Answering questions about Advanced Language Lessons

[ELaurie]

Hi Susan!

 

We've just started using AAL, and I l already love it! It's scripted, easy to use, and builds on what ds 11 already covered using the FLL series. Thank you!

 

I'm wondering how to schedule this - I assume the idea is to cover 2-3 lessons per week, as with FLL, but it would be helpful to know for planning purposes.

 

Thanks again!

[TC5]

I'm wondering how to schedule this - I assume the idea is to cover 2-3 lessons per week, as with FLL, but it would be helpful to know for planning purposes.

 

 

I'm obviously not Susan, but I think I can answer that question. The sample shows Week 1, Lesson 1; Week 1, Lesson 2; and Week 1, Lesson 3. Then it goes on to Week 2 for Lessons 4-6. So I'd say the intent is for it to be used three times each week.

 

Also, and more to the point, this is from Susan's first post in this thread:

 

There are 3 lessons per week, 36 weeks of lessons.

[ELaurie]

:tongue_smilie:

[Susan Wise Bauer]

My oldest is 12 and will start 7th grade. LA is not my favorite area, and in trying to find something that worked for us we bounced around a lot. He's had some grammar but not much stuck other than the part of FLL3 we did the end of last year (we barely scratched the surface and only made it to lesson 9).

I bought JAG to use for this year (we don't start until the 19th due to my dh deploying soon and having to move away from us recently) which we'd tried before but usually by about unit 4 he crashes and burns. He really liked FLL3 for those few weeks we used it and even said SWB was a genius) We also used about the first 1/4 of WWE 3 and the first draft of the WWS beta testing. He enjoyed those as much as a kid that hates to write enjoyed them. We used some of IEW SWIA for a while too and that was ok but I like SWBs approach to writing better.

 

I would go ahead and complete FLL4 and then move on to either ALL or to another complete grammar program. FLL4 will fill in the gaps.

 

If he was able to complete the beta testing of WWS without too much trouble, I'd continue on with that, rather than going back to WWE. Writing With Ease is simply intended to get them to the point where they CAN do middle-grade writing assignments. The fourth Writing With Ease book is primarily useful for students who are not quite ready, in terms of maturity, to move on to logic-stage writing--it's additional practice that allows them to develop a longer attention span and better recollection skills--but it isn't absolutely necessary before going on to WWS.

 

 

My dd is going to be 10 in Nov, but she has some issues that will require vision therapy, and she can't read well on her own. She can read Magic Tree House, but it takes here about 45 minutes just to read one chapter in it. Due to her reading problems she doesn't write well, but can give an oral narration very well and enjoyed using parts of WWE 1 last year. She's had no grammar exposure at all other than about the first 21 lessons of FLL 1 last year (which she enjoyed)

I was thinking of using FLL 3 for her (and just helping her with spelling/acting as her scribe if needed) and PAL writing.

 

What about for her, should I do any grammar or hold off until next year? Keep using WWE (using level 2 this year and helping or modifying dictation as needed)?

 

I would do FLL3 and either PAL or WWE, whichever seems to help her write without frustrating her.

 

SWB

[nukeswife]

I would go ahead and complete FLL4 and then move on to either ALL or to another complete grammar program. FLL4 will fill in the gaps.

 

If he was able to complete the beta testing of WWS without too much trouble, I'd continue on with that, rather than going back to WWE. Writing With Ease is simply intended to get them to the point where they CAN do middle-grade writing assignments. The fourth Writing With Ease book is primarily useful for students who are not quite ready, in terms of maturity, to move on to logic-stage writing--it's additional practice that allows them to develop a longer attention span and better recollection skills--but it isn't absolutely necessary before going on to WWS.

 

 

 

 

I would do FLL3 and either PAL or WWE, whichever seems to help her write without frustrating her.

 

SWB

 

Thank you Susan, I'll follow the suggestions you made above. So far the problems seem to crop up when we veer away from your programs. Maybe this year I'll learn to hold the course and we'll have a more productive and happy year.

[Colleen in NS]

The good news: If you want to use it this fall, you can have it for free.

 

:svengo: You really do love to help other home educators.

 

2. I don't think there's nearly enough review. It teaches a concept and then doesn't come back to it for weeks, sometimes months.

