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CLE comes to mind. You will need the Reading and LA for a complete package. The math rocks, as well.

R&S can be your one stop shop, as well. (spell, gram/writ, read/Bible)

 

The above 2 will only suit you if you do not mind being inundated with religious teachings constantly.

 

 

LLATL is another, though less preachy. I do not feel it is solid enough. But that is just my opinion.

McRuffy LA (rather public school-y)

The Phonics Road

FLL/WWE/SWO (probably the simplest combo I can think of)

 

My youngers (7 and 6) are doing Memoria Press K/1st.

 

My olders (15 and almost 13) are going with Easy Grammar Plus (no Daily Grams), IEW: SWI-B, The Phonics Zoo: All Levels (still cannot spell here), and Lit. Lessons from The Lord of the Rings.

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Not sure what your "AIO" might include. :-)

 

If you want all English components in one book, then you're looking at Alpha Omega (school-y) or LLATL or Total Language Plus (homeschool-y).

 

If you're thinking of a single publisher that may have more than one text/workbook, then you're looking at Rod and Staff (Building Christian English, Spelling by Sound and Structure, Bible Nurture and Reader series) (school-y), or something like Peacehill Press (OPGTR, WWE, FLL)(homeschool-y).

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We're about to start Galore Park, which covers everything but literature (it suggests books to read) and is open and go. Moving Beyond the Page (starting with the 7-9 level) is complete, including literature and worksheets, and is more or less open and go, as well.

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Not sure what your "AIO" might include. :-)

 

If you want all English components in one book, then you're looking at Alpha Omega (school-y) or LLATL or Total Language Plus (homeschool-y).

 

If you're thinking of a single publisher that may have more than one text/workbook, then you're looking at Rod and Staff (Building Christian English, Spelling by Sound and Structure, Bible Nurture and Reader series) (school-y), or something like Peacehill Press (OPGTR, WWE, FLL)(homeschool-y).

 

Grammar and writing, not neccesarily spelling, reading, and penmanship.

 

Thanks so much for the recs so far. What about Abeka? Not a AIO, but IEW sounds complicated. NO??

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Grammar and writing, not neccesarily spelling, reading, and penmanship.

Ah. See, that's why I try not to use "language arts," because it means different things to different people. ;-)

 

Most textbook/school publishers include grammar and composition (plus other things such as using reference materials) in one text/workbook.

 

Thanks so much for the recs so far. What about Abeka? Not a AIO, but IEW sounds complicated. NO??

I'm not a big fan of ABeka's grammar/comp. If you're thinking of textbook/workbook (school-y), IMHO R&S is superior to ABeka; BJUP is next to R&S.

 

IEW has never thrilled me. It thrills others, though. :-)

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Ah. See, that's why I try not to use "language arts," because it means different things to different people. ;-)

 

Most textbook/school publishers include grammar and composition (plus other things such as using reference materials) in one text/workbook.

 

 

I'm not a big fan of ABeka's grammar/comp. If you're thinking of textbook/workbook (school-y), IMHO R&S is superior to ABeka; BJUP is next to R&S.

 

IEW has never thrilled me. It thrills others, though. :-)

 

Ellie, did you use R&S? I'm leaning towards that. It's cheap enough to try and I can do more research later, but at least we'd be doing something in the meantime.

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Grammar and writing, not neccesarily spelling, reading, and penmanship.

 

Thanks so much for the recs so far. What about Abeka? Not a AIO, but IEW sounds complicated. NO??

 

I like Rod and Staff or Bob Jones better than A Beka. A Beka does not have a very strong English/Writing program. Rod and Staff is the strongest IMO. Open, teach, assign, go.

HTH!

Dorinda

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I'm totally confused now. I'm not sure what we're going to do. :crying: Oh well, I'll figure it out someday. Hopefully not too late as we're already playing catchup in math and I don't want to do that in writing as well. So discouraged. If I was good at language arts, I think this would be so much easier.

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For the totally confused, try CLE LA. All together, no wondering what tot each. just hand it to them and they do a lesson a day. Thorough, clear, easy for you, challenging for them.

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I'm totally confused now. I'm not sure what we're going to do. :crying: Oh well, I'll figure it out someday. Hopefully not too late as we're already playing catchup in math and I don't want to do that in writing as well. So discouraged. If I was good at language arts, I think this would be so much easier.

