Meljoy Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Grammar is definitely not one of our favorite subjects, but never-the-less must be studied. So, I am trying to decided how to tackle it this year with my 10 year old son. We have used Easy Grammar in the past and it is OK, but if there is something better out there..... The ones I have looked at are: Easy Grammar 6 Analytical Grammar Winston Grammar Growing with Grammar Can I please have your recommendations &/or reasons you did not like a certain grammar program? :001_smile: TIA Melody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunaLee Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Well, I didn't vote because what's best for my dc won't be best for your dc, kwim? Maybe you should retitle your poll "Which grammar program do you use and why?" I can tell you that I use R&S for both of my dc. It's a very comprehensive program and I like how the review is built into each lesson and I can use it orally as well. We used FLL 3 last year for ds and it didn't go well because it was too scripted. Same with Shurley. I also thought Shurley was more teacher intensive. I liked Easy Grammar and may use it as a back up if R&S doesn't work for ds. It was easy to implement, covered everything that needed to be covered, I like the Daily Grams, and it's not too expensive. Good Luck with your quest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Rod and Staff, hands down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 It's Rod and Staff for this bunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathie in VA Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I agree with Luna, the best program varies. I don't know what to suggest for you. I've considered AG / JAG. I does look good but it didn't fit our budge at the time. (always in the back of my head though :D ) I've used FLL with 2 of my boys for 1st-2nd grade and it worked really well. I've used R&S Eng 3 with my dd and that worked really well also. I did plan to continue with R&S Eng but our paths soon parted. We started with Classical Conversations- Foundations prgm and memorized lots of grammar terms in that class. (We didn't do Essentials .. which is more grammar) We use Classical Writing for our writing. The first level (Aesop) teaches grammar terms and we work on finding them in the model. It even introduces basic diagramming. The next level (Homer) takes the grammar much farther and we will learn more diagramming/parsing etc. In this level we began to use Harvey's Elementary Grammar as CW has lined up their work with it. I believe Diogenes will cover advanced grammar concepts and then we will be done with grammar! hths Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Since the poll is about *grammar,* Easy Grammar would be my answer. We tried Winston Grammar and hated it :-o The others had not yet been written when we were hsing. I wouldn't include something like R&S in this poll because R&S teaches more than grammar and I assume you're asking about *grammar.* I would include it in a poll about, say, BJUP, ABeka, maybe even LLATL, as all of those cover composition as well as grammar. (And FTR, of those, I would choose R&S. For grammar only, it's Easy Grammar.) And I answered this poll because I also assume that you already know that what works best for my dc won't necessarily work best for yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda...inOwasso Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 IMHO, Shurley English is the BEST grammar program on the market. Of course, it's probably the most teacher-intensive as well. However, apparently Veritas Press & Logos School agree with me since that's what they recommend. :) I concur with the previous responses too --- whichever program works for *you* is the best. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy in ME Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 We dropped separate Latin last year in favor of focussing on Latin and writing. We are using Lively Latin and Writing Tales 1 then 2 for my 4th grader and LC II , Writing Tales 2 then Homer A and Harvey's with my 6th grader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in GA Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 My two favorite programs are: Rod and Staff and Hake Grammar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 The PHONICS Road to Spelling and Reading</SPAN> is a complete K-4 curriculum offering the parent a comprehensive video teacher training text with an emphasis on accurate speaking, spelling, writing, reading, grammar, composition, and preparation for The LATIN Road to English Grammar. ALL LA in one program. It is fast and simple and comes with a DVD. I will probably use it in the future to simplify things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Rod and Staff user here, too. Though to me it IS a grammar program. I don't use the composition in it. Dd's test scores have repeatedly reflected the how well it is working, and she came into the program late and is working 2 grade levels below. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Rod and Staff user here, too. Though to me it IS a grammar program. I don't use the composition in it. Same here. But I do like to take breaks from it every now and then, because I just think it is good to look at things from different angles. Especially considering grammar is pretty much the same thing year after year. So my oldest is doing EG Plus right now, and my youngest will do JAG before moving on to R&S 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmom Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 We use G.U.M. (grammar, usage, and mechanics) by Zaner-Bloser. My son loves it. I really like it too. The price is great and so is the program. We by from the company so it is cheaper, also I have not found too many places that carry it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzf242 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I've been impressed with Rod and Staff. Suzanane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asher Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ester Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I am only afterschooling, and we are secular. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ester Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 My two favorite programs are: Rod and Staff and Hake Grammar Michelle, These are my favorite too. We are using R&S 3 now. I am planning on using Hake 5 next. Are you alternating between these two, or are you using them for different kids? Thanks, Ester. