MCT grammar in 5th grade and we afterschooled that, knowing she would need the grammar to do the language arts assignments I had planned for her.  It was excellent, and now DD can identify any kind of part of speech, part of a sentence, phrase, or clause out there.  You teach the grammar, front-loaded into the first month or so of the school year, and then practice evaluating sentences repeatedly throughout the year.  I highly recommend this program because you can work on it alongside your other pre-planned program and get just as much out of it.  Now MCT doesn't diagram sentences; he does 4-level analysis, which allows the student to learn the same material, but present it in a different way. 

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Instead of trying to accelerate through a program that isn't meant to be accelerated through why not just go with a program designed to be used by older children who need complete grammar, usage and punctuation instruction and can be done in one year?  Analytical Grammar would be perfect.  

 

As for writing, it would depend on how far behind in composition she is.  Is she able to write a sentence, a paragraph, a short 5 paragraph essay? 

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To answer some things above, there are no learning disability issues.  He's just never been exposed to the material.

 

He has written 5-paragraph essays, but not up to par in quality for WWS 1.

 

I'll look at Analytical Grammar.  I'm not sure why I hadn't yet.  I thought Abeka might do the same thing all in one year since it's so repetetive, enabling us to not have to speed ahead.  I have the R&S books though.  I looked at book 6 and it does look like the starting point for him if we used it.  I don't know about MCT... it has always sounded lovely, but I'm a sucker for old-school diagramming.  I'll keep my mind open & look at it anyhow.

 

Paradox5, yep.  That's what I keep running into over & over.  It must be the solution.

 

 

 

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Hake Grammar and Writing is a less expensive possibility and probably more straight forward than WWS. It does cover diagramming. Grammar and writing could be separate programs. Rules of the Game for grammar and Sadlier-Oxford Writing Workshop together would be a basic solution too. Writing isn't about the program it is about teaching good expression, understanding purpose and audience, writing all the time, and having a dedicated reader that encourages the writing process with plenty of revision. 

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