First grade Language Arts?

[Annie Laurie]

What have you done for 1st grade LA?

 

My dd will be 6 in a few months. She was an early reader but phonics never clicked with her, she learned from being read to a lot and then reading to me from leveled readers for practice a lot.

 

She is doing the phonics in MFW 1st grade right now and is a bit frusturated with it at times since its so far below her reading level, so I'm not sure if we'll finish it or not. She can read almost anything I hand her and loves to read, it's not hard work for her.

 

With that in mind, I don't think she needs to work through ETC or anything for phonics like my ds7 has this year. She is too young imo to worry about anything much for LA and I plan to follow a CM track for the most part.

 

I was considering Queen Homeschool's Language Lessons for the Very Young but they are expensive for workbooks and I'm not sure its worth it when I look at the samples. I have other sources for copywork and picture study already here.

 

I own FLL already, but the grammar repetition drives me nuts.

 

If I just gave her some copywork and practiced narration skills as we go along, and incorporate some poetry memorization, will that be good for 1st grade?

 

I briefly considered giving her a spelling workbook since she's never worked through all the phonics rules, but does she really need that if she's reading well? (I may finish the MFW 1st grade phonics with her anyway).

 

Thanks!

[Trivium Academy]

 

If I just gave her some copywork and practiced narration skills as we go along, and incorporate some poetry memorization, will that be good for 1st grade?

 

Since she's reading well, I'd have her build fluency for a year and focus on handwriting skills. Maybe introduce cursive in January (mid-year). Then you can start Primary Language Lessons in 2nd, if that's what your plan is. We're going to use LLFVY b/c it'll make it easier for me.

[Sue G in PA]

It is an all-encompassing LA program w/ spelling, grammar, reading, copywork/dictation (depending upon the level) and phonics for youngers. I've just started it w/ my younger dc (2nd gr. and 3rd gr.) and we really love it. Takes just 20 min. or so each day and they have all they need at that age. You can see samples at the website.

 

http://www.commonsensepress.com/covers.htm

 

We never got through FLL for the very reasons you pointed out and my ds6 didn't care for SWO or ETC. He was reading well at that point and so we ditched it. The samples of LLATL would be able to give you an idea of which book to start with. The Blue book (1st gr.) might be too easy for her if she reads so well. My ds6 is using the Red book and even the beg. few lessons are easy. But, yellow (3rd gr.) was too far a jump so we are just moving quickly through the Red book. HTH

[neesek]

I was in a similar situation with my ds. He was a very early reader and most of the 1st grade programs out there were mostly phonics. I ended up putting my own program together using Evan Moor's Grammar and Punctuation and Daily Language Review. I also used a Spectrum workbook and one other that I don't remember. All of them in combination worked well, and he was just fine when we started CLE Language 2 this year.

 

Have you looked at Growing with Grammar? If I had to do it over, I may have chosen that for 1st grade had I known about it. Everything I have heard about it is positive.

[kim in ks]

This is what I've used w/ my 2 younges for 1st and 2nd grade, we have loved it!

 

http://peacehillpress.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=25

This link tells about the book

kim

[Kay in Cal]

I have a strong reader 1st grader this year... we're doing GWG 3 after doing FLL in K. I had the same reaction the repetition! GWG really starts at the beginning, IMHO, but they do have a 1/2 book as well.

 

We never did go through phonics with my oldest ds, it was just too repetative. We did start at the beginning with Spelling Workout A last year, and we're about to start D. He's a natural speller, but it does seem to catch a few words that are tough for him (he missed "couldn't, wouldn't" etc in the pre-test this week). There probably are some really awesome programs out there, but we're blowing through this one pretty fast, and then on to vocabulary, which I think he'll enjoy in a year or two.

 

Anyhow, I would find her level and work there, don't worry about holes...

[melissel]

I'm in the same situation too. DD5 is already reading at a 2nd/3rd grade level, so I spent a lot of time figuring out what to do next year. We never did do phonics because she started to read so early that I thought we wouldn't need it. I'm a little sorry now, but there's no way she'd sit for phonics at this point. So I finally decided on the following:

 

--Spelling Workout A (according to several posters here, including SWB, a strong spelling program will accomplish a large part of what phonics would have accomplished, and SWO should accomplish that goal)

 

--Suppose the Wolf Were an Octopus (to read and discuss good books)

 

--Language Lessons for the Very Young (I love the gentle introduction to grammar, the pictures, the light copywork, the gentle analysis of the reading selections--overall, it's just my DD's style)

 

--Generally burying ourselves in good literature (this is my favorite part :D)

 

HTH!

[Annie Laurie]

Thanks for all the great suggestions.

 

LLATL is one that I have considered, it does look nice, so that's a thought.

 

I had never heard of Suppose the Wolf were an Octopus, that looks neat.

 

It was reassuring to hear about skipping phonics working out okay too. I don't know if we'll finish MFW 1st or not, can't make up my mind. It goes against my natural inclination to turn reading, which she loves, into some dreaded chore, and she's been fine without the phonics. She just wants to read the Bible reader all the way through and not illustrate the notebook, so I think I'll let her.

 

We have a lot of SL readers around here, so I think I'll have her read through those this year. Keeping her reading and me reading to her are the most important part.