"Thinking About Language" and "From Talking to Writing"

[merry gardens]

I bought a couple books by the Landmark School Outreach program recently that I'm in the middle of reading. I've mentioned them on other threads, and people have asked me about them so I thought I'd start another thread here to discuss them more. The books are loaded with great ideas that I want to use, but they are teacher books--not student books. To implement all these wonderful ideas, I would need to make lesson plans.

 

Here's a reply I was going to submit on another thread, but I decided to start this thread instead.

 

...Merrygardens..I am intrigued about the book Thinking Language . How are you liking it?..my dtr needs help with her oral expression and I gave a copy of the table of contents to her speech pathologist. Is this book set-up in a lesson plan format..or just a sytsematic order of things to address? Any input would be great. Either way it is a bargain for $25 as long as I can devise lesson plans around it. I found Recipe for Reading a bargain for $25 and I am having no problem creating my own O-G based program. It supplements so nicely with Apples and Pears A and The I See Sam Readers.

So far, I find "Thinking About Language" fascinating. It's certainly been worth the money for me. I'm about half-way through it and discovering all sorts of good ideas. Some of the ideas are already in the more scripted special ed. programs I've used, (which I can appreciate even more now), but there's a goldmine of information that I'd like to somehow work into our homeschooling.

 

The book is definately not in a lesson plan format. It begins with a brief introduction. The majority of the book goes into details on a number of areas where a person might be confused by language or grammar. It lists the problem, presents a goal, offers some background information, then provides a list of very specific objectives that address the problem. (The lists are primarily in sequential order.) It does that over and over in many areas of language. Even good students might from some of the material found in the book. Since it's not a lesson plan or a script, I don't know exactly how I want to incorporate it into our homeschooling yet, but I will make good use of this information somehow.

[VinNY]

Thanks MerryGarden...I am going to buy it as a resource for me. Looking at the table of contents I can see that a lot of things I needed to work on with my dtr is being or was addressed with LiPs ,my O-G program and help from the SLP. We are now attacking oral expression. We started Primary Language Lessons 2 weeks ago and that is working out now..couldn't do it with her previously. I am thinking this book will help guide me ..you know cover the bases..and I can refer back to it when I come across more language glitches with my dtr.

[merry gardens]

Thanks MerryGarden...I am going to buy it as a resource for me. Looking at the table of contents I can see that a lot of things I needed to work on with my dtr is being or was addressed with LiPs ,my O-G program and help from the SLP. We are now attacking oral expression. We started Primary Language Lessons 2 weeks ago and that is working out now..couldn't do it with her previously. I am thinking this book will help guide me ..you know cover the bases..and I can refer back to it when I come across more language glitches with my dtr.

You're welcome. Yes, I know what you mean and that is my hope from these books--that they will help guide me.

 

Can I ask about lesson plan writing for children with special needs? Usually my lesson plans are based around students texts, or I use scripted special ed materials with carefully laid out lesson plans. As I mentioned, these books are not set up like that.

 

One thing I wonder about creating lesson plans based on these ideas--how far ahead should I plan? These are areas that require specific instruction taken at the learner's pace. I don't know how fast my son will understand once we start addressing the material in this methodically process. Some of the concepts might take him five minutes--or they might take two weeks. I simply don't know. His skill levels are all over the place on various subjects. In several of the areas that I want to work on with him, the book suggests teaching the language lessons in the context of learning about other subjects. That will take significant planning. But I don't know how much I'll need to plan.

 

Do you ever plan lessons day-to-day? That might be the approach to use. Instead of looking at all the areas that I want to cover from these books (and feeling overwhelmed like I do right now), I could break down my teaching tasks into smaller units and simply plan each day based on how the previous lesson attempt went.

Edited March 26, 2011 by merry gardens

[VinNY]

You're welcome. Yes, I know what you mean and that is my hope from these books--that they will help guide me.

 

Can I ask about lesson plan writing for children with special needs? Usually my lesson plans are based around students texts, or I use scripted special ed materials with carefully laid out lesson plans. As I mentioned, these books are not set up like that.

I do this too..I have used lesson plans from Mother of Divine Grace with the older 5 kids and use their script for myy dtr's science, history and religion but at a lower grade level. I also do alot orally with her.

 

 

One thing I wonder about creating lesson plans based on these ideas--how far ahead should I plan?

I use DonnaYoung's weekly planners and at the end of every month I sit down and plan out the next 4 weeks IN PENCIL!

 

These are areas that require specific instruction taken at the learner's pace. I don't know how fast my son will understand once we start addressing the material in this methodically process. Some of the concepts might take him five minutes--or they might take two weeks. I simply don't know. His skill levels are all over the place on various subjects. In several of the areas that I want to work on with him, the book suggests teaching the language lessons in the context of learning about other subjects. That will take significant planning. But I don't know how much I'll need to plan.

 

Do you ever plan lessons day-to-day?

Yes..with my weekly planners I write down the name of my language resources i.e LiPs, RR, PLL, A&P, I See Sam Readers..but no page or lesson #'s. I fill that in after I work with her with notes with what needs to be reviewed etc.

 

That might be the approach to use. Instead of looking at all the areas that I want to cover from these books (and feeling overwhelmed like I do right now), I could break down my teaching tasks into smaller units and simply plan each day based on how the previous lesson attempt went.

 

Again thanks for all your help this past year!

Virginia