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Punctuation help for 9th grader..


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We are using Abeka and have been for ages. My son and I both love using it. It does

reteach punctuation every year. My son though just can't seem to memorize the key

points in punctuation and capitalization. Do you have any methods you can recommend

or any advice? This seems to be the one area of language he has trouble with.

 

Thanks in advance.

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Take model sentences, from his grammar text and have him compose similar sentences, using his weekly spelling and vocabulary words

 

One thing I learned recently was not to grade writing by grade level expectations. When assigning a paper, list just 10 thing the paper will be graded on, and mostly just grade those ten things. Make sure to include one or more punctuation topics in the list you design. Provide quick mini-lessons if necessary, before starting the paper.

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Take model sentences, from his grammar text and have him compose similar sentences, using his weekly spelling and vocabulary words

 

 

 

The Killgallon books have this kind of approach, although it does not integrate in the spelling and vocab. It teaches grammar along with punctuation through imitation.

http://www.amazon.com/Sentence-Composing-High-School-Worktext/dp/0867094281/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354566717&sr=1-5&keywords=killgallon

 

Older son also used Easy Grammar Ultimate in Grade 9:

http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Teaching-Lessons-Grammar-Ultimate/dp/0936981598/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354566780&sr=1-1&keywords=easy+grammar+grade+9

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The Killgallon books have this kind of approach, although it does not integrate in the spelling and vocab. It teaches grammar along with punctuation through imitation.

http://www.amazon.co...ords=killgallon

 

Older son also used Easy Grammar Ultimate in Grade 9:

http://www.amazon.co...grammar grade 9

 

 

I think Killgallon uses literature as models. I find it more efficient to use textbook and handbook sentences as MODELS. Models don't have to be pretty, they just need to be...well...models.

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Have you look at Analytical Grammar? I will come back and edit to expound once I am on my computer, after I finish cooking breakfast.

 

 

 

This seems like a great book but it seems to have too much "other" language.

He has down the nouns, verbs, adjectives, and all others but he just can't seem

to remember what needs to be capitalized and some types of punctuation to put

around or in certain words in specific sentences( if that makes sense).

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Do you correct his punctuation in every.single.thing he writes, in every subject? And do you count his grade down for his mistakes? I'm just asking because sometimes people don't do that. :-)

 

 

Most definitely!!! We go over all his school work that he gets wrong along with any mistakes he makes.

The problem that I am seeing is that he can't remember what gets capitalized or when a sentence

needs a dash or parenthesis. He is getting better slowly but since this is something he has been taught

every year I feel that somehow I am missing a step to help him get it and not forget it. Maybe I just

need to print off some capitalization and punctuation work every day and have him do it with his normal

language/ English work. I want his transition to college in a few years to be an easy one regarding what I

have taught him and what he remembers.

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What about a book like Eats, Shoots & Leaves, for a humorous, narrative approach that might stick?

 

 

While this would be good for me, this would make my son zone out. If would never get much from

actually just reading about grammar because he is more of a hands-on kind of kid. Thank you though!

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Does he do much reading? Seeing it "right" is another way to help.

 

At some point, it might be wise to teach strategies for checking his work rather than expecting memorization. That is, does he know where can he look up the rules if he is not sure? Does he know how to apply them if he has the reference?

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This seems like a great book but it seems to have too much "other" language.

He has down the nouns, verbs, adjectives, and all others but he just can't seem

to remember what needs to be capitalized and some types of punctuation to put

around or in certain words in specific sentences( if that makes sense).

 

 

He may know the basics about a noun and verb. But, if he could parse antecedents, indirect objects and so forth, then he would be having less trouble with commas. Can he fully diagram?

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