Junior English from Galore Park

[MyLittleWonders]

Does anyone use this Junior English from GP (book 1 or 2)? I printed the sample from their website for book 1 and am having ds#1 work through it this week. I like the looks of it thus far as a supplement to WWE/FLL (and MCT, which we are slowly going through - my plan is 1 1/2 years on the Island level). I love WWE, but we both get a little bored with the same exact thing every week. My thinking was maybe using Junior English every couple weeks as a nice break from our normal routine, but was looking for any possible reviews first. :)

[mo2]

:lurk5: Also wondering if Junior English alone is enough, or what would one need to add to it in order to have a complete LA program?

[MyLittleWonders]

:lurk5: Also wondering if Junior English alone is enough, or what would one need to add to it in order to have a complete LA program?

From the table of contents, there looks to be only 10 chapters. I printed the sample (the first chapter), and from what I can tell of it, it looks like one chapter could cover one to two weeks. In the first chapter, there are two reading passages with questions (we used the first one today as narration - ds read it to me and then I asked the questions and then took a narration from him). At the end of the comprehension questions are 4 words to define; he took two of them, looked them up, and wrote their definition. There also looks to be a few grammar exercises, a couple spelling exercises, a section for writing (a few choices - for instance, write an encyclopedia entry on one of the following animals, etc.), an oral language section (with a partner, see how many animals you can name back and forth before repeating one), and then a list of books that the student can read for pleasure about the same topic (in this case, animals). From the first chapter, I really like the look of the program as a supplement to what we are already doing to help stave off boredom. ;)

[Melissa B]

Really, every chapter is just like the first one. I have my kids working through the first three sections of each chapter. The readings followed by the questions. I don't consider the books part of our curriculum, as we just fit them in here and there and only do the beginning sections. I just want the kids to do some work in analyzing paragraphs as that is a portion of most standardized tests. Each chapter covers one fiction, one non-fiction and one poetry selection.

 

We generally skip the rest of the chapter - things to note: the grammar and spelling are British not American, the grammar is 'light' in my mind - but fine for a supplement and the suggested readings are all over the place as far as reading level and content.

 

I have all six books, if you have any specific questions.

 

HTH!

[Laura Corin]

I love Junior English. We use it as our main programme. We don't choose between the options - instead we do them all. That means a total of about fifteen exercises per chapter, so 150 per year. Add in a few fun extras (Madlibs, own writing, etc.) and that's one activity a day.

 

FWIW, Hobbes was just accepted into a selective private school having used this series as his main programme for the last three years. They were very impressed by his performance in the entrance test.

 

Laura

[Laura Corin]

the suggested readings are all over the place as far as reading level and content.

 

 

I think that the writer wants to give leeway for the teacher to choose reading materials for a range of students. In the books for older pupils, some reading options will be marked 'for scholars', i.e. for the most advanced children.

 

Laura

[MyLittleWonders]

Thank you Melissa and Laura. I think I will try book 1 as a supplement for ds#1. I love the look of it; it's just quirky enough for us. :) I like that there's enough grammar and spelling to reinforce what we are already doing (FLL/MCT and AAS), and the thing that drew me in the first place was some extra reading comprehension/analysis aside from WWE. (And basically, I get bored with the same thing day in and day out! I think something like JE will be enough to mix things up every couple weeks.) I'm going to order from the Book Depository. If for some reason book 1 ends up being too easy for ds#1 (which I don't think it will be - he's the end of 3rd grade, but is still working on reading and spelling, and is just getting to where using a pencil to write sentences doesn't cause tantrums!), I can always save it for ds#2.

 

Melissa - I didn't realize there were 6 books. They might end up being a nice supplement for us for a while then as we transition from WWE with MCT to just MCT. Oh, and good to note that the spelling is English and not American. I will remember that.

[Laura Corin]

 

I didn't realize there were 6 books. They might end up being a nice supplement for us for a while then as we transition from WWE with MCT to just MCT. Oh, and good to note that the spelling is English and not American. I will remember that.

 

Then three in the So You Really Want to Learn English series. Then there's a new book called Year 9 English which follows on.

 

Laura

[Melissa B]

I think that the writer wants to give leeway for the teacher to choose reading materials for a range of students. In the books for older pupils, some reading options will be marked 'for scholars', i.e. for the most advanced children.

 

Laura

 

I agree and found it very helpful - especially for my eldest who is an advanced reader. But, I did need to research several books and preread a few. Some of the suggested books had content too mature for my dd at her age. But, every family is different so that will happen with any book list and I did not find the GP lists to be any better/worse than other lists. They are actually rather interesting lists as they list both fiction/non-fiction that match the theme of the chapter and in a very broad range as to reading level. :)

[MyLittleWonders]

Then three in the So You Really Want to Learn English series. Then there's a new book called Year 9 English which follows on.

 

Laura

Thanks for the title of the second series. :)