First Language Lessons for 1st grade, and...?

[ErinMarie123]

My oldest recently finished the Alpha Omega Horizons kindergarten phonics/reading program. Since my local homeschool convention was canceled (angry!) I won't have a chance to get my hands on much curriculum to compare my 1st grade options as fully as I would like.

 

Given how well my son did with the kindergarten program, I went ahead and got him the 1st grade Horizons phonics and spelling curricula for next year. I skipped their penmanship stuff and we're going to use the Memoria Press copybooks for that because I like that they use Bible verses.

 

Having said that...we have a copy of 'First Language Lessons' and I was flipping through it last night. In the intro it says that even with FLL you'd need a phonics and a spelling program.

 

Would it be overkill to try to roll in some of the FLL grammar along with the Horizons phonics, spelling, & MP copywork? Seems like it would be to me...but my son *loves* learning and will honestly sit at the desk for hours "doing school." I don't want to bombard him, but if it's worth it and he is having fun with it...?

 

I guess my question is - if you use FLL, what do you supplement it with for phonics/spelling?

 

Thanks.

[~Kirsten~]

We supplemented FLL with Spelling Workout and Writing With Ease. My daughter had actually finished The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading or that would have been the phonics supplement. Now, I haven't seen Horizons program, but if it doesn't include grammar like parts of speech and such, I don't think it sounds like overkill. FLL is very gentle and mostly done orally, so it would probably be a nice complement.

 

The first level of WWE is largely narration and copywork. You'll have the copywork covered with Memoria, and if you have an old version of FLL you'll be doing some narration as well. Personally, I adore WWE, but that might be overkill with the other things you already have. Maybe others can chime in on that point.

 

Bottom line? I'd give FLL a shot and see how it goes. Best wishes! :001_smile:

[kandty]

FLL 1 are short and don't take much time at all to do. I have the older edition FLL 1/2. We do that and a phonics and spelling program too and we are not overwhelmed at all. I don't do FLL 1 every day . . . . 2-4x depending on other stuff in our schedule for the week.

[Homeschooling6]

I just started FLL with my 6yr. old K student. He's using FLL 1, HWT and AAR. No spelling yet for him. He's still learning how to read cvc words.

I love that you can do most of FLL orally.

[ladydusk]

So far we've done FLL1 with OPG in K (my children have been solid readers before K, we finish OPG to solidify those skills), then FLL2 with WWE1 and Spelling Power in First Grade. That's as far as we are so maybe this won't work out as we get into FLL3 and 4. I hope it will be fine.

[ErinMarie123]

FLL 1 are short and don't take much time at all to do. I have the older edition FLL 1/2. We do that and a phonics and spelling program too and we are not overwhelmed at all. I don't do FLL 1 every day . . . . 2-4x depending on other stuff in our schedule for the week.

 

Yeah - we have the older version with grades 1 & 2 in the same book. :)

[Dinsfamily]

I agree with the others. We use SWR for phonics and spelling, FLL for grammar and WWE for writing. It's not too much for my ds. FLL is gentle and the lessons are short. We do it 3-4 times per week depending on how the week is going.

[amyofPA]

We have used the FLL 1 and just starting 2. The lessons are very short, and fun for the kids. You are not doing too much with another phonics/spelling. We have not really done much of a spelling curriculum, but have done phonics workbooks from Christian Liberty Press. I also purchased the older version of the FLL 1&2 combined, and the audio cd that goes along with it. My kids like to listen to the poems and stories that are on there, just for fun.