What do you think of LLATL & TRAIL GUIDE

[Ginny May]

As you can see I am new to the forum. I came across this forum by googling reviews:) So excited!!!

 

I am getting ready for the hs conference the end of this week. I really want to use different curriculum but would like some real advice and some of you were very helpful on TT.

 

Here are the things I am thinking about please be honest.

 

What you think of the curriculum and how much time it really takes the student to do the work and for me to grade the work and prepare :confused:

 

LEARNING LANGUAGE ARTS THROUGH LITERATURE ( going into grades 4 and 7)

 

and

 

TRAIL GUIDE TO WORLD GEOGRAPHY

 

 

The other 2 things I am thinking about are Teaching Textbooks and Apologia human anatomy. If you have anything you would like to say about that :D

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to write me.

[GTJo1996]

We tried LLATL (red book) last fall and HATED it. It takes a LOT of time and I felt that there were HUGE gaps and not enough connectivity btw the lessons and the work and the reading. I love the theory behind the curriculum but I hated how long it took to complete and DD7 did too. I'm talking it took us 60-90 mins to complete each day. Not a good fit for us.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

We used LLATL for a very short time. We used the third grade book and really liked it. It has some fun activities scattered throughout.... BUT it was very scattered and my son was not getting enough practice with one thing before jumping onto the next. Some days the lessons would take 20 min and other days only 5 min. I never had it take 60-90 min.. I could see that happening though.

 

As for apologia. We just started using zoology 1 and are loving it. Sometimes it is above my kids heads but they are only 5 & 7 so that could be why. We are taking it slow and looking up stuff online or at the library as we go to help them grasp it better. I think at your childrens ages it would be great!

[Ginny May]

Ok 20 minutes sounds what I would plan not 60 that would drive me nights. I have not got to see the curriculum that is why I need help before the conference/book sale. :001_huh:

 

Now if you guys would have liked the curriculum. Do you think you needed the teacher book?

 

I have read so many reviews that said no and then yes and back and forth. I am the parent that if you do not need the teacher book I will not use it. :confused:

 

Plus here is my big question!!! What are they doing with the story/novel books you are to buy??? Is it just to look up a verse or is the whole curriculum built on that? The reason I ask is.... We have already read some of the books but do not own them. :confused:

 

I am so excited about the apologia. I could so understand 5 and 7 year olds not getting it. Every review said it was wrote for middle school. So your kids are doing great :D

[joyfulhomeschooler]

I don't think the TM is absolutely necessary. I did use it on occasion but I think you could totally do without. This is only of course with the level we used though. I don't know about the others.

The literature links are just a week of study on that book. So you could do your own book in place of it and just follow the same pattern. For instance when we did The White Stallion one of the activities was to research horses and then write what we learned and draw a picture of a horse. You can do that with any book.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

I think apologia has elementary and then middle school :-) My kids aren't that advanced lol

[Ginny May]

I don't think the TM is absolutely necessary. I did use it on occasion but I think you could totally do without. This is only of course with the level we used though. I don't know about the others.

The literature links are just a week of study on that book. So you could do your own book in place of it and just follow the same pattern. For instance when we did The White Stallion one of the activities was to research horses and then write what we learned and draw a picture of a horse. You can do that with any book.

 

 

Thank you for letting me know about the teacher book and the novels. I have a budget and do not want to spend it on things I really do not need. So that was very helpful $$$$:D

 

Plus my kids are not advanced either so we are doing the human anatomy :O) with journal we are so excited.

[mrs.m]

You need the teacher book for LLATL for Blue and Red levels. I didn't use it on the purple level.

 

There were things I liked about LLATL Purple and things I didn't. But we had to supplement too much and then just stopped using it. Red level was ok too for 1st grade. I like LLATL Blue and I'm using it right now to teach my DS how to read.

[carlychan]

I did not like these at all. I used them for my 1st grader and 5th grader. For us they were way too slow and easy. I moved both boys into Rod and Staff quickly and we are happy with that. I liked the idea of LLATL, but it just didn't pan out for us.

 

We are using Apologia for the first time this year and love it (astronomy). I expect I would like them all.

