Looking for ideas of Spanish curriculum?

OK, Spanish is probably my first choice to start. More suggestions are welcome though. Any ideas what Spanish curriculum is good for the ages of my girls? (7, 6, 5 in the fall)

Okay homeschoolers, I know I will get a spectrum of views on this so please tell me your thoughts. When is a good age to start a foreign language? For an average learner & also a gifted learner? Struggling learner? I have all 3. :) What language do you start with? I was thinking Spanish bc we live in New Mexico but? What other languages do you do & why? What curriculum do you use? Why? Are the CD programs preferrable? What do you like about it? How often do you do your foreign language curriculum? 5 days a week? Less? Thanks.

I somehow have misplaced mine and want to finalize a purcahse for curriculum, but I know there is a $15/$50 purchase coupon code. I saw it on my catalog from convention. I wish I could find it. Does anyone have a code they won't be using? Thanks.

I was hoping to use these next year with my DD who completed Dianne Craft this school year and Go Phonics readers. I can only find them new at this point. Any ideas are welcome. I have tried this site, and homeschoolclassified.com. I am not sure how to search them except High Noon Readers. Thanks.

Is there a US version? The samples all seem to show a UK version online. I was about to order today and then starting worrying about this issue. My DD already struggles terribly in spelling, so I don't want the program to have several words that are spelled differently in the UK. I think it will frustrate her. Anyone using this, please help. Thanks.

Remind me what SWR is?

My 3rd will be Kinder next school year. She is mildly advanced for her age. She will be 5 in September, so I am starting her a litle early but she is reading early readers with short vowels and 3-4 letter words well. She just started to learn long vowels but hasn't quite got it down yet. What kinder LA program did you LOVE??? I want to love the program for her, and want it to be fun. She will be doing FIAR with her older two sisters so mainly needing LA. She will be doing handwriting from A Reason for Handwriting too K level. She is patient and a good learner. I was considering LLATL blue level (even though it says 1st grade). Does this program cover all LA areas? Is there enough phonics? I do have HOP already but not sure I LOVE it and it does leave an average learner with some phonics gaps.

I was thinking about using parts of Shurley English Grammar 2 for the parts of speech element. I already have it and my girls did learn to easily diagram a sentence from this program SE1. I don't think I will use all the program but maybe 1-2 times a week, use the classifying sentences portion. Question... Is there a early writing program, gentle in nature to use prior to things like IEW? I don't like IEW pre program bc it includes reading and phoincs. My oldest struggles to get thoughts on paper and I want to start working towards writing, bc I think it is going to be a struggle for her.

There is a workbook? How do you like it? Is it a good tool? Also, how is the writing portion of this book? Is it weak or strong? I am needing a strong but gentle approach to writing for my oldest. She is weak in writing. Thanks.

Question for those of you who have PLL in print copy. Is this the same? This printing is 1911. I don't haev a problem using great books from the past, but I wondered if the newer editions are different? Does anyone know.

We just recently did testing at Sylvan in my area and I am happy with the information and results I was given. My state doesn't have mandated testing for homeschoolers, so this is my only experience. We do occasionally do online tests or screening tests, but that is it. I personally plan to retest them every May to see how we progressed over the year. I love that the fee is one time, and I don't have to pay again. The information is only for me, their teacher and mom, who wants to know where they are weak and strong. Yes, I can see that everyday but sometimes I miss the little things or I don't see the big picture. I have one stuggling learner and one gifted learner, so the information was so helpful for me. I don't really care where they score and how they compare to peers, but I like to have the information. My husband is big believer in the theory, you can't change what you don't measure. He is an engineer by degree, so very into numbers. So, I feel like with this info every year, I can have a measurable number to see what progress we have made. I like that, plus I want my girls to know how to take a test and not be scared of them. They thought is was so fun to go do the test. I honestly wish I would have tested them before the year started, so I would know where we started.

Testing my signature.

We went on from HOP K-2 to the master reader set this year. I don't love it at all. It is ok, but not working for what I was wanting for my 5 year old. She is gifted (actually she will be 6 this month) and can read up to a 6th grade level with ease. The content of the HOP master reader set was still not appropriate for her developmentally. The chapter book that starts the set is about American History and Paul Revere, called Strange Museum. She just wasn't familiar enough with any of that yet to enjoy it. Even though her comprehension is at least at 3rd grade +, the stories weren't at her level. Plus the stories are all kinda creepy and wierd, and this is my only daughter (out of 4) who is very nervous and sensitive. She has nightmares after reading books like Pompeii (story about Mt Vesuvius erupting). She didn't like the creepy element to most of the Master Reader set on the blue level (3rd grade level). We did ETC with HOP this year for her Kindergarten year. She finished the HOP K-2 set by Christmas and ETC 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 also. ETC are fair and provide lots of self paced phonics and repetition. I doubt we will use either program next year. We also used Shurely English 1 for grammar this year. I liked it ok for grammar only. The writing component is really weak. My girls can classify a sentence forwards and backwards for whatever that is worth. Sorry I don't have many answers or solutions. I am working on finding a good fit for next year too. This is my 2nd daughter and she is gifted so finding a good fit isn't easy. From what I understand, once they are fluent readers you don't need phonics. I don't know how you know when that occurs, per say, but I do know my 2nd DD definitely doesn't need phonics any longer. As a side note, I am going to be using Apples and Pears for spelling next year for my oldest DD. She will be 2nd grade and is a mild struggling learner. I have decided on it over AAS bc of the recommendations on this board. I also will be doing Dancing Bears phonics with her. Again, this is my oldest DD age 7 who is a mild struggling learner. She does read age level, but it still isn't super fluid and she can't spell. I am considering also WWE for writing and/or PLL for LA/grammar.

