alternating focus on grammar and writing

[Tess in the Burbs]

In several places over the years I have read about alternating the focus on grammar and writing. My son detests grammar and after trying many last year I settled on trying this alternating idea. This year he's doing WT 1 and Daily Grams 4.

 

I am seeking advice on what to do next.

 

I would like to get back to R&S for grammar. There is debate if that offers enough writing or not. But if I wanted to alternate grammar and writing focus then would I skip levels in grammar and just do his age level? So for next year do R&S 4 with no extra writing. The following year do WT 2(or something) and Daily Grams 5? And then come back to R&S 6 the next year? Or is there too much in 5 to skip it? See my concerns?

 

Is alternating these worth the effort to figure out a schedule?? :tongue_smilie:

 

I even entertained the idea of going back to FLL but I can't have them together, so she would do 3 and he would do 4 but I heard 4 is hard and if he hasn't done 3 would be too much? What do you think?

 

I have a lot of the next stage laid out how we hope it will go but language arts has always been the one thing that hasn't ever clicked you know? Would love your insight and advice on what you like/what worked/what you want to do.

Thank you

[Mallory]

We alternate spelling (or vocabulary) and grammar, and often just use a WTM across the curriculum writing program. Have you listened to SWB's lectures on writing? Did you do WWE? There are so many opportunities to talk about grammar and spelling if he is writing everyday (outlines, narrations, list of facts), but I wouldn't give that up (although you could give up a formal writing program). I think writing is much more important then grammar for middle school, I don't think I would want to alternate writing.

 

I would skip R&S 4 and do 5 next year then 6 when you get back to grammar, then even 7 if you come back to it. From my research 5 is the last one you would want to skip, but it would be better to skip 4 and do 5-7. And it would be fine to do them in alternating years.

 

I even entertained the idea of going back to FLL but I can't have them together

Is this because they don't work well together? (If so I understand that ;)) But age wise I think FLL 3 or 4 would probably be fine for them to both do.

 

I have always hated planning writing too. But I love the simplicity and ease of using SWB's plans for writing. My 5th grader is using WT2, and while WT1 I felt streached him, I just haven't felt like WT2 was enough of a leap to be worth 36 weeks, in fact we have been combining and getting most of the story done in 1 week not 2. He is also beta testing WWS, and I have been implementing that for science and history and I love it!

[Mallory]

Ohh, I had another thought!

 

Would it work for him to teach FLL 3 to your dd? If so you could count it for grammar for both of them ;)

[robsiew]

I would not skip R&S5. I agree with the PP. I've heard even older children should start in level 5. It may work well to put your one child in FLL and your other child work independently in R&S. Then it wouldn't matter the level because it's different curriculum. R&S is easy to use independently so it wouldn't be hard to teach both. If your child hates grammar I would think something like R&S (that you can easily skip problems in) or Growing With Grammar (more fill in the blank) would be better than FLL which is very teacher intensive and in my estimation more time consuming. The things my kids don't like they just want to do and get done.

 

And bottom line is... we all have to do things we don't like. In the big picture of life, really, grammar is one of the least painful! :D

[Ellie]

In several places over the years I have read about alternating the focus on grammar and writing. My son detests grammar and after trying many last year I settled on trying this alternating idea. This year he's doing WT 1 and Daily Grams 4.

 

I am seeking advice on what to do next.

 

I would like to get back to R&S for grammar. There is debate if that offers enough writing or not. But if I wanted to alternate grammar and writing focus then would I skip levels in grammar and just do his age level? So for next year do R&S 4 with no extra writing. The following year do WT 2(or something) and Daily Grams 5? And then come back to R&S 6 the next year? Or is there too much in 5 to skip it? See my concerns?

 

Is alternating these worth the effort to figure out a schedule?? :tongue_smilie:

 

I even entertained the idea of going back to FLL but I can't have them together, so she would do 3 and he would do 4 but I heard 4 is hard and if he hasn't done 3 would be too much? What do you think?

 

I have a lot of the next stage laid out how we hope it will go but language arts has always been the one thing that hasn't ever clicked you know? Would love your insight and advice on what you like/what worked/what you want to do.

Thank you

That wouldn't work for *me*. I'd either do R&S and nothing else, or WT and Easy Grammar (DG alone is not enough grammar instruction) and nothing else. Of course, R&S might cover things you won't get with WT/EG, such as using reference materials; I haven't seen a WT scope and sequence.

 

I don't think it's necessary to make the whole teaching-English process so painful. :)

[Crimson Wife]

I alternate grammar and applied grammar/writing. I'm using the Michael Clay Thompson LA program plus Don Killgallon's sentence-composing series. Last year my oldest did Killgallon Story Grammar for Elementary Students fall semester and then MCT Grammar Town and Paragraph Town spring semester. This fall she finished up MCT Practice Town and did a sentence diagramming workbook from Mark Twain Media. This coming semester she'll do Killgallon Grammar for Middle School.

 

I don't have any experience with R&S, sorry!

[Tess in the Burbs]

I will go listen to the mp3 about writing again. I had heard that about not skipping R&S 5....so perhaps I have my answer already. And I forgot how time intensive FLL could be....lots to think about.

thanks!