[khall]

We really like llatl here! This year DD8 used yellow, and just moved up to the orange book this week. DS10 used orange this year and just started purple last week. I have never used the lower levels that other posters are mentioning, but your kids are older anyway. We picked and chose what to use for yellow, as some of it seemed to be work just to do work that day. Lessons took 10-20 minutes (we skip the spelling though). We did most of orange as it is intended, though we skipped a few things and use a different spelling program. Both of mine stink at spelling so they need fairly intense and systematic practice and the spelling included in LLATL seemed more for natural spellers. Orange took about 10-20 minutes as well, and purple seems about the same, but we're only on lesson 1, and looking ahead I can see lessons with more writing practice that will take longer. I'd say that yellow and orange were gentle and purple steps it up a notch. I've read tons of reviews that say LLATL stinks and is not nearly rigorous enough, but we like the gentle approach and like that it covers everything. Both kids love to read, and will spend hours reading, so a light program ties together all the things they are picking up through reading.

 

Oh, you don't have to buy the books. We just get them from the library. And I wouldn't try to just use the student book without the teacher guide. You'll miss some instructions or clarifications.

 

Hope this helps! Just wanted to make sure you knew that not everyone dislikes this program.:)

[Ginny May]

The reason I am looking at LL is that my oldest seems to have learned all the rules etc etc in Language Arts but no real writing. I want her to be able to write/essays/etc.

 

Thank you.

 

Sounds like Apologia is 100%:)

[Ginny May]

The reason I am looking at LL is that my oldest seems to have learned all the rules etc etc in Language Arts but no real writing. I want her to be able to write/essays/etc.

 

Thank you.

 

Sounds like Apologia is 100%:)

[Tammyla]

LLATL in the early elementary years is very gentle. A blue or red book comparison to a purple or green are different as night and day. Have you looked at the samples you can down load and try?

 

A number of board members have used LLATL through the upper grades and have posted their experiences. You might try a board search.

[khall]

If you want to concentrate on writing, LLATL might not fit the bill for you. It's strength (and for some this is its weakness) is that it includes a little bit of everything. So there is "some" writing, just as there is "some" spelling, grammar, etc.

 

For both of my kids, spelling is very hard, so we use spelling programs for each of them other than what is in LLATL. I've heard people say the same thing about wanting to concentrate on grammar, so they use a specific grammar program to go alongside it. If you are wanting to really focus on writing, than you would probably need to look specifically at a writing program. We have been using the orange level of LLATL this year and writing is addresses through copy work and dictation. There is also some letter writing and the student will do some poetry writing. The purple (5th grade) book is where there starts to be more original writing expected from the student.

[Ginny May]

LLATL in the early elementary years is very gentle. A blue or red book comparison to a purple or green are different as night and day. Have you looked at the samples you can down load and try?

 

A number of board members have used LLATL through the upper grades and have posted their experiences. You might try a board search.

 

I am new on here (this week) what is a board search?:confused: If it is typing in the LL name in the search space. I did and did not get anything ( I could be doing it wrong) My first thread group.

[Ginny May]

If you want to concentrate on writing, LLATL might not fit the bill for you. It's strength (and for some this is its weakness) is that it includes a little bit of everything. So there is "some" writing, just as there is "some" spelling, grammar, etc.

 

For both of my kids, spelling is very hard, so we use spelling programs for each of them other than what is in LLATL. I've heard people say the same thing about wanting to concentrate on grammar, so they use a specific grammar program to go alongside it. If you are wanting to really focus on writing, than you would probably need to look specifically at a writing program. We have been using the orange level of LLATL this year and writing is addresses through copy work and dictation. There is also some letter writing and the student will do some poetry writing. The purple (5th grade) book is where there starts to be more original writing expected from the student.

 

 

Sorry two post back to back. I do not how to quote two people on one post.

For my son (orange book) no he needs all of this. It is the green book I want her to still do LA work and then do more writing. I hope that makes better sense? Sorry

[mrs.m]

I am new on here (this week) what is a board search?:confused: If it is typing in the LL name in the search space. I did and did not get anything ( I could be doing it wrong) My first thread group.

