Does Language Arts need to be this complicated??

[diaperjoys]

My oldest will be in 2nd next year. Language Arts is troubling me. I've picked out materials that I think will work well for us, but it is soooo many things to keep up with that I wonder if we'll be able to do them all well. While we want writing/LA skills to be solid, it is just as important that we all emerge from 2nd grade sane!!

 

Here's what we have picked out for next year, and I would love to get some input on this list. Too fragmented? What could be skipped?

 

Writing - Writing With Ease 2 (we're finishing up WWE1 this year)

Handwriting - HWT grade 2, moving on to Clasically Cursive

Literature/Reading - Logos Press (I'm attracted to this because I've taught it before in the classroom, and it does a fantastic job of teaching the students to use complete sentences, remembering capitals & endmarks, and gets them in the habit of using correct spelling. But maybe it is redundant to use it in combo with WWE? My son already reads at the 5th grade level, so the books themselves are below his level, but he needs lots of practice reading out loud, and I imagine I'll get less resistance if we begin with easier books. I dunno.)

Spelling - R&S 2, moving on to 3. (This year was AAS1, and while we like it, I'm concerned about being able to get to it consistently once we add in the needs of the littles.)

Grammar - CLE 2 (skipping the spelling/writing sections)

Phonics - Continue ETC

[Ellie]

Writing - Writing With Ease 2 (we're finishing up WWE1 this year)

Handwriting - HWT grade 2, moving on to Clasically Cursive

Literature/Reading - Logos Press (I'm attracted to this because I've taught it before in the classroom, and it does a fantastic job of teaching the students to use complete sentences, remembering capitals & endmarks, and gets them in the habit of using correct spelling. But maybe it is redundant to use it in combo with WWE? My son already reads at the 5th grade level, so the books themselves are below his level, but he needs lots of practice reading out loud, and I imagine I'll get less resistance if we begin with easier books. I dunno.)

Spelling - R&S 2, moving on to 3. (This year was AAS1, and while we like it, I'm concerned about being able to get to it consistently once we add in the needs of the littles.)

Grammar - CLE 2 (skipping the spelling/writing sections)

Phonics - Continue ETC

You're right: English (I don't do "language arts") doesn't have to be so complicated.:)

 

I would probably not do Spelling by Sound and Structure, ETC (he reads at a 5th grade level, for goodness' sake), Logos Press, or CLE. I'm thinking WWE would cover the capitalization and punctuation a 7yo needs to know, and any words he misspells can be his spelling words. If you think he needs practice reading aloud (why?), seems to me he would be more interested in reading books at his reading level.

[coffeefreak]

My oldest will be in 2nd next year. Language Arts is troubling me. I've picked out materials that I think will work well for us, but it is soooo many things to keep up with that I wonder if we'll be able to do them all well. While we want writing/LA skills to be solid, it is just as important that we all emerge from 2nd grade sane!!

 

Here's what we have picked out for next year, and I would love to get some input on this list. Too fragmented? What could be skipped?

 

Writing - Writing With Ease 2 (we're finishing up WWE1 this year)

Handwriting - HWT grade 2, moving on to Clasically Cursive

Literature/Reading - Logos Press (I'm attracted to this because I've taught it before in the classroom, and it does a fantastic job of teaching the students to use complete sentences, remembering capitals & endmarks, and gets them in the habit of using correct spelling. But maybe it is redundant to use it in combo with WWE? My son already reads at the 5th grade level, so the books themselves are below his level, but he needs lots of practice reading out loud, and I imagine I'll get less resistance if we begin with easier books. I dunno.)

Spelling - R&S 2, moving on to 3. (This year was AAS1, and while we like it, I'm concerned about being able to get to it consistently once we add in the needs of the littles.)

Grammar - CLE 2 (skipping the spelling/writing sections)

Phonics - Continue ETC

 

I don't know anything about Logos. If it does everything you say, why can't you just use it and nothing else? Or, since your son reads at a 5th grade level, You could scrap it and just have him read aloud to you for "reading."

 

Also, I like combining spelling and phonics. If you're doing a phonics based spelling program, you don't really need ETC. If you feel ETC is necessary, you don't really need spelling right now. That's why I like Spelling Workout for my 2nd dd. I did what you're doing for my oldest and it was too many little parts and too much doubling up.:001_smile: Spelling workout reinforces the Phonics, and gives you a spelling list if you want to have weekly tests.

