Analytical Gramm - the good, the bad and the ugly?

[vlshort]

Looking for grammar for next year - ds13. We've done Basic Winston Grammar and that worked well. We've dabbled in other grammars over the years. I really want one course that will teach everything - which AG seems to do. I need lots of continuous review. My son isn't crazy about writing, but he could handle re-writing a few sentences each day.

 

What do you think about AG? What's good? What's bad? How much writing do you do each day? I know you only do it for 10 weeks, then periodic review...I know it's a 3 year program.... but do you like it? Does it work?

 

Thanks so much for your input!

-vanessa

[shanvan]

:bigear:

[Rosie_0801]

I've only just received mine in the mail to use for myself. If you write in the workbook, he won't have to be rewriting much at all, just making annotations. I can't comment on the rest though, since I've only just had time to read it through, not to start. I am glad to have purchased it though :)

 

Rosie

[Stacy in NJ]

Looking for grammar for next year - ds13. We've done Basic Winston Grammar and that worked well. We've dabbled in other grammars over the years. I really want one course that will teach everything - which AG seems to do. I need lots of continuous review. My son isn't crazy about writing, but he could handle re-writing a few sentences each day.

 

What do you think about AG? What's good? What's bad? How much writing do you do each day? I know you only do it for 10 weeks, then periodic review...I know it's a 3 year program.... but do you like it? Does it work?

 

Thanks so much for your input!

-vanessa

 

DS12, 7th grade, is doing AG. AG is broken down into three "seasons". The first covers the parts of speech and diagramming; the second covers phrases and clauses also with diagramming; the third is usage and punctuation.

 

Ds has completed all of season 1, and he's half way through season 2. He'll do season three over 8th grade.

 

The author provides different implementation suggestions on her web site. Basically, doing a season per year over a certain number of weeks with review books for the remainder of the year. We're doing a somewhat accelerated schedule.

 

We're not using the review books because we've just continued on in the program, and it is a cumulative program, meaning the topics build on each other.

 

AG is my kinda thang. We go over the lesson part of the program on Monday, reading and talking it through as we go. For the rest of the week, ds simply works several sentences from the exercises (not all of them, usually only 5) and diagrams them. I don't test or grade, but the program provides testing and grading guidelines.

 

Ds has learned a ton and is a much better diagrammer than I am. :001_huh:

 

 

ETA: There is very little actual writing required. There are sentences to be labled and diagrammed and some fill in the blank exercises. Very little writing.

 

HTH, Stacy

Edited March 1, 2010 by Stacy in NJ
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[siloam]

I am glad someone posted the right way. :D

 

Because my kids are writing phobic, I have them do half lessons (both my oldest in AG, and my 2nd dd in JAG). Given JAG/AG won't last a full year, this usually stretches it out to a year, or close to that. For us it works better to do less over a longer period of time.

 

I love how comprehensive it is, and how much I have learned.

 

Heather

[vlshort]

I appreciate your info! I was wondering why some of you do more over a year, rather than just the 10 weeks or so.....

[TechWife]

I appreciate your info! I was wondering why some of you do more over a year, rather than just the 10 weeks or so.....

We started AG this year for the 7th grade. DS completed season 1 and is almost finished with season 2, so we did do two seasons in one year.

 

The course is meant to be spread out over the three middle school years, 6th, 7th & 8th. If a student starts later, the authors recommend the course of action that we have taken, which is to complete more than one season in a school year.

 

Next year, ds will complete season three in the fall so that will complete the entire course before high school, which is the intent of the author.

[elfinbaby]

Do you think it's less beneficial to just continue the program or does it really matter? My ds will start it in 6th grade and we have 2 yrs. of intense grammar behind us. I'd never go faster than he was able to (and I don't have any reason to push through). I think my previous program was so demanding and he learned so much, I worry that we'll lose it if we don't "stay in shape."

[siloam]

I appreciate your info! I was wondering why some of you do more over a year, rather than just the 10 weeks or so.....

 

We probably all have a touch of dysgraphia here. Demonstrated by the fact that none of us can trace a straight line without going off of it more then 2 times. When my kids did the Develop the Early Learner books they passed each section with flying colors, but that one, and then I tried it and even I couldn't pass.

 

There is just a lot less complaining if we do a little each day. I do the same thing with mapping. Have them map two places a day rather than sit down and do the whole thing. When I tried the whole thing approach, they cried. :001_huh: Two a day it is one of their favorite things to do. (Of course the use of my special gel pens only for mapping helps too!)

