K12 language arts anyone?

[Girl Power]

I would love to hear opinions on k12 language arts, particularly the middle school grades. Does anyone have any experience using this? Likes/dislikes? How does it approach writing? Is literature included?

 

TIA,

beck

[Shelsi]

I don't have experience with it in the middle grades but we used it last year for 2nd grade. We only did the LA and I don't plan on ever going back. It was very much "school at home." Tons upon tons of worksheets and very dry. It's exactly what I would have expected from your standard public school.

 

The only thing I do like about k12 is that it does follow the Core Knowledge Sequence which is something I try to follow for most of our subjects.

[SkateLeft]

Both of my girls used K12's Literary Analysis and Composition in 8th grade. (We used it independently, not through a charter school.) It's my hands-down favorite curriculum to prepare for high school and college level literature and composition.

 

My older daughter used K12's Language Arts from LA 1 through LAC II (in 9th grade), and it gave her a solid background in composition that has served her well through high school and college classes.

 

Edited to add the answers to your questions! :D

 

Yes, it includes literature. The middle school courses include literature, composition, grammar and vocabulary. The composition method follows the pre-writing, rough draft, proofread, final draft, publish model, and units are based on types of writing. The literary analysis units also include writing assignments. The literature strand utilizes an anthology, covers a variety of types of literature, and four novel units each year. The student chooses the novels from a list. The grammar is very rigorous (and downright tough at times), especially in LAC I, and the vocabulary program uses the "Vocabulary from Classical Roots" workbooks. Hope that helps.

Edited July 25, 2012 by sailmom

[Girl Power]

I don't have experience with it in the middle grades but we used it last year for 2nd grade. We only did the LA and I don't plan on ever going back. It was very much "school at home." Tons upon tons of worksheets and very dry. It's exactly what I would have expected from your standard public school.

 

The only thing I do like about k12 is that it does follow the Core Knowledge Sequence which is something I try to follow for most of our subjects.

 

Thanks for your experience. I would also be looking for 1st and 3rd as well as 6th.

 

Beck

[Girl Power]

Both of my girls used K12's Literary Analysis and Composition in 8th grade. (We used it independently, not through a charter school.) It's my hands-down favorite curriculum to prepare for high school and college level literature and composition.

 

My older daughter used K12's Language Arts from LA 1 through LAC II (in 9th grade), and it gave her a solid background in composition that has served her well through high school and college classes.

 

Edited to add the answers to your questions! :D

 

Yes, it includes literature. The middle school courses include literature, composition, grammar and vocabulary. The composition method follows the pre-writing, rough draft, proofread, final draft, publish model, and units are based on types of writing. The literary analysis units also include writing assignments. The literature strand utilizes an anthology, covers a variety of types of literature, and four novel units each year. The student chooses the novels from a list. The grammar is very rigorous (and downright tough at times), especially in LAC I, and the vocabulary program uses the "Vocabulary from Classical Roots" workbooks. Hope that helps.

 

Sharon,

 

Thanks for this. I'm glad you've had such great experiences with it. We would also be using it independently. I like what I see based on their samples. I am seeking something more vigorous for my 6th grader next year to help prepare her for higher level work.

 

Thanks!

Beck

[ourjourneys]

We used k12 with 4 children... The language arts is a rich curriculum and can be implemented how you wish. Some people use all of it and some choose to minimize it. That is the wonderful thing about k12 :-)

[twogirlsmommy]

I have used the K, 1st, 5th and 6th grades. I LOVED the curriculum. In the older grades there is little busy work and a lot of key skills learned. It includes grammar, literature, and vocabulary. In the younger grades we do not do ALL of the worksheets but pick and choose and bring in a few additional activities. I really love this curriculum as well.

[Mandarinmom]

I was just going to ask the hive the same question as found this thread. My daughter has completed LA4 and Literature 4 and I feel we learned nothing except for Spelling and vocabulary, but both are her natural talents. She moved to K12 Grammar 5 with no retention of almost anything, and it was not presented, explained, and practiced well to learn much. It was very easy and independent, and all the easy passing of each assessment with 100% with retaining practically nothing of the grammar. I am switching now to CLE LA 5. Though we have to also keep with continuing K12 along.

History was fun, social studies were introduced only last year for up to 5th grade, and we did not learn anything about the world around us, countries, geography at all. Too much have to be supplemented. Literary elements were introduced, not worked through, not practiced.

Anybody got the same feeling, or I don't get it?