Opps you are right, I totally forgot to mention handwriting. Planning to use A reason for Handwriting for all 3 at different levels. As far as LA grammar- what about PLL (Primary Language Lessons)? We did Shurley English 1 this year, but not sold on it for next year. Not sure if PLL has enough writing in it.

Oops, also which digital products do you use or extras from the program. Probably want the Chrisitan Bible Supplement.

I was looking into FIAR possibly for next Fall for my K, 1st, 2nd grade daughters. But I wondered what I should supplement with in addition to the FIAR program. Also, wondering which volume to start with for my girls ages. I was thinking of adding Math, phonics, spelling and reading (readers individual by age). Does that sounds right? Can they read the book to me instead sometimes? What about LA? Is the FIAR sufficient? I don't have any intention of adding any more history, geography, art, or science.

Is anyone familiar with this one: Writeshop http://www.writeshop.com/writeshop_primary.htm

Wow, thanks for all your input. :) I do realize my dd is very young, but she has struggled so much in so many areas so far including reading, phonics, spelling, writing- both composition type and handwriting, and math. So, I am concerned when she can't write anything much on paper. My goal is to find a program or way to do writing without stress and have fun. I know writing stresses her out, because she can't figure out what to write. She doesn't brainstrom ideas well. I pretty much have to prompt all her ideas, and she doesn't think in sentences at all. Even after we come up with ideas (pretty much, my ideas), she can't write them on the paper. Even when I say them to her repeatedly. It kinda scares me. Her mind seems to go blank or maybe it is stress? I don't know, yet. I like all the game ideas. If there is a program that is fun like that, it would probably work for her. I think she needs help generating ideas greatly, but then also putting them on paper. Does anyone think using WWE is helpful and nonstressful? I am not at a place where I feel competent to make up my own writing curriculum. I am honestly stressed to the max and so busy with the my 4 girls right now (ages 7, 5, 4, and almost 2). I just want to find something to help my oldest DD learn to write at some level. I know I shouldn't worry, but I suspect if writing is as hard as reading has been, we are in for a LONG road. I want to start early and figure out how to help her. Thanks.

So, what I am hearing is that AAS using memorization of spelling rules to teach spelling? If that is correct, it won't work for my dd at all. Things don't stick for her. She has only achieved success in math with touch math, but couldn't memorize her addition and subtraction facts. The same technique has worked with sight words and spelling words (with color and pictures), but she still doens't spell well at all. Only those 5 words that made it on cards per week, and some of those didn't stick either. A&P sounds less time intensive and maybe more basic? Less focused on memorization? Is that correct. If, so then I think I understand what I should pick. I hate for it to be too basic, but at the same time I don't want any gaps in her learning and her spelling is really bad. I think it affects her ability to write greatly. She gets frustrated she can't spell anything she wants to write.

She is extremely weak in getting words down on paper when writing. She can't think up ideas or write them down onto the paper. It's like pulling teeth. I am looking into Writing Skills. I like that it has grammar too, bc she isn't weak in grammar and I don't want that skill to slip next year. How long does this program take daily? What else is out there? What about WWE? Is this program good for a struggling writer too? How long does this program take daily?

I am looking into both of these programs for my struggling speller for next year. She will be 2nd grade, and 7 years old. I am leaning towards AAS at the moment. Any thoughts and/or advice is welcome. Which program did you use or are you using? Why? Have you used both? What are strengths and weaknesses of both. What is the time factor each day for both programs. My DD is weakest in spelling and composition writing right now, and extrememly weak at both in my opinion. She hasn't been dx but shows symptoms of mild ADD in addition to the mild symptoms of visual perception issues, dysgraphia and dyslexia (all 3 of these last areas have improved this school year). She was weaker in reading until this school year, when we worked so hard on Dianne Craft phonics. Her reading is now age level.

This year, my oldest DD age 7 last month used Dianne Craft Right Brained Phonics program. We also used Go Phonics readers in conjunction with the Dianne Craft book, at her suggestion. We did sight word cards based on her program every week. We also used her 1st 1200 words list for spelling, and made 5 spelling cards each week as she describes in her Brain Integration Book. We did Brain Training 4 days a week and Brain Integration training 1 day a week, also. We used her touch math cards with color dots for Math as well. All these techniques helped tremendously with my oldest DD, who was a NON flueny reader at the beginning of this year with MANY reversal, etc..... If you have more specific questions send me a Private Message. We also did her biology of behavior supplement program.

Thanks for the info. Please help me understand better how to do oral narration. I know I should understand, but I don't. I am sure there are many books I could read, but I don't seem to have time. Where does she come up with the ideas or prompts? Is it from her reading or read alouds? I am sorry, I am new to all of this. Thanks.

Oops, double post.