--We have more of a spiral approach with constant review.

 

 

My kids think R&S has too MUCH review - maybe that's because they've done the books one after another every year since level 3 (FLL 3 and 4 weren't out yet, or I'd have used them)? Honest, I do pick and choose among the exercises so as not to bog them down. What do you mean by not enough review - do you mean just within one level? (just trying to figure out if I should tweak R&S somehow, since at the moment I don't think I can start ALL without being disappointed when the rest of it isn't ready when we are :tongue_smilie:)

 

And by the way, yes to the religious/cultural slant. Ds is doing book 8, and around book 6 we were starting to get weary of the preaching via grammar lessons. Oh well, it's an exercise in analyzing sentences within the teaching to figure out what the publishers are trying to lead us to believe about things other than grammar. :D

 

Thanks for your generosity.

[Susan Wise Bauer]

Colleen--what I mean is that after a concept is covered, it isn't reviewed in other units on other concepts--you learn it, practice practice practice, and then...don't come back to it for ages.

 

SWB

[Colleen in NS]

Colleen--what I mean is that after a concept is covered, it isn't reviewed in other units on other concepts--you learn it, practice practice practice, and then...don't come back to it for ages.

 

SWB

 

Thanks, I see what you mean now.

 

ETA: I should have paid attention to what Teonei wrote above: "Also, I'd always thought of R&S as having way too much review, but after SWB mentioned the spiral approach of FLL and ALL and after thinking more about FLL 1-2, which I've used, FLL/ALL really does seem more likely to produce long-term results." I used FLL 1-2, too, and I see what Teonei means.

Edited September 9, 2011 by Colleen in NS

[HeidiKC]

My 6th grader is doing R&S 6 this year. If we use ALL next year for 7th grade, would the first level (ALL 1) be too easy after having completed R&S 6, or is this where we need to start? I REALLY want to try this, but not sure what level we'd use next year.

 

Thanks!

 

p.s. I love that it will only be 3x week!

[Heather K.]

Thank you so much for giving us chunks of ALL as it's available!!

My daughter and I were disappointed to finish up FLL 4 last year and know we had to switch. And the curriculum we've picked this year leaves much to be desired. (ugh) Grammar went from my DD's favorite subject to her LEAST favorite! We are so excited to start ALL tomorrow!

Thank you!!!:party:

[Stellalarella]

The lessons are working out very nicely for my 7th grade ds and 5th grade dd. We've been doing 2 lessons a week since July to stretch things out since the book won't come available till later.

So far, I have to say that this curriculum is working well for teaching both these dc at one time. So for me, this curriculum is a TIME SAVER.

Second, I appreciate the humor injected into the lessons every now and then.

We totally appreciated the exercises beginning lesson 13 conjugating the simple, progressive and perfect tenses of the verb yawn. They loved the optional jumping jacks suggestion as well.

I'm appreciating the extra explanation of terms they've studied for years now; for example, in lesson 8, we once again studied that a sentence expresses a complete thought. This time, however, the student learns that a sentence usually contains a subject and a predicate and a good example from an excerpt is given. So helpful. :001_smile:

This curriculum is working well for us and if I have to stretch this book out for 2 years before ALL2 comes out, I think that will be just fine. We're getting additional grammar from rigorous latin study, so what is the rush?

I appreciate the style and method of ALL and the kids like it, too.

Edited September 18, 2011 by Andrea Lowry
d

[dcjlkplus3]

Will there be any poetry memorization in ALL. I couldn't find any in the 5 week sample that I have?

 

Should I just be adding my own, or is it not really necessary for 5th grade and logic stage?

 

I'm so happy to have ALL.

[Colleen in NS]

I have a question about Lesson 7. On p. 55 of the instructor book, 1/3 of the way down the page, the instructor explains what a predicate is. Then the instructor tells the student to read the definition out loud from the workbook. The student does so. Then the instructor tells the student to "Read the definition of a simple predicate from your workbook." Is there a def. of a simple predicate anywhere in the teacher book or student book, and I'm not seeing it? Or is that sentence about simple predicate not supposed to be there? Or is there something else I'm not understanding?

