abunchofus Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I contemplated using Abeka but after looking over it and talking with my friend who is teaching full time at a private school right now who uses Abeka it is not heavy on writing - in fact seems very light on teaching how to write and writing is a large portion of college and I know that our oldest is college bound. I am also considering Jensen Grammar, Jensen Punctuation, etc.... So what do you all use for English - Grammar - Literature for 9-12th What do you use for Spelling & Vocabulary? I looked at Wordly Wise but it says it is for 4-7th grades (maybe 8th - can't recall off the top of my head). I need something to sort of hold my hand through this - I don't really want to say read Julius Caesar and write me a book report - I want some sort of outline/guidance. However, it can be sort of pieced together as in using Wordly Wise for vocabulary and something else for spelling and something else for grammar etc.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 (edited) We used Literary Lessons from Lord of the Rings for 9th grade. You may read my review in this thread. It has literature, writing, and vocabulary included. We had completed our study of grammar in middle school with Analytical Grammar, so we used their high school reinforcement book in 9th grade as well. We had completed writing instruction in middle school with Write Shop, so there is not much writing instruction in this curriculum, just assignments. We had completed our formal spelling curriculum in middle school with Megawords, so spelling only came into conversation when something was misspelled. We're outsourcing for 10th and above, so the rest is coming from CC or private individuals. Edited January 31, 2012 by Sue in St Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elise Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We are following the WTM suggestions for the most part and have been thrilled with how well it has worked for us this year. For "English," my 9th grade dd is doing the following: Grammar: Stewart English Book 1 Principles Plus & Book 2 Grammar Plus (these are recommended in WTM). She had completed Analytical Grammar in 8th, prior to beginning this series. If you haven't done Analytical Grammar, that might be another good option for you. Vocab: Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop level D and E. This is a departure from what WTM recommends, but we really like it. There is an online component as well. My dd is also taking Wheelock's Latin II with Lukeion, so we feel pretty good about our grasp of Roman roots and didn't do a separate roots program. Literature: We are following the WTM plan here and are reading Ancient Literature this year. We complete a historical context paper on the chosen work (as described in WTM), read the selection (usually together), and then I use a variety of resources for discussion (The Well-Educated Mind, for instance.) Several online Great Books programs have web pages with discussion questions and essay topics, and I use those to help guide our study as well. Another favorite here has been our use of the Teaching Company lectures with Elizabeth Vandiver (Iliad, Odyssey, Greek Tragedy, etc.). She is a wonderful lecturer, and I have gotten so much out of listening to her and discussing her ideas with dd. After we complete our studies (context paper, reading, videos, and discussion), my dd writes an essay (persuasive, expository, etc.), and then I critique it and help her in constructing a final draft. Then, we move on to the next book on our list: rinse, wash, repeat! It really isn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be when I was whipping myself up into a frenzy this past summer trying to figure everything out (and considering online options.) Our English/Literature study has been the favorite part of our school day for me this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 What do you use for Spelling & Vocabulary? . Nothing. By the end of middle school, kids should have learned to spell. I do not see a need for a vocabulary program; I find that vocab is best developed through reading. We use the WTM suggestions of tying literature to history studies; we follow the reading lists and supplement with TC lectures and books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mschickie Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 When sd was in high school this is what I found worked the best for us: Lit: Combination of Progeny Press and Novel Unit lit guides. We did 4-5 books a year. Senior year we did Movies as Literature. Sd just told me last night she was glad we did that class since it is helping her in her college lit class this semester. We tried Abeka but it was so dry. Vocabulary: Jensen's Vocabulary Writing: Jensen's Format Writing Grammar: Easy Grammar Plus Spelling: (she needed help) Apple Daily Spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 We have used R&S for grammar in the past but my current highschoolers are using CLE for review. We drop spelling in highschool and use Vocab Cartoons informally. As for literature we tie that to history using TOG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbaloue Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 For 9th grade english/lit we are doing the following: R&S English 8 Wordsmith (writing) Abeka Lit 9 Vocabulary From Classical Roots A We are also doing a twelve week online class with CurrClick covering the following books: A Tale of Two Cities, Silas Marner, Pride and Prejudice, The Hiding Place and Hind's Feet on High Places. We are putting the Abeka lit to the side during the online class. R&S English ususally takes about twenty minutes a day. Vocabulary takes about fifteen minutes and Wordsmith about fifteen to twenty minutes. Abeka lit takes about twenty minutes per day including discussion of lit. The online lit class meets once a week for one hour and usually requires a short essay per week about a subject related to the book they are reading. I also printed a study guide the online teacher provided and my son is working on that also. Anyway, all of this takes about an hour and a half to finish per day not including the reading of the books. I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 We consider