If you have a late reader, what did you do about grammar?

[mo2]

I tried FLL 1 and 2 because it is mainly oral. She hated it. I would like to do some sort of grammar program with her, maybe FLL3 or GWG, but I know she wouldn't be able to read all the sentences. Would it still be effective? Or should I just wait until she is reading fluently and then start grammar, even if it is another year or two?

[Ellie]

I waited until she was reading fluently.

[melmichigan]

We waited. :)

[mo2]

Thank you. That's what I was thinking.

[SilverMoon]

We waited. She simply couldn't wrap her brain around grammar until she had reading mastered. When she did get into grammar she quickly flew up to and beyond grade level. :)

[Mallory]

I don't start grammar until 3rd or 4th grade anyway, and for sure not until reading is good!

[JudoMom]

I think you are fine to wait, but I did R&S 2 mostly orally with my 2nd grader last year.

[kalanamak]

I tried FLL 1 and 2 because it is mainly oral. She hated it. I would like to do some sort of grammar program with her, maybe FLL3 or GWG, but I know she wouldn't be able to read all the sentences. Would it still be effective? Or should I just wait until she is reading fluently and then start grammar, even if it is another year or two?

 

A waited a bit, and then did GWG 1 and 2 in second grade. We finished easily. I did it with him, and it improved his reading. The sentences were short and repeated the same words.

 

Also, read the Brian Cleary books (A Lime, A Mime, A Pool of Slime).

[FairProspects]

See, I think this may be one of those things that depends on the child and why reading is late. Ds just has not developmentally had reading "click" yet, but he processes content on a very high level. He can easily identify proper and common nouns orally, as long as he doesn't have to read them.

 

In our case, ds would be incredibly bored if I held off on all the other interesting content & skills subjects until he read fluently (similar to how some kids have this problem with writing). Kids just develop asynchronously and I see no problem with doing grammar orally for a late reader if they seem ready for it. We hear about people on the boards acting as scribes all the time for their writing-phobic kids, so why not do work orally for late readers as well?

[mo2]

 

Also, read the Brian Cleary books (A Lime, A Mime, A Pool of Slime).

 

These look cute! I'd never seen them before. Thanks.

[ondreeuh]

This was our experience too. DS is using CLE Language Arts and doing fine at learning grammar and mechanics of writing, although his reading is still emerging. He writes at a low level in his journal every day but he can keep up with CLE, although I do have to scribe when he has to make paragraphs.

[kalanamak]

These look cute! I'd never seen them before. Thanks.

 

Many libraries have them. The Ruth Heller ones (e.g. A cache of jewels and other collective nouns) are, IMO, for older kids. The art is more pretty and less "kid" oriented. When my son was only 6, he suddenly sat up while I was reading something and said "It's a, it's a, it's an ANTONYM" with such a scream of delight, I ran to my computer and got the rest. We now have word days. We try to point out, e.g. adverbs we read, or try to make up silly examples, as in the Cleary books. I also use it to teach vocabulary, and American idioms. Lots of meat in these simple books.

[EKS]

I waited until my son was reading fluently. He started grammar in 5th grade.

[Paintedlady]

When my kids were a bit younger we used Rod & Staff orally. I skipped anything that was too repetitive. Worked nicely.

[ElizabethB]

You might try some mad libs if you want to try some easy fun grammar to help work on the basic concepts.

 

The junior ones are easy to start with, and you could do all the reading. We did a few junior mad libs before building up to regular mad libs.

[rootsnwings]

I had an early reader and all the grammar I taught before this year was for naught! I think it's just like math, there is a certain time when their brain is ready to receive the information and I don't think he was ready before 4th grade. This year grammar has been a BREEZE for him, but I don't think it is at all because of his prior exposure (FLL1 & 2). He just could not wrap his brain around it when he was younger. Practice more on spelling, reading literature, vocabulary & memory work while they're younger--there is PLENTY of time to learn grammar & really there's NOT that much to it once they're ready to learn it...I remember we had the same thing over & over & over, year after year in high school... BORING!!! I think I will just do grammar during the logic stage and lead it right into fluent writing for rhetoric then drop it for good. That's what you're laying the foundation for anyway, to learn proper mechanics of writing.

 

HTH!! :D

[JustGin]

We waited as well, but not long enough, then we floundered through a few programs and last year, 9th grade, found Analytical Grammar. She was ready and it was a perfect fit. :001_smile:

Edited November 18, 2010 by JustGin

[Soror]

I guess ds at a bit over 6 and still learning to read is late by a lot of standards. We are waiting. However, I did do some Mad Libs w/ him I read it and then would let him try to guess words. Basic stuff like nouns are person- place- thing- verbs are action words- stuff like that. I am getting him some Mad Libs Jr for Christmas but I am sure I will have to read those to him as well. I think by next year he will be ready to try FLL 1, right now I want to focus on the reading for the most part.(On the Mad Libs dh and I was doing it myself and he wanted to help as well-it wasn't really planned as in we are starting Grammar kind of way)

Edited November 18, 2010 by soror

[FO4UR]

My ds7 is still in the "learning to read" stage. We do grammar very light and casual. As I make lunch, I ask him what a noun is....can you think of some?...and that's enough for now. Also, I correct him if he uses incorrect grammar in daily speech. We talk about what a complete sentence is. "A gray kitten" is not a sentence b/c the gray kitten has to DO something, etc...

 

He does copywork almost everyday so he sees written language.

[siloam]

I waited until she was reading fluently.

 

:iagree:

 

Heather