 

ETA two days later: I just have to say I LOVE this new program! I see much better now what you mean about parent helps and frequent repetition in comparison to R&S. Parts of it are also humourous. :D

Edited September 22, 2011 by Colleen in NS

[redsquirrel]

I have a question about life after ALL 1. I have an 11 year old boy. He would be a 6th grader. We have done FLL 1-4. In 5th grade we used GWG for about 4 months and then tossed it. It did not work for us. That was the first time I have ever tossed a curriculum, btw. We did continue with Lively Latin so there was some grammar happening.

 

Now, he is in 6th grade and we are moving on with ALL. He LOVES it, btw. He has remembered all his definitions and chants. I understand that there will prob not be ALL 2 available next autumn, and I am wondering where we should go from here.

 

R&S is not really an option, but I could bit the bullet and edit, edit, edit if it were truly the best option. And, if it is the best option, at what level would we start? 6th grade? 7th?

 

But, taking into account that we will be using WWS for writing instruction, is there ANYTHING other than R&S that would make good transition from ALL?

[littlebug42]

We have not used the earlier language lesson books but because of the free download, I decided to give it a look. We decided to use it and Sweet-pea loves it. SWB is pretty much a hero of hers since she wrote SOTW which are her favorites. Well, when ALL used SOTW sentences, she was on cloud 9. I shared with her that the books have the same author and she loves ALL even more now. I will be moving Boo-Boo over next year as well and Sweet-pea will be using WWS next fall. I look forward to the continuation of the series.

[happyhomemaker]

I have been using Shurley English with my 4th grader. She has a good grasp of grammar, but she has not done any formal diagramming. I would like to use ALL with her next year. Will her lack of knowledge in diagramming be a problem when starting ALL? Should I go ahead and start doing it with her or can I just wait until she gets to it in ALL next year?

[Susan Wise Bauer]

My 6th grader is doing R&S 6 this year. If we use ALL next year for 7th grade, would the first level (ALL 1) be too easy after having completed R&S 6, or is this where we need to start? I REALLY want to try this, but not sure what level we'd use next year.

 

Thanks!

 

p.s. I love that it will only be 3x week!

 

Heidi,

 

I don't think it would be too easy, but you'll probably want to preview the table of contents...which will be posted later this year, once the manuscript is in final shape.

 

SWB

[Susan Wise Bauer]

I have been using Shurley English with my 4th grader. She has a good grasp of grammar, but she has not done any formal diagramming. I would like to use ALL with her next year. Will her lack of knowledge in diagramming be a problem when starting ALL? Should I go ahead and start doing it with her or can I just wait until she gets to it in ALL next year?

 

Diagramming skills are taught from the beginning, so I don't think you need to worry about it this year.

 

(One less thing to worry about is always good, right?)

 

SWB

[Susan Wise Bauer]

I have a question about Lesson 7. On p. 55 of the instructor book, 1/3 of the way down the page, the instructor explains what a predicate is. Then the instructor tells the student to read the definition out loud from the workbook. The student does so. Then the instructor tells the student to "Read the definition of a simple predicate from your workbook." Is there a def. of a simple predicate anywhere in the teacher book or student book, and I'm not seeing it? Or is that sentence about simple predicate not supposed to be there? Or is there something else I'm not understanding?

 

That's a typo. :blush: We decided to wait and cover that concept later, for various reasons, and I missed removing that line.

 

SWB

[Susan Wise Bauer]

I have a question about life after ALL 1. I have an 11 year old boy. He would be a 6th grader. We have done FLL 1-4. In 5th grade we used GWG for about 4 months and then tossed it. It did not work for us. That was the first time I have ever tossed a curriculum, btw. We did continue with Lively Latin so there was some grammar happening.

 

Now, he is in 6th grade and we are moving on with ALL. He LOVES it, btw. He has remembered all his definitions and chants. I understand that there will prob not be ALL 2 available next autumn, and I am wondering where we should go from here.

 

R&S is not really an option, but I could bit the bullet and edit, edit, edit if it were truly the best option. And, if it is the best option, at what level would we start? 6th grade? 7th?

 

But, taking into account that we will be using WWS for writing instruction, is there ANYTHING other than R&S that would make good transition from ALL?