 

:grouphug:

Girlfriend, it isn't that big a deal. Really. You can't go wrong with any of the materials suggested here. If necessary, write each one on a piece of paper, put the papers in a bag, and pick one. Or write the title of each one on a piece of paper, close your eyes, and poke the paper with your finger. :)

 

I'll tell you another reason for my R&S preference: it's a textbook and not a workbook. I think it's better for dc to have to write on actual paper than to write in workbooks. It's heavier on grammar than *I* think is necessary, but you can easily pick and choose which grammar assignments your dc does.

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I'm totally confused now. I'm not sure what we're going to do. :crying: Oh well, I'll figure it out someday. Hopefully not too late as we're already playing catchup in math and I don't want to do that in writing as well. So discouraged. If I was good at language arts, I think this would be so much easier.

 

MCT

 

Bill

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Grammar and writing, not neccesarily spelling, reading, and penmanship.

 

Thanks so much for the recs so far. What about Abeka? Not a AIO, but IEW sounds complicated. NO??

 

kiss.

I don't know about MCT but those who use it l.o.v.e. it.

 

I like R & S cause it's simple. I like WWE cause it's simple. I like IEW cause it's simple (once you put in the time to watch the TWSS videos).

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MCT

 

Bill

 

LOL I would recommend this to anyone who isn't good at LA's (ME). I enjoy literature, but the thought of dissecting words and teaching how to do that puts an awful feeling in my stomach. DS is only 7, and we have not done much writing yet, but it is a wonderful read. We are most the way through Grammar Island, Building language, and about to start Music of the Hemispheres. I think the writing may be a little over his head yet, but I am grateful this was our first and only introduction to grammar. I JUST got WWE2 because DS is a very slow writer and I cannot ask him to write several sentences AND be creative at the same time yet. I fully plan to continue with MCT, and when other skills pick up move on with it. He actually likes diagramming the sentences so we will do that. It's just a joy to read and doesn't make my head hurt. I do not expect everything to sink in to it's fullest right away and we plan to use it as a reference as well.

 

We did not purposely study grammar in 1st grade at all. This year we are going slow with it and enjoying the process.

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I'm totally confused now. I'm not sure what we're going to do. :crying: Oh well, I'll figure it out someday. Hopefully not too late as we're already playing catchup in math and I don't want to do that in writing as well. So discouraged. If I was good at language arts, I think this would be so much easier.

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

I agree with Ellie. It's not as big of a deal as we all make it out to be. I bought a writing program for my oldest this year, and we're not even using it! Between Rod and Staff, MFW, TLP and the Science Curriculum I'm using, she has MORE than enough writing practice!

:grouphug:

Dorinda

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Thank you so much for the support. :grouphug: My head is spinning from the choices and I am overwhelmed. I'll go through your replies more carefully after the kids are in bed tonight. I wish there was a comparison sheet of each or something. I guess I could make this myself too as I research. LA is so important and I want better for my children than I had. And, esp. with grammar, I'm planning to learn right alongside them. I do plan on outsourcing writing when they're older (jr.high/high school). But for now, there are just too many choices. :confused:

Edited by JENinOR
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Thank you so much for the support. :grouphug: My head is spinning from the choices and I am overwhelmed. I'll go through your replies more carefully after the kids are in bed tonight. I wish there was a comparison sheet of each or something. I guess I could make this myself too as I research. LA is so important and I want better for my children than I had. And, esp. with grammar, I'm planning to learn right alongside them. I do plan on outsourcing writing when they're older (jr.high/high school). But for now, there are just too many choices. :confused:

 

MCT

 

Bill

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Ok I have to reiterate then after reading you plan on (re) learning along side them. I don't remember a lick of grammar. I had good marks in English and LA classes so I must have to some degree, but i definitely couldn't teach it on my own and some of the lesson planned books are just painful for us. The MCT grammar books are just so fun to read.

 

True story: Today for our writing assignment DS wrote out the Transformer theme song and we are diagramming. He is doing pretty good on his own with it!

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Ok I have to reiterate then after reading you plan on (re) learning along side them. I don't remember a lick of grammar. I had good marks in English and LA classes so I must have to some degree, but i definitely couldn't teach it on my own and some of the lesson planned books are just painful for us. The MCT grammar books are just so fun to read.

 

True story: Today for our writing assignment DS wrote out the Transformer theme song and we are diagramming. He is doing pretty good on his own with it!

 

True that. Grammar and Language Arts can either be a really fun and inspiring subject, or pure torture that might be good for you, but sure in't a good time.

 

I know my choice!

 

MCT

 

Bill

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