POLL : Which LA/grammar do you like best ?

[blessedmom3]

Which LA/grammar do you like best & why?

 

Abeka LA

Rod & Staff English

CLE LA

BJU English

FLL

Queens

SL LA

LLATL

Other (please specify)

[Perry]

Other:

Hake grammar

[joannqn]

We use Spelling Power, Michael Clay Thompson (all parts), Excellence in Writing, and Teaching the Classics to cover the various aspects of language arts.

[Georgiana Daniels]

When my oldest was in middle school, we used A Beka and it was quite thorough. Sorry to say I don't remember the particulars (this was 4 years ago) but she's been taking advanced English classes in public school, and she still says that she learned the most with the A Beka.

[Guest Katia]

My favorite Language Arts program is LLATL, but my favorite grammar is Winston Grammar (Basic, Word Works and Advanced).

 

Anyhow, Winston wasn't on the list so I added it here.

 

ETA: I also like Emma Serl's Primary Language Lessons and Intermediate Language Lessons. We used those inbetween some of the LLATL books and they were terrific!

[Margo out of lurking]

Shurley English, substituting something else for the writing portion. (Writing Strands, IEW, it doesn't matter as long as it's not Shurley's writing!)

[Spy Car]

We will use MCT (Michael Clay Thompson).

 

Bill

[KidsHappen]

Wow, I haven't used any of the ones you mentioned. I really like Growing with Grammar for the younger age set and Analytical Grammar for the olders.

[Peela]

I am very glad we did Rod and Staff for the year that we did...and sometimes I wish we had continued...but it was so dry for my creative dd and she begged not to do it any more.

I have used lots of different programs in the last 7 years. We used Classical Writing for a good couple of years and that was excellent. And we used English Prep for a year too.

Right now, ds14 is using LLATL Green- and I have checked the next one and he wont be going onto that because it is too Christian. The LLATL Green is just perfect for this season- havent used it before, wont use it again except perhaps for some of the Gold units.

I prefer not to commit to one curriculum, but if I had to, all the way through- it woudl probably be Rod and Staff, or Classical Writing.

I voted LLATL just because i am using it at the moment with one kid. THe other is doing home2teach online.

[Ellie]

If I'm recommending a school textbook publisher, it's Rod and Staff for English and spelling. They're comprehensive with no overkill factor; the English series' teacher manuals are *excellent.* Students can be pretty independent.

 

If I'm recommending materials that are more homeschool-y :D it's going to be Easy Grammar/Writing Strands.

 

With both, there needs to be literature/reading. I prefer using good trade books as opposed to vocabulary-controlled basal readers.

[Tap]

I said FLL because that is what I am using with dd11. She likes to have a teacher/student relationship so FLL is great for that. We skip some material due to the repetitive nature and her mastery of the materials (ds would have hated FLL's repetition and format). We are also using some Logos school materials for reading comp.

 

Ds15 loved our eclectic mix of lit for mid school then Omnibus for 7/8. Easy Grammar for mid school...he is in public high school. He just 'gets' grammar so EG was easy but very effective for him. He is a very independent learner so he preferred materials that he could self-teach and grade himself.

Edited January 28, 2010 by Tap, tap, tap

[nmoira]

Other: MCT

[Lilymax]

I said LLATL because we're using it this year, and both of my boys seem to like it (which is saying something!). In previous years, we just sort of patched together language arts, but I'm finding I really like the structure of LLATL. My second grader loves all the cutting/pasting activities in the red books.

 

We use a separate spelling program so we skip the spelling bits in LLATL. But overall, I'm really pleased with it.

[cara]

I said other...

 

After being incredibly bored and not retaining a thing with FLL we switched to Growing with Grammer, I have to say that I really like GWG, it's perfect for us (right now)

[MamaBirdX7]

I loved Rod and Staff but had a coup and ditched that (along with Saxon math). The kids are happier. Growing with Grammer is just a better fit with my gang.

[Chelle in MO]

Rod and Staff here! Love their thoroughness!

 

Chelle

[Closeacademy]

I like SWR for phonics/spelling and touching on grammar but for grammar I like Ruth Heller's books and the methods and materials used by Montessori schools. I have an album I was able to download and made my own grammar materials. We also notebook the concepts.

 

:001_smile:

[rafiki]

.

[lynn]

For learning basic grammar and all the rules I am all for Abeka.

