a question about serl's Primary Language Lessons

[Mommy to monkeys]

My dd is a young 7. For state reporting purposes, I call her a first grader, but she is defintely beyond the learning to read and write stage if you KWIM?

 

She's very creative and language is where her giftings are. We're doing CTGE 1. It is not a challenge AT ALL. DS places perfectly in CTGE 3, but I need something at the very least added for dd.

I really like the looks of PLL. I've been looking at all the different versions. The hardback, and a couple of places have workbooks.

 

If you've used this, do you recommend the workbook? What were your thoughts? I'm not looking for something with rigorous grammar or anything. I'm more of a CMer than a classical homeschooler in my heart of hearts.

 

:bigear:

[Mommy to monkeys]

:bigear:

[Mama2Many4]

I'm using PLL with my 3rd grader. The first part of PLL is recommended for grade 2, and the second part for grade 3. ILL starts in 4th grade and runs till 7th grade I believe using the same book. HTH

[Mommy to monkeys]

Are you using the hardback or workbook format? Are you enjoying it? Do you think you'll be continuing with ILL?

[Evergreen Academy]

My ds8 is using Serle's PLL for the second year this year - we used the first half for second grade last year. We love the simple, incremental lessons, and I adjust them if something is not applicable because of changes in our world since the time of printing, or if the assignment is too long or short for the time I have planned. We also like to follow CM's philosophty, and we've used this book with all four of the youngest boys, followed by ILL. I haven't used the workbooks; we use blank-topped composition notebooks for the younger kiddos - they can illustrate on the top of the page - and regular composition books for the older kids. We like the hard cover books.

[sagira]

We're doing the second half of PLL this year. Ds is 8, and we both like the simplicity and reap the rewards in grammar and writing. The exercises are varied. We don't have the workbook version, but find the hardback book just right. I also have the TM sold by MFW, which makes things even simpler for me. Highly recommended.

[Tabrett]

We're doing the second half of PLL this year. Ds is 8, and we both like the simplicity and reap the rewards in grammar and writing. The exercises are varied. We don't have the workbook version, but find the hardback book just right. I also have the TM sold by MFW, which makes things even simpler for me. Highly recommended.

 

How does the TM from MFW help? I have looked at the samples for ADV and I don't see any instructions for PLL, just a blank spot in the grid for English.

[sagira]

It has the answers, a few extension of activities, a rubric to assess oral presentations and such, and modern terms and formatting.

[Mommy to monkeys]

Hmmm I hadn't even considered that I might need a TM?:confused:

I'll see if I can see some samples.

 

I guess the workbooks aren't super necessary? I thought they might be helpful. . .but I do love the feel of hardbacks.;)

[sagira]

The Teachers Guide I wouldn't call essential. I did without it last year. I do appreciate it now that I have it, though. For example, besides a saw and a hammer, I don't know what other tools carpenters use. It simplifies things for me. I'm less organized than the vast majority on this board.

[Ummto4]

I like the workbook ebook from www.primarylanguagelessons.com

I think it costs $17-ish for PLL, and you can print in any way you want.

 

I'm using PLL with my 9 yo boy and 7 yo girl since the beginning of this year (2011). Since the boy is 9 yo, and the 7 yo girl is the type of girl who can 'write' (as in writing a lot and not getting tired), I turn a lot of PLL work into writing.

 

I combine this with some contents from other vintage book which complements PLL really well (maxwell's Primary Language and English Comp). They learned about paragraph in Maxwell's book (my own teaching) as well as learning how to describe, how to make stories out of a picture, how to write in paragraphs, how to combine sentences, etc. Maxwell's book is a gem since it contains samples of picture description/story. It also contains samples on how to turn a poem into a prose. Other Maxwells's book which I also love is Maxwell's First English. But we do mostly from Primary Lang. and English Comp. book.

 

When they start rewriting fables, writing about pictures, and so forth in PLL, they are pretty much comfortable with paragraphs. I usually brainstorm with them, and help to generate an outline.

 

I help them edit for awkward sentences, spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

 

I can say I'm happy with their progress.

 

We're gearing up for ILL beginning 2012 with the workbook from www.intermediatelanguagelessons.com ($21 for all ILL). I also have the printed ILL from googlebooks for me, and am waiting for the TG from amazon.

 

Both kids love Serl's book and my son particularly is looking forward to do ILL after seeing all the creative prompts (dialogue, rewriting from different POV, making how to stories, etc).

 

 

 

As for grammar, while using vintage books, I teach my kids via Sentence Family, and I occasionally ask them to point out parts of speech from their dictations.

