Tsutsie Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Can someone please tell me more about this program? (I'll be using Grade 3.) Is it comprehensive for Grammar and Writing? Is it easy to use? Is the Teachers Manual easy to follow and understand? How long does it take to complete daily lessons? Do you consider it rigorous or to easy? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommyX8 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 If you are looking at Grade 1 Phonics and English, it is a great program. I just had two boys go through this last year. Fantastic program. My older boy struggled with reading and after 8+ programs, it stuck with BJU Press. That being said, you should look at getting the DVD Distance Learning. First grade DL has Phonics, English, Reading and Handwriting wrapped in one. You would get: 211797 Phonics and English 1 Teacher's Edition & Toolkit CD (3rd ed.) 211789 Phonics and English 1 Worktext (3rd ed.) 211821 Phonics 1 Practice Book 211391 Reading 1 Teacher's Edition (3rd ed.) 221119 Reading 1A–1F (3rd ed.) 211383 Reading 1 Student Worktext (3rd ed.) 233999 BJ Booklinks: Blueberry Dell (guide & novel) 231654 BJ BookLinks: Buttercup Hill (guide & novel) 244673 BJ BookLinks: Looking for Home (guide & novel) 211714 Handwriting 1 Teacher's Edition (3rd ed.) 211706 Handwriting 1 Worktext (3rd ed.) Books only cost $381 You can get the DVD DL for 13 month lease for $349. So it cheaper to have the video instruction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joyfulhomeschooler Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 (edited) We have been using BJU English 3 this year and just stopped to cover some things in R&S that go a little more in depth than BJU. Not necesary but I felt I wanted more covered. That being said though, we LOVE it! My son really enjoys the workbook pics and themes of the units. WE are only using the books no DVD or online or anything else. It takes about 15 min a day and sometimes 30 on writing days. One week is grammar and one week writing through the whole thing.. I find the teacher book very easy to use. This program isn't really overly rigorous in comparison to rod and staffs english, but in my opinion gets the job done. We will be going back to it as soon as we cover a few lessons in rod and staff. The writing portion is my favorite! Edited February 27, 2012 by joyfulhomeschooler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SebastianCat Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 We love BJU! We have used grades 1 through 4 and I think it is complete enough without being too easy. My kids love the lessons and I agree with the estimate of about 15 minutes on most days but 30 minutes on days with a writing assignment. We use the books only and I feel it's enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I've used 3rd grade this year, but I decided to try IEW writing, so I haven't used the writing chapters. I will probably use 2 or 3 of them toward the end of the year so that I can compare the two methods. I really like the English lessons, and my son really seems to enjoy them as well. I haven't really timed it, but I don't think the lessons take us more than 15 minutes or so. You do need the TM if you want to complete every page and know how the material is presented. There are sections that you read from the TM and the student answers on their assignment sheet. The CD in the TM is great. It has extra practice pages for all the grammar chapters as well as review pages for every chapter. The student book is designed well because it is perforated and hole punched. The pages are colorful and just the right length. I work with my son on the front of the page and have him do the back independently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsutsie Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 Thank you for the responses. Can anyone compare it to Voyages in English? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Thank you for the responses. Can anyone compare it to Voyages in English? Sorry, I've never tried that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wy_kid_wrangler04 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 I LOVE BJU English. BUT- I decided to switch. I could not justify the cost and we only used the workbook and TE. We didn't use the writing chapters (most of them) The instruction was very good in the writing chapters but I just didn't like the way things were presented (reports starting in 2nd grade :001_huh:) We started BJU when dd 4th was in 2nd and she cried for every writing assignment so we stopped them. That is why I decided to switch. I love the grammar portions though. Now I LOVE FLL. And the price :D And I like WWE. I just got WWS for my oldest and I think I will like that (it just came Thursday) we will start is tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Can someone please tell me more about this program? (I'll be using Grade 3.) Is it comprehensive for Grammar and Writing? Is it easy to use? Is the Teachers Manual easy to follow and understand? How long does it take to complete daily lessons? Do you consider it rigorous or to easy? Thanks! One of the biggest part of this curriculum is the work you do orally or on a whiteboard using the teachers manual. The workbook is just a review of the days lesson. If used as written BJU English is a great foundation in English, both writing and grammar. It is easy to use, just open the teacher's manual and go. The teacher's Manual is easy to follow. Open to the lesson and it tells you exactly what to say and how to teach. The days lesson is on a 2 page spread that contains a copy of the student page with answers. Daily grammar lessons take about 20 mins. Writing takes a little longer on some days. Rigorous or easy...depends on your view. I found it covered the grammar at a level the child could grasp without feeling overwhelmed but not a gentle approach as FLL would be. The writing portion is excellent. Takes the child through the writing step by step. First you and your child write a piece together so they get a feel for it. Then they write one solo using the steps he just did with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsutsie Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 Again, thank you all for responding. How do you feel about their Reading program? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Again, thank you all for responding. How do you feel about their Reading program? I LOVE BJU's reading. I've used it since 1st grade and will continue it through 5th because I already own them. I recently read some very good reviews on here about 6th, so I might use it, too. Both of my kids score extremely well in reading, so I don't think it's hurt them. It also hasn't killed their love of reading like many seem to think reading programs do. While we still read plenty of living books, I feel that BJU's reading program helps me cover things I would not think to on my own, especially at this age. He's third grade, and it's already covered literary terms such as simile, alliteration, and onomatopoeia. It covers literary elements such as plot, foreshadowing, imagery, and personification. The work sheets are very good test prep, which our state requires. It includes fiction, plays, poetry, non-fiction, as well has biblical and historical fiction. The TM includes discussion questions for every page, as well as instructions for skill lessons that are not from the readers. There is still phonics review at 3rd grade level and quite a bit of working with words on building vocabulary, learning syllabication, etc. The TM also includes project ideas to do along with the stories when you choose to. These are art projects, as well as science and writing prompts, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swiegers Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 For the BJU Reading program - do you need all the books that their website recommends in the kit or what would you consider to be the basic essentials? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsutsie Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 Shari, you don't have any other the lower levels for sale, by any chance? Or anyone else? (I'm looking at English 3 and Reading 3 or 4 - still deciding about that one.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Shari, you don't have any other the lower levels for sale, by any chance? Or anyone else? (I'm looking at English 3 and Reading 3 or 4 - still deciding about that one.) Pm'd you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paisley Hedgehog Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 i really love BJU. this year (for grade 4) we are using the dvd's as well, and i love those! in grade 3 we just used the TM and student book. i found them for under $40 (including s&h) at amazon. next year i am thinking about switching. i really need something cheaper, but i am confident my daughter can handle it now. no more writer's block for her, thanks to BJU!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsutsie Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 So if I were to use English 3, Spelling 3 and Reading 4 - how long will that take? Not that I mind all that much spending time on LA, it's just that I have a tendency to overdo things, and I'm on a mission to simplify, without missing anything. Less than an hour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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