 

Voyages in English, maybe? http://www.loyolapress.com/voyages-in-english-2011-program-overview.htm

 

or Analytical Grammar? http://www.analyticalgrammar.com/

[Susan Wise Bauer]

Will there be any poetry memorization in ALL. I couldn't find any in the 5 week sample that I have?

 

Should I just be adding my own, or is it not really necessary for 5th grade and logic stage?

 

I'm so happy to have ALL.

 

No poetry in ALL. You can add your own as part of literature study if you want to...this really depends on what else you're doing for literature and language arts.

 

SWB

[redsquirrel]

Voyages in English, maybe? http://www.loyolapress.com/voyages-in-english-2011-program-overview.htm

 

or Analytical Grammar? http://www.analyticalgrammar.com/

 

thank you so much.

 

I will look into both of these options.

[Guest momseev]

I have 15 and 13 yo boys who are just about finished with FLL3. I was going to order FLL4 but in trying to decide what to use after 4 I discovered ALL is being published. I have printed off the first week sample to look at, but I'm wondering if we can just skip FLL4 and jump into ALL? FLL seemed a bit elementary, but I really liked it because grammar was never a strong subject for me and everything else I had used for my older two children made them overly confused (and me too most of the time). I have learned much going through FLL with the boys. Thanks!

 

Dawn

[Susan Wise Bauer]

I have 15 and 13 yo boys who are just about finished with FLL3. I was going to order FLL4 but in trying to decide what to use after 4 I discovered ALL is being published. I have printed off the first week sample to look at, but I'm wondering if we can just skip FLL4 and jump into ALL? FLL seemed a bit elementary, but I really liked it because grammar was never a strong subject for me and everything else I had used for my older two children made them overly confused (and me too most of the time). I have learned much going through FLL with the boys. Thanks!

 

Dawn

 

I don't think they'd have difficulty with the concepts; the only problem might be the amount of repetition (there isn't a lot of repetition and drill on the basic concepts). Wouldn't hurt to try it, though. If they don't seem to be retaining the information, you could always drop back to FLL then.

 

SWB

[Guest momseev]

Thanks Susan, they were getting a bit tired of the repetition actually in FLL. They grasped new parts fairly quickly. "Mom, we know how to diagram the sentences, you don't have to keep asking us the questions". LOL

 

Since I'm here, do you mind answering a question about WWE/WWS? We have been using Writing Strands the past year and one son does well with it, the other not so much. I thought about trying WWS along with ALL. I was going to give the evaluations for WWE first to see if they can just skip those and jump to WWS. Would you suggest testing at level 4 first, then if they don't do well there, jump down to the level 3 evaluation? Looking over the first two levels I think they would do well so I didn't want to take the time to do them if we didn't have to. Thanks again!

 

Dawn

[curlylocks]

I have a 12 year old son. We have been working in A Beka's God's Gift of Language C this Fall. (This is A Beka's Grade 6 Grammar/Composition.)

 

Would ALL be "the next step" for him?

 

Thanks in advance! :)

[Colleen in NS]

That's a typo. :blush: We decided to wait and cover that concept later, for various reasons, and I missed removing that line.

 

SWB

 

Oh, I should have deleted my question - I realized during further lessons that it was probably a typo. But I forgot I had asked here about it!

[Susan Wise Bauer]

We have been using Writing Strands the past year and one son does well with it, the other not so much. I thought about trying WWS along with ALL. I was going to give the evaluations for WWE first to see if they can just skip those and jump to WWS. Would you suggest testing at level 4 first, then if they don't do well there, jump down to the level 3 evaluation? Looking over the first two levels I think they would do well so I didn't want to take the time to do them if we didn't have to. Thanks again!

 

Dawn

 

If they can finish the Year 3 evaluation without trouble, they can go on into WWS. You may want to work along on some of the WWE4 skills as you have time, particularly if they have trouble with the narrations in WWS.

 

The fourth level of Writing With Ease will improve the student's ease in writing (sorry, that's the clearest way to put it!), but WWS can be completed as long as the WWE3 skills are in place. (Students who finish WWE4 will probably work more quickly as well, but speed isn't necessarily something you want to spend an extra year developing, particularly with older students who may grow bored and frustrated.)