 

Usage is solely via maxwell's and PLL.

 

PS: Prior to PLL we used GWG for grammar and WWE 2 for writing.

Edited October 17, 2011 by mom2moon2

[cbollin]

How does the TM from MFW help? I have looked at the samples for ADV and I don't see any instructions for PLL, just a blank spot in the grid for English.

 

 

 

The MFW's teacher's manual has a few helps in the intro section of the manual to understand the 10 or so kinds of lessons encountered in PLL with general ideas how to teach those kinds of lessons.

 

The extras that sagira mentioned are in the Lost Classics teacher's guide. (the rubric and extra activities and answer key.)

 

well. I should eat something. I nearly fainted near the end of my exercise class today and I was the instructor. more water.

 

-crystal

[Mama2Many4]

Are you using the hardback or workbook format? Are you enjoying it? Do you think you'll be continuing with ILL?

 

I have both. I started with the hardback, but my son likes to write his answers down. He wasn't thrilled about writing everything out himself though so we're using the workbooks. Both have the exact same content, except one has space to write.

[Mommy to monkeys]

I think I'm going to download the workbook from primarylanguagelessons.com.

 

It's not expensive, so worth a go I think.

[Bloggermom]

I just got the workbooks and they look fantastic! I am excited to start using them with DD9 in the morning!

[serendipitous journey]

Just a little note: after I bought PLL, I saw an Amazon review referring to a version with color pictures, which Button would much much prefer. So anybody looking at this might try hunting the color pictures down. -- we haven't actually started it, am waiting 'till Button's seven (and maybe until I get the color pictures -- it makes such a difference for him!)

[boscopup]

Just a little note: after I bought PLL, I saw an Amazon review referring to a version with color pictures, which Button would much much prefer. So anybody looking at this might try hunting the color pictures down. -- we haven't actually started it, am waiting 'till Button's seven (and maybe until I get the color pictures -- it makes such a difference for him!)

 

This appears to be what you're talking about:

 

http://www.hillsideeducation.com/pll.php

[....]

Just want to add: we use PLL and ILL and they are awesome. I bought the hardcover version from Amazon. I never needed a TM and I have my kids copy everything into their notebooks. There is a TON of writing in ILL. I actually found some gaps in my daughter's writing with ILL.

 

IMO, you can't go wrong with these two. They're great. :thumbup1:

[ndseward]

I have both. I started with the hardback, but my son likes to write his answers down. He wasn't thrilled about writing everything out himself though so we're using the workbooks. Both have the exact same content, except one has space to write.

 

This is good to know! We actually gave up on PLL after about 12 weeks this year because of the amount of writing/copying involved. My ds was writing enough with other things that PLL was such a "burden." I really like the simplicity of the lessons so will be looking for the workbook.

[poetic license]

I'm finding ILL for free on Google books but not PLL... does anyone have a link for a copy of PLL free online?

[SunD]

I'm finding ILL for free on Google books but not PLL... does anyone have a link for a copy of PLL free online?

 

I don't think there is one yet. I think it was discussed in another vintage thread and no one could find it. Try doing a tag search for 'vintage books'.

 

It seems like everyone who has a copy and knows others want it is choosing to reformat it and sell, or reprint it and sell, instead of scanning and putting it online for download (which is fine, it's their book and since it's PD they can do that, plus there would be time and money spent scanning and uploading). And the groups that scan from libraries (like Google Books for example) haven't done a copy yet.

[...................]

It has far more meat to it than it looks. You CANNOT tell by just looking at the samples! For my son, I used it in more of a Beechick way than a CM way, spreading the copywork over the course of five days with copywork for four days and the the final dictation on the last day. This obviously would have made the book last much longer except that we did not do any of the poetry memorization. Instead, we used those as oral reading exercises and poetry study. We also combined all the picture study with other days' work.

 

Anyway, my current 2nd grader is very bright, spells well and reads at a 5th grade level and she won't be starting PLL till January because I feel that this book is best saved for when the child's spelling is pretty well established and their handwriting is fairly fast.

 

I totally don't see why any workbook would be necessary, but there is a very beautiful one from Living Books Curriculum. I also saw a colored, updated version of PLL at Rainbow which some students might greatly prefer, if they are visual learners.

 

I think this is just the thing to give to challenge your dd. And you will most likely decide to replace CTGE with PLL, rather than do both.

 

(I think CTGE is OK, but PLL covers so much both are probably not usually necessary.)

[stripe]

the groups that scan from libraries (like Google Books for example) haven't done a copy yet.

 

it looks like hardly any libraries own the original.

 

I'd like to know how it compares to the other vintage LA books.