 

You want to type in LLATL.

Here's the search results: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/search.php?searchid=7600841

[SquirrellyMama]

I liked the looks of the upper levels of LLATL. I did not like Blue and Red.

 

I don't like Trail Guide. It was too disjointed for me. We could never get a flow going.

 

Kelly

[Spock]

Ok 20 minutes sounds what I would plan not 60 that would drive me nights. I have not got to see the curriculum that is why I need help before the conference/book sale. :001_huh:

 

Now if you guys would have liked the curriculum. Do you think you needed the teacher book?

 

I have read so many reviews that said no and then yes and back and forth. I am the parent that if you do not need the teacher book I will not use it. :confused:

 

Plus here is my big question!!! What are they doing with the story/novel books you are to buy??? Is it just to look up a verse or is the whole curriculum built on that? The reason I ask is.... We have already read some of the books but do not own them. :confused:

 

I am so excited about the apologia. I could so understand 5 and 7 year olds not getting it. Every review said it was wrote for middle school. So your kids are doing great :D

 

LLATL Blue and Red are totally different from the other levels. Blue and Red are the "learn to read" levels. That is the focus there. For those levels, the teacher book is essential.

 

The other levels teach grammar/writing/spelling/thinking about what you read. There are a couple of activities that are only in the teacher book, but these levels could be done with only the student book.

 

There are samples of all these levels on their website, which should give you a pretty good idea of how they work.

 

Basically, each level (3rd-8th) has about 3-4 book units per year. Unless you skip these, you will need the actual books. (The entire book is read and studied.) Apart from the weeks spent doing book units, each week is built around a specific dictation/copywork passage from a different book. You do not need to read any of these books to do that week's lesson. (You would want to read something on your own for reading that week.)

 

As a disclaimer--I have only actually used LLATL Blue. I have repeatedly gone back to look at the samples for the other levels, and have considered it seriously many times. I have always decided against it, because I do dictation/copywork on my own. I don't need help with that. I do want grammar instruction (and LLATL moves more slowly than I want for that). I also want writing instruction and/or regular writing assignments. LLATL does not give as many writing assignments as I want. Since I would have to add more of both elements I am looking for in the first place, I keep deciding that another program would meet my needs better.

[Ginny May]

You want to type in LLATL.

Here's the search results: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/search.php?searchid=7600841

 

It did not like that link :O(

It said

Not Found

Apologies, but the page you requested could not be found. Perhaps searching will help.

 

But I am going to type in LLATL and see what happens. Thank you so much.

:auto:

[Ginny May]

LLATL Blue and Red are totally different from the other levels. Blue and Red are the "learn to read" levels. That is the focus there. For those levels, the teacher book is essential.

 

The other levels teach grammar/writing/spelling/thinking about what you read. There are a couple of activities that are only in the teacher book, but these levels could be done with only the student book.

 

There are samples of all these levels on their website, which should give you a pretty good idea of how they work.

 

Basically, each level (3rd-8th) has about 3-4 book units per year. Unless you skip these, you will need the actual books. (The entire book is read and studied.) Apart from the weeks spent doing book units, each week is built around a specific dictation/copywork passage from a different book. You do not need to read any of these books to do that week's lesson. (You would want to read something on your own for reading that week.)

 

As a disclaimer--I have only actually used LLATL Blue. I have repeatedly gone back to look at the samples for the other levels, and have considered it seriously many times. I have always decided against it, because I do dictation/copywork on my own. I don't need help with that. I do want grammar instruction (and LLATL moves more slowly than I want for that). I also want writing instruction and/or regular writing assignments. LLATL does not give as many writing assignments as I want. Since I would have to add more of both elements I am looking for in the first place, I keep deciding that another program would meet my needs better.

 

Thank you. For letting me know about the books. I will buy them. :001_smile:

[Ginny May]

I liked the looks of the upper levels of LLATL. I did not like Blue and Red.

 

I don't like Trail Guide. It was too disjointed for me. We could never get a flow going.

 

Kelly

 

 

Thank you for telling me about Trail Guide. Now I know what to look for.