 

Heather

[kangato3]

I started 6th grade ds and 8th grade dd in AG this year (both had come from Easy Grammar). My intention for this year was to do season 1 with 6th grader and seasons 1 and 2 with 8th grader.

 

Our experience so far: After first couple of units, workload was a lot for my 6th grader. He was also very intimidated when we soon got into more complicated diagramming. We slowed it down to two weeks per unit, and it has worked out great. Retention has been great also. I was suprised that after Christmas break, he remembered everything perfectly.

 

Dd is a grammar whiz, and has gone through units 1 and 2 as originally scheduled. She has asked to do unit 3 this year, so she will finish up in one year.

 

I've been very impressed with the comprehensive of this program - certainly more grammar than I ever learned in school! We plan on using the reinforcement books as well.

 

Louise

[Sunshine State Sue]

We completed AG in December 2009. You may read the much good, little bad, and no ugly here. :D

Edited March 2, 2010 by Sue in St Pete

[Sunshine State Sue]

Do you think it's less beneficial to just continue the program or does it really matter? My ds will start it in 6th grade and we have 2 yrs. of intense grammar behind us. I'd never go faster than he was able to (and I don't have any reason to push through). I think my previous program was so demanding and he learned so much, I worry that we'll lose it if we don't "stay in shape."

I loved that AG didn't take up the entire school year. We focused on grammar first semester in 6th-7th-8th and writing/spelling in 2nd semester. I found that my ds retained what he learned easily just using the review exercises. After Season 2, I started using the review sheets every 3 weeks instead of monthly because the material is more difficult and he needed more practice.

 

OTOH, it may depend on your student.

[Marie in Oh]

We do 5 sentences a day 2 days a week. That is 2 weeks per Unit and it is going great. Since my kids were on the younger side (they really discourage me using it with my 5th grader at the convention last year), I decided to do it half pace. They both are doing well, and they like it, especially the diagramming. The sentences are pretty complicated which I like. Overall, I think it is a good program. I like grammar though. :D

[Guest aquiverfull]

I have a quick question.. can someone tell me if AG is consumable? I'm wondering if I'd have to buy it again for each of my children. Thanks.

[Sunshine State Sue]

I have a quick question.. can someone tell me if AG is consumable? I'm wondering if I'd have to buy it again for each of my children. Thanks.

Yes, the student book is consumable. AND, it turns into a reference book at the end because you can remove all the exercises and just keep the lessons. We burned the exercises. Ds liked that. :D

[TechWife]

Do you think it's less beneficial to just continue the program or does it really matter? My ds will start it in 6th grade and we have 2 yrs. of intense grammar behind us. I'd never go faster than he was able to (and I don't have any reason to push through). I think my previous program was so demanding and he learned so much, I worry that we'll lose it if we don't "stay in shape."

 

I don't know about less beneficial, but I will say that following the first season immediately, the second season has been difficult attitude wise for my son - he is simply sick of diagramming sentences. It is hard for him to sit down and do it everyday.

 

I don't worry about him loosing the knowledge at all. Have you looked at the videos on the AG web site? The author makes the point that grammar is a finite body of knowledge - it doesn't get added to all of the time. There's only so much you can know. If I had realized this earlier, I would have waited later to even start grammar. As of now, my son has had the same thing over & over and has only recently arrived at information that is new to him since 3rd grade (clauses). That's a lot of time working on the same thing! The thing is, too, is that he gets it - & I kept having him do it again!

 

My son was in cs for K-2, did Shurley 1-3 (3 @ home), then we took a break for 4th grade, did BJU English 5, took a break for 6th grade and now AG season's one & two for 7th grade. After Season 3 for 8th grade, I am not planning anymore grammar for 8th grade. I will probably only tackle it once in high school, but I haven't decided which year - 9th or 10th.

[Pensguys]

Everyone has said everything there is to say but I'll just add that we're happy users here too. Older ds completed Season 2 this year and Younger ds will start JAG in the Fall....probably at 1/2 pace because he just needs it that way.