 

SWB

[Susan Wise Bauer]

I have a 12 year old son. We have been working in A Beka's God's Gift of Language C this Fall. (This is A Beka's Grade 6 Grammar/Composition.)

 

Would ALL be "the next step" for him?

 

Thanks in advance! :)

 

Yes, that would be an easy transition.

[Zelda]

Really enjoying ALL this year. After this week, we will be ready for more weeks than are currently available. I'm wondering how/when we would go about obtaining more of the lessons. Thanks for any assistance.

[Susan Wise Bauer]

Zelda,

 

The first fifteen weeks are typeset and being looked over for errors. They should be available shortly...I'll post instructions here when they are.

 

SWB

[Beth in SW WA]

Really enjoying ALL this year. After this week, we will be ready for more weeks than are currently available. I'm wondering how/when we would go about obtaining more of the lessons. Thanks for any assistance.

 

Z is back!!! Come play with us!! We promise to share our toys. :001_smile:

[Zelda]

Z is back!!! Come play with us!! We promise to share our toys. :001_smile:

 

:smilielol5:

 

I really should. I'm nice now. :Angel_anim:

[Zelda]

Thank you! I will await further instructions. :)

[Capt_Uhura]

Zelda,

 

The first fifteen weeks are typeset and being looked over for errors. They should be available shortly...I'll post instructions here when they are.

 

SWB

 

:party: We'll be finished soon as well and I look forward to another installment.

[dcjlkplus3]

Zelda,

 

The first fifteen weeks are typeset and being looked over for errors. They should be available shortly...I'll post instructions here when they are.

 

SWB

 

:hurray: This is what I was hoping to hear today! Thank you!

[Karenciavo]

I really should. I'm nice now. :Angel_anim:

:001_rolleyes:

[JudoMom]

:001_rolleyes:

 

:iagree:

[Zelda]

;)

 

It was worth a shot.

[Guest mom2aprincess]

We are so excited to get more. We finished up the first 15 this week too!

[dcjlkplus3]

Zelda,

 

The first fifteen weeks are typeset and being looked over for errors. They should be available shortly...I'll post instructions here when they are.

 

SWB

 

any news on this yet??

tomorrow we finish week 5...

 

Thank you!!!

[[email protected]]

You may email executiveassistant@welltrainedmind.com for the additional lessons now.

 

Moderator

[dcjlkplus3]

You may email executiveassistant@welltrainedmind.com for the additional lessons now.

 

Moderator

 

I just emailed - THANK YOU!!!!!

[Zelda]

Thank you!

[dcjlkplus3]

I just recieved the 1st 15 weeks - Thank you!

 

I noticed that there are periodic reviews in this.

 

Should they just be added in to make a 4th day of grammmar on those weeks where they fall?

 

Thanks!

:bigear:

[jhschool]

Hi

Rudyard Kipling did not write "Jabberwocky."

Thanks

J

[Annabel Lee]

Is the pre-order discount of 10% plus free shipping that is going on for WWS good for ALL, too? Also, is ALL set to release in print about the same time as WWS, or are they on different schedules?

 

Thanks in advance.

[dmrranch]

If I remember correctly, there will only be the pdf proof copies available this year due to the time spent getting WWS ready. There is no promise of when future levels of ALL will be available. So, essentially, if we are willing to work with the pdf proof copies we will be able to use it for free this year:001_smile:

[Mogster]

Will the remaining pdf files (16 on) be available before December? I don't want to get too far into this if we will not have anything to use after December. Also, is there a scope and sequence to ALL available? I am just trying to decide if the material being covered in ALL will be enough for my 7th grader who has finished R & S 6. We have LOVED all the FLL levels, and we were so excited when we heard about ALL. I really want to use ALL if it will truly be available this year ( all the lessons -- even if just in pdf). Thanks!

[Penelope]

If I remember correctly, there will only be the pdf proof copies available this year due to the time spent getting WWS ready. There is no promise of when future levels of ALL will be available. So, essentially, if we are willing to work with the pdf proof copies we will be able to use it for free this year:001_smile:

 

I don't know what was said about subsequent years, but ALL is listed for preorder on Amazon, to be released in January.