 

I drop Handwriting for 2nd grade. If you're going to do cursive, that's one thing, but if you're not starting cursive till 3rd grade, I don't think a handwriting curriculum is necessary. Especially if you're doing everything else. He'll get a lot of practice writing.

 

I hope that helps! I've turned into a minimalist this time around. If I go with MFW, we're going to do PLL and maybe Spelling Workout. If I go with straight WTM for history, we'll do LLATL and Spelling Workout. Easy peasy rich and cheesy :D

 

Blessings!

Dorinda

I meant RICE and cheesy LOL!

[LNC]

I use similar materials you do for our language program. It takes time but it is worth it imo.

Edited February 15, 2010 by LNC

[SilverMoon]

I'm with Ellie. :) I'd drop the phonics and handwriting entirely, and most likely the literature too. My current first grader doesn't do any of those three. I drop phonics instruction when my kids move into actual spelling books. R&S teaches spelling phonetically, which will be enough phonics. It appears he's doing more than enough writing without adding penmanship too. If your boy operates like mine do, he'll be bored reading books that are that far below his level. If you really feel he should be reading aloud I'd just ask for a page or so from a book he's already interested in.

 

My second grade LA looks something like:

-grammar book

-spelling book

-real books for reading, chosen according to our science and history topics, and the kids' interest

-copywork and narration for writing (I insist on their best writing for copywork, no need for penmanship)

[Tabrett]

Doing that many programs would cause complete and utter burnout for me and my upcoming 2nd grader. That is why I am doing only CLE reading and LA. It is complete and I can have my dc read literature on the side for fun.

 

I know each of the programs you are using are very good, but sometimes too much is just too much.

[8filltheheart]

I'm with Ellie. :) I'd drop the phonics and handwriting entirely, and most likely the literature too. My current first grader doesn't do any of those three. I drop phonics instruction when my kids move into actual spelling books. R&S teaches spelling phonetically, which will be enough phonics. It appears he's doing more than enough writing without adding penmanship too. If your boy operates like mine do, he'll be bored reading books that are that far below his level. If you really feel he should be reading aloud I'd just ask for a page or so from a book he's already interested in.

 

My second grade LA looks something like:

-grammar book

-spelling book

-real books for reading, chosen according to our science and history topics, and the kids' interest

-copywork and narration for writing (I insist on their best writing for copywork, no need for penmanship)

 

:iagree: with this and with Ellie. Definitely overload!

 

My 2nd graders do copywork. It covers handwriting, grammar/mechanics. They read aloud for about 10 mins then on their own if they are solid readers or work on additional phonics if they aren't. My good readers also do spelling.

 

Books are selected that are high interest for them. This is the age to hook them on loving reading, definitely not analyzing it.

[mom31257]

I believe that CLE 2 should cover your handwriting, grammar, and phonics in one book. I would cover the spelling rules even if you are doing something else. I have found the spelling in CLE 1 to be very good, IMHO.

[brownie]

I have a ds in 3rd grade (and ds7 who should be 1st but is doing a 1st/2nd combo). DS in 3rd does WWE3 and Writing strands 3, Spelling Power, Easy Grammar 3, a blend of WW4 and vocabulary vine (only doing 1/2 of each this year) and we are doing 4 progeny press lit studies. We only do about 16 hours a week at home and this includes science, history and math. So I don't know about your exact curriculum time requirements, but for us it's working. With an advanced reader I found it impossible to find a LA curriculum all in one package that worked for me.

 

DS7 does much less (no formal grammar yet and for vocab we'll finish WW2 over the course of a year). He does WWE2 and Spelling Power as well as the 4 lit studies with ds9. He writes in his journal 3x a week. Printing practice happens as needed. Most of it was accomplished the 1st 6 weeks of school. Honestly this only takes about 10 hrs a week including math, sci and history but ds7 is efficient.

 

Brownie

 

Brownie

[StephanieZ]

Most definitely, LA does not need to be that complicated for a 2nd grader.

 

She really needs:

 

+ reading (phonics if still needed, which you already have in ETC. In addition, 30 min/day on appropriately challenging good quality books -- at least some of it aloud to you -- and 30 min/day of you reading aloud.)

