Guest bookwormmama Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 I have a love/hate relationship with Sonlight Language Arts. I thought it was all over the place and often required too much... and other days I loved it and thought it was perfect. I used their LA program and Readers to teach 3 of my kids how to read. So I can't complain TOO much. However, the past year I have been using First Language Lessons 1/2 for my 2nd grader and First Language Lessons 3 for my 4th grader as well as WWE 1 and 2. We use Sonlight readers' packages too. I am using Sonlight's Core 3 for history next year and was looking over their Language Arts for level 3. I am not sure how I feel about using their LA again nor do I know what it's like at the higher levels as its integrated into the cores. I am not sure if I should go back to Sonlight LA or if I should continue on with what we are doing with FLL and WWE. Does anyone here have any advice or opinion on the matter either way? Looking over the schedule for the LA 3, they do a LOT of creative writing... almost every single day. And while my daughter would LOVE that, I know my son would absolutely HATE that. So I am not sure what to do. I kind of think the WWE is a little too easy for them and it seems like not much is required of them to write. The FLL has been great and we love that. Of course there is very little, if any creative writing with either of these. Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen+4dc Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 I tried SL LA 3 (integrated with the history) a couple years ago. We made it to week 13 before I finally just gave up! Dd was learning nothing and I felt like it was all over the place and a big waste of time. That being said, you've used it before so you know what I mean when I say it's all over the place. The nice thing is, it's not particularly expensive. I would *not* give up FLL if it's working. I'm also a huge believer in WWE (the leaps and bounds my son has made are amazing!). But, if you feel like you want more creative writing why not continue FLL and WWE as the regular LA and add in the creative writing assignments from SL LA or use SL's dictation passages that relate to their readers instead of the WWE passage for the day?? I guess what I'm trying to say is this: I don't feel like SL is a solid LA program and in *my* situation I wouldn't give up FLL (which is solid) for it. Add in some fun stuff, yes, but give up the solid for fun? No. Of course, my opinion is completely irrelevant to your family. But, you asked for opinions so I gave it.:tongue_smilie: Your opinion is what counts and it might be totally different.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bookwormmama Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Thank you Jen this is very helpful. I totally know what you mean about being all over the place. We have gotten used to the rhythm and flow of FLL and WWE, even if I think it is a little less than what I would like. I don't think I would even need to buy Sonlight LA 3 if I could just get a journal for each child and have them write creatively about something in it whenever they want, without requiring it of them. I guess I have a problem with the assignments requiring the creative writing. My daughter does do her own creative writing on her own. :) So I guess I don't really have a problem. Where do we go after FLL 4 and WWE 4? Is there a higher level yet for older kids? Thanks for your suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChemMommy Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 I never could make SL's LA programs work. I tried. For years. It jumps around too much. So, we supplemented with Abeka's language arts programs. This year, we tried FLL3 and WWE2. FLL3 is really good; my kids are learned a lot, relatively painlessly. It has good review and I'm pleased with it. WWE2, well, I don't know what I really think about it. So far, we are just narrating, doing copywork, and doing dictation. I can't really see how this lead to composition skills in the future. But, I am willing to stay the course for the year and see how it finishes up. I never could see any rhyme or reason for the things they chose to emphasize. The dictation in WWE2, as opposed to SL, hits the same points over and over again. I'll definitely say that I can see my kids mastering a concept (like how to write a series of things in a sentence using commas) before it introduces a new writing skill. I never saw anything consistently taught in SL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen+4dc Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 I don't think I would even need to buy Sonlight LA 3 if I could just get a journal for each child and have them write creatively about something in it whenever they want, without requiring it of them. I guess I have a problem with the assignments requiring the creative writing. My daughter does do her own creative writing on her own. :) So I guess I don't really have a problem. Where do we go after FLL 4 and WWE 4? Is there a higher level yet for older kids? Thanks for your suggestions! (emphasis mine):iagree: I absolutely do not believe in requiring creative writing. Narrative, expository, persuasive yes! Creative, no! Never in my adult life have I been in a situation where I had to write creatively. In college I did expository and persuasive, even an occasional narrative, but never creative (even in my English classes, although I was a French major, not aan English one). I have a ds who dissolves into tears and 3 hours later has 2 sentences and a dd who goes on for 4 pages when I ask for 1 day's journal entry for a chinese immigrant working on the railroad....Dd gets to write as creatively as she wants, on her own time. School assignments always have a point, and are always doable without inventing your own story. SWB writes extensively about this in "The Complete Writer" (the textbook for WWE) and I totally agree with her. After FLL and WWE?? The WTM recommends Rod and Staff. I won't give more recommendations than that because I haven't found anything that really works for us there yet....:tongue_smilie: I never could see any rhyme or reason for the things they chose to emphasize. The dictation in WWE2, as opposed to SL, hits the same points over and over again. I'll definitely say that I can see my kids mastering a concept (like how to write a series of things in a sentence using commas) before it introduces a new writing skill. I never saw anything consistently taught in SL. I have seen the same skills mastered in my dc7 who is using WWE 2 right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love2Smile Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 what is FLL and WWE? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 WWE2, well, I don't know what I really think about it. So far, we are just narrating, doing copywork, and doing dictation. I can't really see how this lead to composition skills in the future. But, I am willing to stay the course for the year and see how it finishes up. Have you listened to the Writing With a Plan mp3's (available for download on the Peace Hill Press site) or read the hardback Writing With Ease book? These will explain how WWE gets a child ready for further composition in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bookwormmama Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Wow thanks for all the great suggestions you all have given me and things to think about. I was starting to worry that because my kids weren't doing any regular daily creative writing that they were going to be "behind" somehow. I have noticed while using WWE that my kids can EASILY pick out the main idea of a paragraph now and narrate to me in order of events what happened and then write it down. To me, that is HUGE because sometimes in the past I would ask what happened in the story and they wouldn't know how to respond. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 We have used SL History Cores for two years and just drowned in the LA...ended up switching to FLL and WWE and have not looked back. We do use the SL readers, but I did not like the LA - it was far too advanced for my son and did nothing but frustrate him. For next year, we plan on using SL's Core 4 history and readers and WWE3/FLL4 for my oldest son (fourth grade age). For my second grader, I will use the SL 3 readers (he is an advanced reader) and FLL2/WWE2. FLL and WWE works much better for all of us. It is easy peasy for me and my boys need the repetitive, simple way it is presented. I agree with and practice the WTM philosophy of waiting to expect creative writing from a child. I cannot imagine going back to SL's LA and, before I found this forum, I was second guessing myself because we just couldn't seem to make SL's LA work for us. Then I read that many others had the same experience and didn't feel so badly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 what is FLL and WWE? First Language Lessons Writing With Ease Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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