formal grammar, spelling, and vocabulary complete before high school. However, DD is held to using these correctly in her writing and these topics do crop up in the writing and literature programs as well as ACT/SAT prep. Also, DD does a word-a-day type program online and I have her read about grammar informally (books like Eats, Shoots, and Leaves; The Grumpy Grammarian; etc.) So, formally, we use/will use the following: Lightning Literature - American (9th), British (10th), Shakespeare (11th), all supplemented with additional reading Jensen's Format Writing (9th-10th) and Wordsmith Craftsman (10th-11th) 12th grade English will be outsourced to the community college, where DD will take the Freshman English sequence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abunchofus Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 It really isn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be when I was whipping myself up into a frenzy this past summer trying to figure everything out (and considering online options.) Our English/Literature study has been the favorite part of our school day for me this year! This is where I am. I feel in a frenzy all worried and many of the HSers I know their children are not college bound so they have a much more relaxed approach than I want to take. We just made a huge long distance move and I'm not sure where my copy if WTM is at right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsbeth Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 This is what we've used so far: 9th: Vocab: The Word Within the Word (Michael Clay Thompson, spiral roots based program) Writing: IEW SCI C adn SWICC (done over 8th and 9th) Lit: Starting Points Figuratively Speaking (workbook format, done independantly) Daily Grams: senior high as a review 10th: Lit tied to History , WEM questions/method Writing: Jensen's Format Writing (this has been a great review and a welcome break from IEW) Vocab: The Word Within the Word Vol2 Grammar: focusing on SAT and ACT prep materials instead this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camikins2010 Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 English is the subject I worry about too...mainly because it's my weakest subject...anywho this is what we are doing for 9th Grade Vocab/Grammar: IEW Fix It and Easy Grammar Plus, we occasionally add RS 8th Grade Writing: IEW SCI C Literature: Sonlight Core 100 (this is also our Amer History) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 I contemplated using Abeka but after looking over it and talking with my friend who is teaching full time at a private school right now who uses Abeka it is not heavy on writing - in fact seems very light on teaching how to write and writing is a large portion of college and I know that our oldest is college bound. I am also considering Jensen Grammar, Jensen Punctuation, etc.... So what do you all use for English - Grammar - Literature for 9-12th What do you use for Spelling & Vocabulary? I looked at Wordly Wise but it says it is for 4-7th grades (maybe 8th - can't recall off the top of my head). I need something to sort of hold my hand through this - I don't really want to say read Julius Caesar and write me a book report - I want some sort of outline/guidance. However, it can be sort of pieced together as in using Wordly Wise for vocabulary and something else for spelling and something else for grammar etc.... Wordly Wise has two sets of books - the older one uses numbers, but they don't mean grade level and the WW 3000 which uses grade levels. Both go up to 12th grade, but the older ones won't be labeled as 12 - I think 9 might be the highest level. DD has used both but prefers the newer 3000 series as the definitions are included in the workbook. There's also an online site which gives the pronunciation, definition and a bit of practice too. Dd prefers Wordly Wise 3000 to other vocabulary books she's used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Last year we used Excellence in Lit. This year ds is doing a Creative WRiting program I am teaching, using How to Write a Story as a spine with TONS of extra resources and some meaty assignments. He's done several IEW theme books. I love IEW. Lit is what's going on in history, science and pick-up for fun - I direct some of his reading- I have an on-going list to recommend but if he gets into something else, that's o.k. too. He's trying to get through Citadel of God but he's bogged down. We're reading History of the Medieval World together. Having a blast. Vocab- nothing formal. He reads voraciously as do the rest of us. His dad and I have pretty good vocabularies and we have an on-going "challenge" in our family to come up with amazing words, and creative word useage. Ds is a terrible speller. We've used Sequential Spelling (the only thing that really worked in a long term way for him) and IEW's h.s. spelling programs. He is getting better but it's just one of his odd quirks. He'll probably always have to have help with it. I love the IEW high school CD's= classical poetry AND amazing vocab, along with spelling. GREAT resource ! I'm teaching WWS to Jr. Highers. It's excellent. It would be appropriate for a 7-9th grader if they were an o.k. writer/lit person. Get the TM. Fantastico! Hand holding by an expert (SWB :001_smile:). We'll continue on with WWS from here and go back to WWE for my 3rd grader next year (we're doing an IEW theme book). Seriously. Check out the sample chapters at Peace Hill Press. It's so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Check out the Johnson O'Connor testing center vocabulary books found here. They have a placement test and a great system. They are cheap too! I have used them as an adult to build my vocabulary. For lit, I know you wanted a guide, but if you go with a lit study as outlined in TWTM, get tue Folger Library Shakespeare series when you are reading Shakespeare. They are great! They include intro information, good notes, sample essays, and definitions of strange terms amd phrases. There are illustrations of some things as well. I think they are.great for encouraging a love of the language because they don't give you everything, just enough to help you get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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