Any WTMers that use Abeka all the way through?

[KeriJ]

Edited to clarify title: I mean Abeka for LA.

 

I was raised on Abeka. All through highschool I was way ahead of my class in grammar so that they moved me out of my class into doing college level on my own. (I think a lot of that had to do with my mom instilling reading into us at a very young age) But because I was familiar with Abeka we used it right off in homeschooling starting in K through 1st grade for phonics, LA and math. Dd#1 did very well with it and thrived on the phonics becoming a very strong reader.

 

Then I found WTM and doubted our use of Abeka. I realize that it is written for classroom and that other programs are more suited for homeschool. I also realize that it is considered to be weak in writing, which I can attest to because even with my strength in grammar, I didn't have the same strength in writing.

 

So for 2nd grade, we switched to R&S for English and spelling. We like it fine, but I feel like we ended up going backwards in many areas. I keep finding rules that we learned in 1st that she has already forgotten due to lack of use in our R&S spelling book.

 

I'm starting to lean towards going back to Abeka for continuity, but teaching it much more flexibly than they suggest. (Dd#2 has already started it for K) I already leave a lot of the review out, and we only did half of the written exercises in 1st grade, doing more orally. I would plan to incorporate writing in other subjects through SWB recommendations.

 

Any other Abeka LA users out there???

Edited January 24, 2011 by KeriJ

[2_girls_mommy]

No, to your question. We don't use Abeka. I am a R&S user. I just wanted to say that don't judge R&S on the 2nd grade. It goes at a different pace than Abeka. It really picks up the grammar and begins writing in earnest in 3rd. The spelling, well, we skipped grade 2 and 3 and started w/the 4th grade bk w/my 3rd grader because it was so simple before then.

 

It is because they don't have K. So first grade is the first year of real school. So over 1st grade they are covering stuff you may have covered in K w/Abeka. Then in 2nd it picks up a little, and more in 3rd. Anyway, that has been my experience with it. You may want to look at some samples of the next year or two.

[johnandtinagilbert]

As a former RS user and also w/ a year of Abeka, I'd say our retention was far superior w/ RS and agree w/ a PP that RS picks up a great deal in 3rd ad 4th grade.

 

I'd also say....both are dull as the day is long and there are better options out there :) They'll work, but they won't help w/ loving learning, that's for sure.

[breffe]

I am having the same problem! We started Abeka for 1st grade at the urging of all the other homeschoolers at our church. I had previously used Sonlight but could not afford it.

 

Now that I have fallen in love the classical education idea and am very dissatisfied with Abeka. I am even completely dropping their history and science and switched to SOTW 1 and Elemental Science Biology. The only thing I am still doing with Abeka is worksheets from the phonics workbooks and math.

 

I know it doesn't answer your question. But Abeka just doesn't seem to embrace the classical style at all.

[Disney Dreaming]

My complaint with A Beka is that their writing program is terrible! I have used it for 1st and 2nd(for 100 lessons). During this time nouns haven't been brought up at all. I understand that scope and sequence is different with every program but I feel my 2nd grader is way behind. I have tried to supplement with other programs but then we end up spending too much time(up to 1.5 hrs) on LA. I wish there was a perfect program but so far I honestly like FLL and R&S the best.

[NicA]

I grew up using Abeka at a Christian school, and like you my grammar was excellent but my writing was weak. I go back and forth with the idea of using Abeka, because I think it is important to really know grammar. I will probably try FLL first, and if that doesn't go well then I may give Abeka a try. I still haven't looked into R&S, but I guess I should. What other curriculum is being used for early elementary?

[KeriJ]

This is helpful so far. I meant to mention that we only use it for LA and math. We've been pretty classical/CM for other subjects.

[Guest]

I, too, used Abeka while in school. I still believe they have a very solid math and language arts program. That being said, we have tried Saxon and I like the way Saxon teaches math better than Abeka. If we ever dropped Saxon, we'd probably go back to Abeka. We are going to try First Language Lessons, but if I'm not comfortable with it, we'll be going back to Abeka for grammar. I've purchased IEW for writing, as I haven't heard good things about Abeka's writing. (I don't remember writing from back in grade school!)

 

I know many people IRL who use Abeka and use it all the way through. There aren't many (if any?) on this board, though.

[Zoo Keeper]

I had Abeka myself for grammar in elementary, and then Warriner's for jr.high and high school. It worked very well (despite my typos here on the boards...:)). Like others have posted, I know my grammar, but writing well was another story.

 

With my group, I have done FLL1, then combined FLL 2 with the Abeka Lang. 2 workbook (we skip all the writing--I prefer SWB's writing philosophy). My oldest is doing FLL 3/some of Abeka Language 3 this year, and next year will do just the 4th grade Abeka Language book (FLL 3 and 4 are more advanced in some areas than Abeka's 3rd and 4th grammar, and my oldest needs more time to review and cement some things).

I have combined FLL with Abeka because I like the extra practice of mechanics that Abeka brings to the equation. Both of my boys have needed that extra, continual practice in order for some of these things to be automatic. Also, they can do the Abeka workbooks independently, which is a nice change after we discuss and work through FLL together.

 

I do plan on using Abeka grammar through 6th grade, and then using Warriner's for jr. and sr. high. Since it is what I was taught, I feel very comfortable going through it again with my own.