Anyone using MCT with a younger child?

[MelanieM]

I have been reading the MCT threads and previewing the materials, and I'm quite excited by what I'm seeing! It sounds like a really fun program that my daughter and I would both love. However, my girl is only 7 yrs old and we've not yet done any formal language arts programs. She is quite bright, a wonderful reader, and has excellent comprehension and retention. But... How young is too young for MCT? Is there anything you would say is a prerequisite to the Grammar Island program?

[anabelneri]

I have a 6.5yo and we're using Grammar Island... she's a very, very good reader and soaks in language-related information, so it's a good fit. We're taking it slowly, though. I figure I've got a couple years to work through the first level of material, which is nice because there's a lot of it!

 

I did read one thread somewhere (?) where the parent started their young child on the Music of the Hemispheres book (it's the poetry one at the Grammar Island level). They really liked doing it that way. We'd already started Grammar Island so I'm just continuing as we started.

 

:)

Anabel

[MelanieM]

Thanks, Anabel! That's very good to know!

[Capt_Uhura]

I'm doing Grammar Island w/ a 6.5yr old boy. Not b/c I intended to, but I'm doing it w/ my 9.5yr old boy. But the 6.5yr old is doing wonderfully and is even handling the quick pace since the 9.5yr old knew most of this already but needed some review. For the 6.5yr old, before every session, we re-read quickly through the previous one and he of course loves to re-read all the stories. So far, he's gotten most of his 4-level sentence analysis correct and only missed 1 or 2 on the pre-test (given as a post-test) and post-test. WE're now doing Building Language and MotH and he really enjoys those. I suspect things will slow down for him in Sentence Island. He's an excellent reader, loves language, loves learning word roots. B/c of his age, I suspect I wouldn't be doing MCT every year w/ him since I think he would hit a wall. At that time, just focus on writing etc. He has finished WWE1 and we are now into WWE2 along w/ MCT Grammar Island.

[Kuovonne]

I'm using Grammar Island and Music of the Hemispheres with my 6.5 year old. We take it slowly and it is a good fit for us.

You can read more about her background in this post.

[EKS]

I used it with my then 7yo. I don't know if it made any difference, but he had done GWG 3 the year before. He had no problem with Grammar Island.

[....]

I'm using it with a 2nd grader, but we are going through it VERY slowly so she retains it. She was also being identified as gifted back in ps, so she's not normal...he he :D.

 

Now, the 1st grader will be waiting until 3rd grade to start MCT. It will interfere with his sword-fighting, jedi knight-training and his collecting of those metal soda can tops.

 

I think 3rd grade is probably a good time for most kids - unless your kid is really advanced.

[MelanieM]

Thank you all for the feedback! I really think my daughter will love this, so we're going to go ahead and order it this week (if I don't find it used first). Yay! :D

[Capt_Uhura]

I thought my DS6 would fall apart with practice Island and I'd have to table it a year or so and just enjoy the book. But NOPE, he gets almost everyone correct and has fun with it! He even corrected his 4th grade brother's Practice Island sentence.

[Jen in PA]

My dd is 6.5 and started Grammar Island last week and she is flying through it. To be honest, though, everything we have come across so far she already covered in Latin, so she hasn't been learning much new material yet.

[Crimson Wife]

My 7 y.o. just started MCT town level. I skipped the island level since she's already had quite a bit of formal grammar work. I wouldn't recommendthe town level as a first grammar program except to an older child (5th, possibly 4th for a very bright kid).