[Ginny May]

We really like llatl here! This year DD8 used yellow, and just moved up to the orange book this week. DS10 used orange this year and just started purple last week. I have never used the lower levels that other posters are mentioning, but your kids are older anyway. We picked and chose what to use for yellow, as some of it seemed to be work just to do work that day. Lessons took 10-20 minutes (we skip the spelling though). We did most of orange as it is intended, though we skipped a few things and use a different spelling program. Both of mine stink at spelling so they need fairly intense and systematic practice and the spelling included in LLATL seemed more for natural spellers. Orange took about 10-20 minutes as well, and purple seems about the same, but we're only on lesson 1, and looking ahead I can see lessons with more writing practice that will take longer. I'd say that yellow and orange were gentle and purple steps it up a notch. I've read tons of reviews that say LLATL stinks and is not nearly rigorous enough, but we like the gentle approach and like that it covers everything. Both kids love to read, and will spend hours reading, so a light program ties together all the things they are picking up through reading.

 

Oh, you don't have to buy the books. We just get them from the library. And I wouldn't try to just use the student book without the teacher guide. You'll miss some instructions or clarifications.

 

Hope this helps! Just wanted to make sure you knew that not everyone dislikes this program.:)

 

 

Thank you so much. I just ordered them a few days ago. I think we will like the gentle speed also. I did buy abeka spelling. My son needs extra help. Thank you so much for writing me. :D

[hsmom]

We are going to use Trail Guide to world geography this year. I am really excited to start. (we start tomorrow actually).

 

From what I have read in the TE and student pages it sounds like a nice fit for us. It seems to be a nice gentle way to do geography.

 

As for LLATL we did the blue book. I liked it and hated it all at the same time. I love that it is gentle, but hate that it seemed to be missing so much.

[mystika1]

We use LLATL Yellow and like it alot. I wanted a Charlotte Mason LA so that may be the reason. LLATL was written to be gentle. I tried other things like FLL and found my dd could tell you the definition of a noun, verb, pronoun and all that but couldn't pick it out of a sentence. It was pointless for us. Other programs like CLE LA moved wayyyyyy to quickly for us. LLATL works pretty good. It has never taken us more than 20 minutes to complete.I don't mind adding grammar extras or tweaking LLATL because it just fits our style of learning so well.

 

HTH,

 

Penny

[MrsMe]

LLATL Blue and Red....loved it! We didn't go further, because it duplicated some of the all-in-one curriculum I was already using.

 

LLATL is gentle and one of those curriculums that will seem light if you use a year here and there. It's meant to use in it's entiretly and very CM-ish.

[Violet Crown]

I used LLATL with my oldest many, many years ago when there was just one book for each level, with an unsatisfactory plastic comb binding. She was very gifted in English and it was perfect for us: she didn't need much practice or reinforcing of a concept, or even much structure, and I took for granted that we would go beyond LLATL's assigned lesson. I would give writing assignments based on the lesson but with my own tweaks or expansion.

 

It was a disaster for my next child, who needs structure and repetition. They're still on my shelf, because who knows about child #3?

 

I've just finished planning out TG Geography for next year for dd8 and dd15 simultaneously (dd15 could use the review of the level 1 questions, and is happy to hit the level 2 questions). We didn't buy any of the supplements, having a couple of sources for outline maps and plenty of atlas-y things. I'll be using the book Circling the Globe (for dd8) and a set of National Geographic CD-ROMs I picked up used (for dd15) to supplement. It looks like just the thing for us, but the proof, as ever, is in the pudding.

[Ginny May]

We are going to use Trail Guide to world geography this year. I am really excited to start. (we start tomorrow actually).

 

From what I have read in the TE and student pages it sounds like a nice fit for us. It seems to be a nice gentle way to do geography.

 

As for LLATL we did the blue book. I liked it and hated it all at the same time. I love that it is gentle, but hate that it seemed to be missing so much.

 

So how is it going?

[Ginny May]

20 minutes sounds great and it sounds like I will not be alone on doing TG. I did buy the cd-rom. I would like to see the TUG but not have to buy it first. I want to see examples of the notebook put together.