Grammar curriculum advice

[WeeBeaks]

I need advice on grammar for my current 4th grader. He is an avid reader but a poor writer, rather lazy about work to be perfectly 100% honest here, very bright but with a poor memory. He has diagnosed ADHD.

 

He is thriving on workboxes this year. He is very much liking the logical orderly progression of boxes and the visual.

 

We are doing FLL4 this year, and it is going okay. His memory on topics we have covered though is poor. He actually is not bad at all memorizing the poems. But his memory of the definition of the grammar terms is dismal. To him it seems like I am totally speaking a foreign language if I ask him the definition of an adverb, etc. We have faithfully done FLL1 on up, and are in FLL4 currently. He can do the grammar exercises in FLL once we review what an adverb or direct object or whatever it is actually is.

 

His writing stinks. He knows the rules but refuses to capitalize letters properly in any free writing (like in science or history), use punctuation at all or put forth any effort.

 

So there is my brief background. I want a grammar program for next year that is rigorous. I want him to know this and know it well. I feel very strongly on that. Something that requires copying sentences from a book is probably not a good choice as he is lazy about handwriting. He needs extra practice on topics, more drill than FLL4 has apparently. He wants independent work and I'm going with that.

 

I would like secular but am not totally opposed to Christian. I charter so can get it paid for if secular, and it makes it easier for work samples. If some Christian (or other!) source is just frankly better though I'll buy it and work with that.

 

Writing integrated or separate is fine. That is not a deal breaker for us.

 

I have TWTM and hence their recommendations. My problem is more I haven't seen these programs and can't judge. Also what it looks like on the surface is not how it plays out in practice. And from reading these boards there is more than those recommendations that work better or worse depending on the kid.

 

I'm even wondering about finishing FLL4. He just doesn't seem to be getting it. He is fully capable of doing the exercises and then the info just leaves his head immediately. :confused:

 

Anyone BTDT with a kid like him to offer advice?

[Halcyon]

Sounds like you need to integrate some memory work for grammar, and evening homework reviewing reviewing reviewing past concepts. Memory work for my older is key. I incorporate almost daily review of "what is a preposition and use it in a sentence" type questions. In the past, he had evening homework, just 3 questions, on grammar but now that he's mastered the material, I just do weekly testing on prior concepts.

 

To me, it sounds like almost any curriculum will work, but review, homework and memory work is key.

 

He might also enjoy Daily Editing by Evan Moor, probably 3rd grade level.

[wapiti]

you may want to consider JAG

[Ellie]

Easy Grammar, and although I don't usually suggest it, Daily Grams simultaneously.

 

Another suggestion: Ridgewood Grammar. Some people like this because there's more writing that involves grammar concepts being taught. It also makes it trickier to correct, as there aren't specific answers because the children are writing their own sentences.

 

You didn't say if you were doing this, but when he writes poorly capitalized and punctuated sentences in other subjects, you could correct those, and give him two grades: one for the other subject, one for English.

 

Also, requiring more writing instead of less might be beneficial. It sounds as if he's capable but not willing (you say he's "lazy" about handwriting, which doesn't imply inability); having to do it more often can really improve things overall.

[WeeBeaks]

You didn't say if you were doing this, but when he writes poorly capitalized and punctuated sentences in other subjects, you could correct those, and give him two grades: one for the other subject, one for English.

 

 

Yes, I have been making him redo them properly, all the while giving my lecture on presentation and readability. I hope at some point that will stick.

[almondbutterandjelly]

You mentioned that he likes the visual. Have you had him read Grammar Tales and Punctuation Tales? He might also enjoy The Sentence Family curriculum. I also thought of Eats, Shoots, and Leaves. Perhaps he's a big picture thinker and needs to know the big picture about grammar concepts? Those will help with that. After my dd read the Grammar Tale about verbs, she said, "Wow, if we didn't have verbs, we couldn't do anything!"

 

Super Duper Inc. makes some great cards called Fun Decks that have tons of illustrations of the different parts of speech. Also, posters from the teacher store with lots of visual examples of the parts of speech would be good. Really work to his visual strengths.

 

For grammar work, I like Language Smarts from Critical Thinking Company. Just black out the grade level listed and start with whichever one you think might fit him.

 

And if you do want him to actually memorize definitions, try Dianne Craft's suggestions for adding pictures to the words and chunking them together. It really works.

 

If he's a "right brained learner" or a "visual spatial learner," then keep in mind that color, pictures and stories are the velcro for their brains. (I'm paraphrasing Dianne Craft.) Always incorporate those.

[Ellie]

Yes, I have been making him redo them properly, all the while giving my lecture on presentation and readability. I hope at some point that will stick.

Just remember that it's gonna take a loooong time, just like everything else we do with our dc when we are bringing them up. Miss Manners says it takes 18 years of contant nagging to rear a well-mannered adult; same thing with spelling and indenting. :-)

[WeeBeaks]

Thank you everyone. I have some new suggestions to research. I have until spring to decide to I'm going to be studying these new ideas.

 

I'm not sure if he is really a "right brain" thinker. We have done learning styles profiles and he is a hands-on, "inventor" type.

[Dahliarw]

My dh and I both agree that we really didn't understand grammar or remember it well until we had studied a foreign language. That may be too much for him now, but in a few years studying a foreign language may help cement in his mind the grammar he is struggling to remember now.