So...as awesome as this looks, it probably isn't for a mom who is trying to get more done in a day and can't seem to fit in Language..ha! Seriously...I get so discouraged because some of this looks so wonderful but, actively homeschooling 5 children, 2 learning to read, one who needs some remedial work in spelling.... :(

Is this something you can just use "aspects" of, like vocabulary only??? Or literature?? Is it very teacher intensive and is it for advanced children only? Thanks!

Helps very much, thank you!!!

Thank you for your replies. Maybe I am over thinking this, I can do that..ha! Well..on AAS website it only shows the one lesson on those so maybe I jumped the gun here. I just love so much the think to spell. That is the way I spell a lot of words correctly and it just makes a lot of sense to me!!! I think I have made this too hard, once again. I do love the scripted plans, even if it takes a bit longer because I feel I can skip certain parts. I like for it ALL to be there, I like the extra little hints and stuff but I bet for those words that bug me I can just do it the way I like. I get a bit too strict with myself if using one program...better not use aspects of another..ha! Always feel like I am going to mess something up. Thank you Merry for your comments. I am really overwhelmed, my 7th grade son has been doing IEW Spelling Zoo (He needs and wants more independent school work)...well...I tested him, randomly, yesterday on a few words from each list and it was not good. I couldn't learn that way but thought he had been doing well with that. He needs more repetition. Now...do I fly through AAS levels or just get LOE for him and stick with AAR/AAS for my younger ones?

any words of wisdom? I have been looking at LOE, can I skip the grammar part? I think this would work good with my older struggling speller. I can't see doing 4 quick catch up levels of AAS with him. I thought about just doing AAS, using the aspects I love but doing the "think to spell" that I know from WRTR???

Oh my goodness, I am so frustrated. Now..this may not be a big deal at all, I might be making it more of an issue than it needs to be...entirely possible!! I finally stopped SWR and WRTR because as much as I love it it was not getting done. I NEED more of a step by step instructor's guide, I love all the reveiw cards and spelling box and everything that AAS has. I was looking at samples of the higher levels (only in level 1 right now) and for ance/ence and cal/cle it is not "think to spell". I thought AAS was "think to spell" like spalding but with more instructions for the parents. In the instances of the examples above it was not. I want to get away from the whole "schwa" thing because the think to spell just makes a lot of sense to me personally. As a matter of fact, in AAR I am having a hard time teaching the a as /uh/ and the as /thu/ but... I know this might be a little issue....just bugging me, would like to know what others think. I looked at LOE and just don't know...she adds even more phonograms and it is still pretty new...I do not want to keep switching...geesh! I am loving AAR and AAS for the ease of use for me. I have 4th edition of WRTR but I just have too much in my head to try and figure out what to review with 4 different children, actually 5, that would be using it. The scripted plans of AAS/AAR are so helpful to me. Thanks....just really frustrated, probably need to not worry about how AAS teaches those words as I think it is mostly think to spell isn't it? Kim

Yep...great idea. I don't mind one more workbook, I do want to make sure they get lots of review, especially with grammar :) Thank you!

Thank you!!

Your "rambling" and your son's input is very helpful!!! Thank You! So..if I use EAsy Grammar, Wordly Wise and SWI B I would be covered right? I am going to do literature either through Sonlight or BF by doing a history study, I believe both of them also cover vocabulary too....

Yep...I agree. Okay, soooo...one thing that is appealing about Hake is the all in one, and the constant review. I personally would NEED the constant review. But..with easy grammar it is the fact that they do NOT diagram that I like and also the preposition approach. Do you feel Hake covers vocabulary well?? Thanks for talking through this with me!!!! It helps a ton!

Okay..so my question is this, if you use SWI B, I have this on vhs, and Wordly Wise, do you need to do Hake Grammar or just do Easy Grammar?

Okay...so in thinking about this more, I am not sure diagramming is going to work for my older son, 14. I am just tired of trying to figure out language, mainly for my 12 and 14 year olds. I don't want to have one book for vocab, one for spelling, one for grammar, something for composition BUT...I do not understand diagramming myself and really am not sure I feel it is necessary. Would love some more ideas for a "language arts program" self instructing for the most part as LA is not my strong area at all!

See....you won't be dodging tomatoes from me, for sure!I was thinking FFL and WWE but maybe just WWE? I would love something that has copywork and narration type stuff, for my 9 year old. Thanks for your input. I have seven children, my oldest just got married and moved a few months ago, my 17 year old does everything on her own so my younger 5 all need help in grammar/writing mainly. My youngest 3 are 9 (just turned yesterday), 7 and 4 :), daughter, son, son.

Okay, I want to use and am using AAR and AAS, that is for sure. I need a LA program for a 1st and 3rd grader and also a beginning/writing grammar program for 5th and 6th. I need it to be fairly simple to use as I just am not good at grammar/writing/composition. I also need it doable, actively teaching 5 right now. Getting bogged down with all the options. I had thought about going with Saxon Grammar 5 (all in one) for my older kids, they are also doing IEW's Spelling (I had also thought about Easy Grammar and IEW SWI for my older ones but.....then I have to do Vocabulary etc...trying to keep it as easy as possible without adding a ton of different programs) I had also thought about doing FFL and WWE with the younger ones. Not sure why I started looking at other options..ha! Kim

Okay..thank you all very much!

Okay...so the slate, wooden letters and the workbook? Do you need the Teachers Books? The workbook is the My First School Book?

Hi, Trying to find a beginning handwriting to go w/ AAR Pre 1, thought about HWOT just because I want something very gentle and easy, my son is 4, will be 5 in February. HWOT has a pre-k book, I think, I am not sure what all I would need, it looks like a LOT on their website. Thanks, Kim

Hi, RS math used to be the hot thing. Now that I just have one left to decide math for, he will be 5 in Feb., I am considering trying RS. I have wanted to do it but felt that I couldn't with more than one child. My other children do MUS until they go into Teaching Textbooks. Curious as to whether it is REALLY worth it???? Thanks, Kim

I am using Math U See Alpha and Beta, I have Primer Teachers stuff but for a young child, almost 5 (in Feb.) what would be a good gentle math that might be somewhat fun/interesting? Thanks! I may just stick with Primer but...not sure... Kim

Thank you for all your suggestions. I had not wanted a handwriting program but feel it is necessary, the ones I didn't use it with seem to not have great handwriting and I need something where I can hand them a book and watch what they are doing and have them practice it everday!!

Okay..another one of those things that I would like to have a workbook. I like the ones that use as few strokes as possible, but not italic or d'nellian? Any suggestions? Thanks! Kim

Yeah.... It has taken me many years to finally let go of the "I want to do this curriculum" and realize I have tried them all and it doesn't matter how wonderful they are, I need the ones that will get done. For me...that is a simple layout, scripted, ones that don't have you rumaging to find 50 different things a lesson. With 7 children, 1 married off recently, I need simple most days!

Boy..this describes me very much!!!

Curious about opinions here, this will be for a 1st and 2nd grader. I wanted to get PAL writing because we are doing AAS and AAR BUT.. I really like something easy to teach, I have realized that no matter how much I love a program, if it is to "hard" to teach it won't get done. Now..I realize PAL probably isn't difficult to teach. Not sure what I am trying to say..hmmm .... Well...I really like scripted programs but...just curious as to what the big differences are and which one is harder to teach, more time consuming. I finally switched to AAR, AAS because I need stuff to get done and it will if it is all nicely laid out for me. Thanks!! Kim

Oh great..thank you for that info!