 

Now if you are talking grammar as a subject that includes vocab and writing, literature

 

vocab- Wordly wise

 

writing - Writing strands

 

literature - I only have experience with Abeka and it was just okay. If I had known about it earlier I would have used Learning Language Arts through literature.

[Kissy]

Michael Clay Thompson here too!

[EKS]

MCT.

[radiobrain]

Considering the "phase" of chatter going on about it (thankfully it has died down, as I am tired of writing about it)....I can't believe you didn't list MCT!!

;)

 

MCT all the way!

[Mommyfaithe]

I chose CLE because of all the prepared LA curricula, I like that one best. BUT, I truly prefer a CM/ Ruth Beechick way of teaching LA through copywork, dictation, parsing good literature, studying misspelled words and writing with models. I am strapped for time, so CLE seems to cover most of those bases in a workbook.

 

~~Faithe

[elfinbaby]

We're in Classical Conversations so we do Essentials which includes English Language Lessons and Our Mother Tongue. After 2 yrs. of it, ds can label and diagram a sentence in a way I was never taught. His observations and questions are sometimes beyond me (or my support group of moms). The program is outstanding for drill and his understanding of grammar is beyond average but we are going to opt out of Essentials next year and shake things up a bit. I'm not sure where we're headed. I'm looking at Classical Writing but, from what I've seen, Harvey's Grammar will not be challenging. I'm watching this thread for ideas:)

 

We do IEW for writing. I'm happy with it but, again, he is now solid on the structure of writing.

 

Basically, he's solid on the "formulas" of writing and grammar. Now it's time to put it to use. Wow, I just realized how perfectly classical this example is:D Perfect age for the dialectic stage, too. He's 11.5.

[MariannNOVA]

Considering the "phase" of chatter going on about it (thankfully it has died down, as I am tired of writing about it)....I can't believe you didn't list MCT!!

;) :iagree:

 

MCT all the way!

:iagree:

That's what we are using.

[Matryoshka]

Michael Clay Thompson here too!

 

:iagree: Here too!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Other: MCT

[Miss Marple]

MCT here too

[MariannNOVA]

MCT here too

 

 

I was looking for you here! What if we trade the Hummer for this?

[Miss Marple]

Does it come with a driver;). I'm not sure I could handle all that power!

[laurad1125]

Having tried FLL, ABeka, Sonlight and R&S grammar, R&S wins hands down. The explanations are so very clear. There's plenty of review and it's rigorous. I tend to be the grammar police and love that my oldest is really learning grammar. The only question now is when I will move youngest from FLL to R&S. We'll probably try at 3rd grade.

[MariannNOVA]

Does it come with a driver;). I'm not sure I could handle all that power!

 

Yes, it does. There is a picture of him below. He's yellow, he's focused, and he is going to get your kids HERE, THERE, and EVERYWHERE on time!

[Aggie]

We've used R&S since 1st grade. It's not exciting or colorful :001_smile:, but now that my older dd is in 8th grade, I really appreciate the years we spent on R&S.

[Miss Marple]

Yes! I *need* that! Maybe he could teach driver's ed. to ds#3? It doesn't appear that he has any hair to turn gray...

[MariannNOVA]

Yes! I *need* that! Maybe he could teach driver's ed. to ds#3? It doesn't appear that he has any hair to turn gray...

 

I am SO going to get my wrists slapped for this.....I am SO trying NOT to hijack.......you are making this "SO" difficult:

 

 

THIS is how he looks by lunch time!

[Miss Marple]

Ha! That's about how I look after teaching driver's ed! OK, I'm off to feed the chickens before the ice storm strikes. And my profuse apologies to the OP for getting off topic:) It's just that MCT folks are so friendly :lol: (Nobel Peace Prizes, ya' know)

[MariannNOVA]

Ha! That's about how I look after teaching driver's ed! OK, I'm off to feed the chickens before the ice storm strikes.

 

 

Yikes! Hurry! I would hate to think of these as frozen!

 

Get him to help!

[Goodallmomma]

I used A Beka at my childhood elementary school. Then we switched to Bob Jones in HS. When I started homeschooling my daughter I chose A Beka because I was familiar with it. I have now switched to Rod and Staff in the past year. I believe Rod and Staff is easier for my daughter, so that's what I voted for. Personally I like A Beka better.