[Guest aquiverfull]

Yes, the student book is consumable. AND, it turns into a reference book at the end because you can remove all the exercises and just keep the lessons. We burned the exercises. Ds liked that. :D

 

Thank you Sue. At first I was thinking that the teaching was in the student book, but I went back and looked. I see the $95 package includes a teacher's guide and student book. So I would only have to replace the student book. Ok that's not a bad price at all then. :)

 

LOL about the burning. I bet that was fun!! :)

Edited March 2, 2010 by aquiverfull

[Heather in VA]

Thank you Sue. At first I was thinking that the teaching was in the student book, but I went back and looked. I see the $95 package includes a teacher's guide and student book. So I would only have to replace the student book. Ok that's not a bad price at all then. :)

 

LOL about the burning. I bet that was fun!! :)

 

Yes you would only have to replace the student book. I know some people have used it non-consumable but I would think the copying would overwhelming and then you wouldn't have the reference book for students anymore. The reference book is the student book minus the exercises. The TM would be consistent through all children. They have a new format to the student book - it's in a binder now instead of spiral bound, but the content is the same so if you bought the TM used, you could still use the new student book.

 

Heather

[Sunshine State Sue]

I don't worry about him loosing the knowledge at all. Have you looked at the videos on the AG web site? The author makes the point that grammar is a finite body of knowledge - it doesn't get added to all of the time. There's only so much you can know. If I had realized this earlier, I would have waited later to even start grammar.

:iagree: I have no need to beat a dead horse. There are so many other things to do with our time than go over the same material over and over. OTOH, some students need more repetition than others.

[Guest aquiverfull]

Yes you would only have to replace the student book. I know some people have used it non-consumable but I would think the copying would overwhelming and then you wouldn't have the reference book for students anymore. The reference book is the student book minus the exercises. The TM would be consistent through all children. They have a new format to the student book - it's in a binder now instead of spiral bound, but the content is the same so if you bought the TM used, you could still use the new student book.

 

Heather

 

Thank you Heather! Finding the TM used would be great!! :) I also really like the idea of having a nice reference when it's all said and done! To tell you the truth, I looked at AG last year. I had considered buying it for MYSELF..lol. I've forgotten so much of this stuff, or more than likely never learned it properly.

[vlshort]

I appreciate all of this feedback on AG. I'm looking forward to seeing it at the convention in June. It sounds like it will be a good fit for us!

Blessings,

Vanessa

[claire up north]

Our experience so far: After first couple of units, workload was a lot for my 6th grader. He was also very intimidated when we soon got into more complicated diagramming. We slowed it down to two weeks per unit, and it has worked out great.

Louise

 

I agree with this. My 6th grader found each lesson to be a bit much. He caught on to the concepts, though, so I made him do 5 (that's half) of each lesson. I had him parse all 10, but he only had to diagram 5 of them. If he got them right, he was done. If not, then he had to do the other 5.

 

Both my son and I learned a ton. This is a very good program.

 

They also have a reinforcement book that I consider critical if you are pausing between "seasons." It gives review assignments at the rate of one every other week until the next season starts up again. Brilliant!

 

HTH!

[Mosaicmind]

Has anyone used the junior AG? I was thinking of getting the Junior AG for my ds, who will be 5th grade next year and then getting AG for my ds, who will be 7th grade. Any thoughts on the junior level?

[JustGin]

Looking for grammar for next year - ds13. We've done Basic Winston Grammar and that worked well. We've dabbled in other grammars over the years. I really want one course that will teach everything - which AG seems to do. I need lots of continuous review. My son isn't crazy about writing, but he could handle re-writing a few sentences each day.

 

What do you think about AG? What's good? What's bad? How much writing do you do each day? I know you only do it for 10 weeks, then periodic review...I know it's a 3 year program.... but do you like it? Does it work?

 

Thanks so much for your input!

-vanessa

 

Love it here! It is the only grammar program that has worked for my 14 yo dd.

 

The good? It's quite math like in it's presentation, iow very linear and straight forward. Daughter likes that once a week she gets the lesson, then spends the rest of the week marking parts of speech and diagramming. By the test she has gotten to practice the new concept, i.e. finding and placing a new part of speech. She is consistently getting A's on her tests and this is girl who had decided she HATED grammar.

 

I also like that the sentences in each exercise are on the same topic, so there is some "side" learning going on about different subjects.

 

Another great feature is the ability to schedule it over 1, 2 or even 3 years. I'm using over 3 years for my 12 yo ds, but dd is doing it all this year.

 

The bad? None that I can think of, except that correcting the daily work is a bit of a job for me, but very well worth it.

 

The ugly? Not one bit - I LOVE this program because it works for us.

[Heather in VA]

Has anyone used the junior AG? I was thinking of getting the Junior AG for my ds, who will be 5th grade next year and then getting AG for my ds, who will be 7th grade. Any thoughts on the junior level?

 

I used JAG (junior AG) with my now 5th grader. It is great. It works just like AG, same excellent analytical skills, but with simpler sentences for the younger crowd. Very well done.

 

Heather