 

+ handwriting (3 min/day in any program)

 

Also handy to start, but not essential:

 

+ spelling (Since you're using ETC, which does a great job establishing spelling skills. . . You might want to hold off on formal spelling until you're done with ETC. Then, bring a spelling program on board when ETC is complete. You can do them concurrently, but I don't know that it is necessary, if you are trying to streamline. . .)

 

Personally, that's all I think a 2nd grader really needs for LA.

 

If you are so inclined to add grammar and/or formal writing, then that's fine, but not required, IMHO. At MOST, I'd add in ONE grammar/writing resource such as EFTTC or maybe FLL (I haven't seen FLL but it sounds like it replaces EFTTC in the WTM reccs.) Personally, I think it would be really overkill to spend more than 1 hr/wk on any grammar/writing program at that age. . . but that's just me.

 

Soooo, if I were you, I'd stick with ETC, Handwriting, reading time (child to you and you to child) and drop the rest this year (adding spelling when ETC is completed).

 

In 3rd grade, you can bring on a formal grammar/writing program of some sort. (I have liked R&S. . . and now like MCT. . .)

 

Just my 2c. . .

 

HTH

 

My oldest will be in 2nd next year. Language Arts is troubling me. I've picked out materials that I think will work well for us, but it is soooo many things to keep up with that I wonder if we'll be able to do them all well. While we want writing/LA skills to be solid, it is just as important that we all emerge from 2nd grade sane!!

 

Here's what we have picked out for next year, and I would love to get some input on this list. Too fragmented? What could be skipped?

 

Writing - Writing With Ease 2 (we're finishing up WWE1 this year)

Handwriting - HWT grade 2, moving on to Clasically Cursive

Literature/Reading - Logos Press (I'm attracted to this because I've taught it before in the classroom, and it does a fantastic job of teaching the students to use complete sentences, remembering capitals & endmarks, and gets them in the habit of using correct spelling. But maybe it is redundant to use it in combo with WWE? My son already reads at the 5th grade level, so the books themselves are below his level, but he needs lots of practice reading out loud, and I imagine I'll get less resistance if we begin with easier books. I dunno.)

Spelling - R&S 2, moving on to 3. (This year was AAS1, and while we like it, I'm concerned about being able to get to it consistently once we add in the needs of the littles.)

Grammar - CLE 2 (skipping the spelling/writing sections)

Phonics - Continue ETC

[nd293]

At 2nd grade level I would not be doing literature or writing - this is the grammar stage - he should be focusing on the building blocks. And if he is reading at Grade 5, then ETC is certainly redundant. We only used phonics instruction until dd could read well and independently, then switched to spelling.

[Kim in SouthGa]

I would drop either ETC or spelling. We use ETC as our spelling program until they finish book 8, then move to Spelling Workout. I don't know about the lit, it seems like with another grammar and writing program it would be redundant. I just have mine read good books and tell me about them at that age.

My kids have all followed this path (somewhat) at that age:

ETC (usually 4, 5, & 6)

HWT

Abeka Handbook for Reading

FLL

reading books related to science, history, and just good books:0) Oral narrations that I write down. some quizzes from bookadventure.org

copy work, dictation, and memory work

[momto2Cs]

I agree - it sounds like a lot. I'm all about keeping it simple for my 2nd grader to be. Primary Language Lessons, Elson Readers, and copywork. Maybe Natural Speller, but probably not.

[Stacy in NJ]

I'd do either phonics or spelling but not both. Definately overkill. Since he's a strong reader, I'd probably drop the reading program as well. Have him read real books and then discuss them and call it narrating. You can use the recommended reading lists from TWTM, the Sonlight readers, or books of your own choosing. Occasionally (once per week) have him read aloud to you to insure his reading is continuing to develop.

 

That leaves you with spelling, handwriting, grammar and writing. Sounds about right.

[Annie Laurie]

I'd do either phonics or spelling but not both. Definately overkill. Since he's a strong reader, I'd probably drop the reading program as well. Have him read real books and then discuss them and call it narrating. You can use the recommended reading lists from TWTM, the Sonlight readers, or books of your own choosing. Occasionally (once per week) have him read aloud to you to insure his reading is continuing to develop.

 

That leaves you with spelling, handwriting, grammar and writing. Sounds about right.

 

:iagree: And for 2nd grade, writing only needs to be copywork and/or dictation and narration.