Do you continue to teach grammar in the high school years?

[shanvan]

I've been planning our middle school years and find myself faced with the question of just how long grammar instruction should continue. So, I'm curious, how many of you use a full grammar curriculum in the high school years and for how long? What are your experiences with grammar in high school? Do you think some type of a quick review program works better, or a full grammar course?

 

Shannon

[Jean in Wisc]

I've been planning our middle school years and find myself faced with the question of just how long grammar instruction should continue. So, I'm curious, how many of you use a full grammar curriculum in the high school years and for how long? What are your experiences with grammar in high school? Do you think some type of a quick review program works better, or a full grammar course?

 

Shannon

 

We do 2 things: 1) when I grade composition papers, I watch for common grammatical/punctuation mistakes. If needed, I put together a quick review of a specific concept and add it to the schedule; 2) in the child's junior year before he takes his last ACT, we use Warriner's English Composition and Grammar Complete Course as a review. We usually do it orally and go as quickly as we can through the grammar chapters, slowing only for the concepts that are giving him a problem. This book has some good review for the type of problems seen on the ACT. This takes a few minutes a day for no more than a handful of weeks.

 

There is so much I want to cover in English class in high school! We do speech and vocabulary; literature--literary analysis, poetry, Shakespeare; composition--5 paragraph essay, research paper, literary analysis, intro to the progym; drama and debate... and probably a whole lot more than I can think of here. We do not have time to do grammar every year. If I had a child who desperately needed it, then it would be added to the list, but I don't like to spend more than an hour or so on any one class each day if possible, so a lot has to be done in a small amount of time. If the child has a good grounding in grammar before high school, I don't see a need for it every year.

[shanvan]

There is so much I want to cover in English class in high school! We do speech and vocabulary; literature--literary analysis, poetry, Shakespeare; composition--5 paragraph essay, research paper, literary analysis, intro to the progym; drama and debate... and probably a whole lot more than I can think of here. We do not have time to do grammar every year.

 

I lean towards this point of view too. Thank you for sharing your approach.

 

Shannon

[Retired]

I discovered analytical grammar after my oldest started high school. He is finishing up and will continue with the review books.

 

My youngest will just do the reviews during high school.

 

The review books cover parsing, diagramming, and some paraphrasing activity. This is a twice a month review.

 

I really want to concentrate on writing, literature, etc during the high school years.

[Carmen_and_Company]

We're following TWTM recommendation of completing Stewart English in high school. Dd will finish AG in about 11 weeks, and then we'll begin Stewart English along with using the AG high school reinforcement books.

 

Here's our plan for afterschooling:

 

8th grade

Complete AG by mid-May

Begin & finish SE I before new school year

 

9th grade

Complete 1 page every other week in AG reinforcement book during school year

Complete SE, Grammar Plus by summer's end of 9th grade

 

10th grade

Complete 1 page every other week in AG reinforcement book during school year

Complete SE III by summer's end of 10th grade

 

11th & 12th grade

Complete 1 page every week in AG reinforcement book until all PSAT/SAT/ACT testing done--hopefully end of 11th grade

[Cedarmom]

We used review grammar in 9th and 10th. In his junior and senior year we haven't done any grammar. It is not that I don't think of it as important, the problem is finding time for everything.

[Leanna Tomlinson]

I voted that we finish up grammar before high school, but my kids do get the grammar review included in the ACT/SAT prep book that we begin in 10th grade. I think there is plenty of grammar review in there.

 

Leanna

[shanvan]

:bigear:

[MamaT]

I voted other.

 

My oldest two sons did not have formal grammar in high school. They were natural spellers/writers and really did not need it. They had a solid grasp at that point. My third son, however, is doing a review of grammar because he needs it.

[TravelingChris]

My kids do some grammar review in 9th grade and then do ACT or SAT prep later which includes grammar.

[lllll]

All our dc did all the ABeka grammar books, no matter how long it took. I didn't "teach" them. In fact, by this stage of grammar (high school levels), they even did their own correcting.

 

I found a sentence diagramming program to use with them as a group for a review. I liked this because it forced them to use all they'd learned from their grammar program to diagram the sentence. They also enjoyed it. It was a pleasant break from the more difficult subjects.

[Melissa in Australia]

we are using Abeka. But we are only doing it 3 times a week.

[AnitaMcC]

I've been planning our middle school years and find myself faced with the question of just how long grammar instruction should continue. So, I'm curious, how many of you use a full grammar curriculum in the high school years and for how long? What are your experiences with grammar in high school? Do you think some type of a quick review program works better, or a full grammar course?

 

Shannon

 

 

Our 9th grade twins are doing grade 10 Writer's Choice grammar and composition. Next year for 10th grade the plan is to do composition/literature that we will throw together. After this year we won't be doing anymore formal grammar or vocab program. Just them using what they heave learned and keep it going. I will keep a reference book on hand for them.