[Joyful]

I voted for Rod & Staff. But I don't have experience with any of the other programs for comparison. We started with Rod & Staff, and we are comfortable with it, so we've stuck with it. I like the fact that the lessons are clear; short and sweet gets the job done.

 

But I have to admit, the MCT materials look interesting. Just too pricey for me to buy new...

[TulaneMama]

we use Gasy Grammar, Spelling Workout, and Wordly wise

[melmichigan]

MCT here too, and VE for the youngers. I am trying to finish up FLL 1/2 with them, it just isn't working. I so wanted it to and am trying to just condense to finish out the year, mixing it in here and there with VE.

[jonesloonybin]

What is VE?

[coffeefreak]

I voted R&S but I thought I should clarify. R&S is for Grammar only.

 

For Language Arts, I like A beka until the child is reading proficiently. Then, use Charlotte Mason/WTM recommendations.

 

Here's my disclaimer: I did not do this with my oldest:lol: Oh well, live and learn! We used A Beka for K, she was SOOO proficient in reading, we switched to R&S. We used it for 1st and 2nd, but it was too much. Their readers are Bible stories, so some where in 2nd grade I realized she had no reading comprehension. At. All. :glare: She knew all the Bible stories from Sunday School, and had no idea how to retain the info she was reading. I dropped Rod and Staff and switched to the suggestions from TWTM and Charlotte Mason. We started doing Narrations and copy work. It took her all 3rd grade to get the hang of it. I see the difference now and wish I had done it from the beginning.

 

Sooooo, my oldest is doing DITHOR, Rod and Staff Grammar, and Building Spelling Skills. With my youngest, I am doing TWTM suggestions; narrations and Spelling Workout. I think I'm going to follow TWTM from now on. My plan for next year will be Spelling Workout for all, Rod and Staff for all, narration and dictation for all:001_smile:

 

HTH!

Dorinda

[tricia]

I chose 'other' and it was Easy Grammar. Love it. Especially for schooling so many children at once.

[Mrs Mungo]

LLATL works well for my youngest. It moved too slowly for my girls.

 

For the girls, I used Spelling Workout, Voyages in English and Writing Strands. I like that combination best.

[PinkInTheBlue]

I voted FLL because that's what I used with my now 13 and 11 year olds. Back then the first book that covers 1st and 2nd grade was all there way. I went from there to Rod and Staff.

 

To tell you the truth I never loved Rod and Staff. I don't appreciate curriculum that decide to teach subjects within subjects that just don't belong. I don't need my grammar to present and teach Bible, but I know that's just me. Also, it's incredibly dry and often archaic.

 

This past summer I bought and we began Analytical Grammar. I LOVE it. It's straight forward and simple. Unless something absolutely earth shattering comes across my desk, when our 3 yr old gets old enough, we'll do FLL (maybe all of them now available, we'll see). Then we will move to Jr AG or AG depending on how far we go with FLL. I wish I had found AG earlier for our older guys but they are the guinea pigs a bit. :(

[midwestbelle]

We're in Classical Conversations so we do Essentials which includes English Language Lessons and Our Mother Tongue. After 2 yrs. of it, ds can label and diagram a sentence in a way I was never taught. His observations and questions are sometimes beyond me (or my support group of moms). The program is outstanding for drill and his understanding of grammar is beyond average but we are going to opt out of Essentials next year and shake things up a bit. I'm not sure where we're headed. I'm looking at Classical Writing but, from what I've seen, Harvey's Grammar will not be challenging. I'm watching this thread for ideas:)

 

We do IEW for writing. I'm happy with it but, again, he is now solid on the structure of writing.

 

Basically, he's solid on the "formulas" of writing and grammar. Now it's time to put it to use. Wow, I just realized how perfectly classical this example is:D Perfect age for the dialectic stage, too. He's 11.5.

 

This is our first year in Essentials with my 9yo twin girls. We are using Our Mother Tongue with the Essentials guide. At first I thought it was throwing too much at them, but they have handled it very well. The 3 of us have learned a LOT about grammar. IEW is working very well for our 1st writing curriculum.

[Caitilin]

Other: MCT too. :)

[HSMom2One]

I chose "other" because we are using a combination of Spelling Power, Easy Grammar and TOG Writing Aids. I also throw in a little Writing Strands now and then. All in all, my 5th grader is doing super and seems to enjoy it all.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[vkay]

and for the earlier years, FLL