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmamainva Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Rod & Staff gets my vote, too! We love it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lydia Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 We have been using Rod & Staff grammar since 3rd grade (now entering 6th) and have been very happy with it. Best wishes, Lydia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Well, I can't really say which is the best. We are using Calvert and I like it, but I am a grammar/writing/English nut and there is nothing in there that I don't fun and exciting to teach (my son rolls his eyes at me, constantly, when I bring out the English work). I can tell you one that did NOT work for us - and that was Winston Grammar. It was fine for ME, but my son was like "huh?" It moves way fast and doesn't much explain things, IMO. I enjoyed going through the book myself and making sure I remembered all my technicalities, but it did not work for my almost 9 y/o. I would definitely recommend it for someone who has learned grammar and needs review or who is good in Grammar and wants extra practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 We tried some others, but this is the one my son enjoys. It's very easy for him to on his own since the explanations in the book are very straight forward. He actually looks forward to grammar now, and my dd who will be in 1st this year is anxious to get started with it. Oh and we're secular and Growing with Grammar is too so I have the added bonus of not having to tweak it in any way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meljoy Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 Thanks for all the great replies. I have been homeschooling a while- 10 years and I realize no curriculum is one size fits all -I just needed some inspiration! (You would think I would have all the answers and not be asking questions like this at this point...) I have never tried Rod and Staff (no idea why!) but I will check out their grammar. I am still not sure what we will use but I am crossing Winston off the list. I may narrow it down and then let DS decide. This is what else we are using - we are pretty eclectic:tongue_smilie: Bible: Bible; Training Hearts Teaching Minds; Created to Work; Hopefully New Testament Lapbook Math: Saxon 65; Science: Christian Kid Explore Biology; Language Arts: Jump In; Vocabulary Cartoons & English From the Roots Up & Rummy Roots; Weaver Spelling; Grammar?? American History: -lapbook/notebooks from homeschool in the Woods, videos from The Teaching Co, lots for reading , also a US Geography notebook. I am going to look at Rod and Staff and maybe some of the others now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meljoy Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 We have used Rod and Staff! We used Pathway Readers the first few years we homeschooled with my older boys. I wish they had a placement test. I ordered some samples of their books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meljoy Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 I really like the look of the Hake program. This may be the one for us. I like Saxon math (did not work at all for one of my DS though) so that may be swaying me...(either that or it is time for bed!) I had never heard of this either. I need to get more aquinted with what is out there.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Grammar is definitely not one of our favorite subjects, but never-the-less must be studied. So, I am trying to decided how to tackle it this year with my 10 year old son. We have used Easy Grammar in the past and it is OK, but if there is something better out there..... The ones I have looked at are: Easy Grammar 6 Analytical Grammar Winston Grammar Growing with Grammar Can I please have your recommendations &/or reasons you did not like a certain grammar program? :001_smile: TIA Melody Melody, I own JAG and Winston, and will be ordering Easy Grammar to use as a supplement. The methodology behind Analytical Grammar, and it's Junior version, work in a specific order to make finding the predicate easier. I really did make it easier for me. I was always mystified how to figure out the main verb and subject of a sentence with so many to choose from. As you can guess English was not my strongest subject in school. ;) JAG makes it so much easier, because the specific order helps eliminate most of the sentence first: nouns, articles, adjectives, pronouns, prepositions (marking the prepositional phrases with parenthesis) and then finding the main verb and subject. Eliminating all the other parts makes it easy for me to find the main subject and verb. Now I don't feel quite so dense. :001_smile: From what I can see Easy Grammar works on the same sort of idea. Because I haven't ordered it yet I can't tell if the order of operations is exactly the same, but I do know they find the prepositional phrases before the main subject and verb. AG really only covers what it takes to learn the material, so I am going to try EG for my kids who are too young for JAG and for my oldest when we finish JAG, as review. Winston Grammar approaches grammar from what I would say is a traditional format. Find articles, nouns, pronouns then find verbs. This is more confusing to me because there are just too many options :001_huh:. I like the card idea in Winston Grammar, but from it just helps the child with order of operations (can you tell I am a math person? :D ) and has some word lists (pronouns). JAG/AG actually encourages the child to make 3x5 cards that the same purpose. They just don't look as nice. If you are good at grammar to begin with, the I suspect you can make any program work. If you (as the teacher) have struggled with traditional methods, then I would encourage you to give AG a try. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 AG really only covers what it takes to learn the material, so I am going to try EG for my kids who are too young for JAG and for my oldest when we finish JAG, as review. Heather My mommy brain does not understand what you mean by that. I will be looking into a program for after FLL and well, I don't need to worry about it now, but we are all here anyway..:lol: Will you humor me and try to explain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 My mommy brain does not understand what you mean by that. I will be looking into a program for after FLL and well, I don't need to worry about it now, but we are all here anyway..:lol: Will you humor me and try to explain? Yes I can, well I can at least try. :D My kids and I all learn in layers, we don't immediately put things together. It kinds of soaks in over time, so we all do better doing a little of something every day rather than blocks. My dh is just the opposite. He would rather sit down and read a whole book and then think on it. I would be too overwhelmed. I need to read, then chew a bit, then go back and read again. JAG was written more for the person who wants it all at once. Every week has the same schedule: Day 1: Intro and Exercise 1 (Exercises have 4-6 sentences) Day 2: Exercise 2 Day 3: Exercise 3 Day 4: Word Play (this is where you write something using the specific words they give you). Day 5: Unit test. Each will expects you to continue to parse and diagram the stuff from previous weeks, so it builds pretty quickly. The pace is just a little quick for us. I think both dd and I could use to spend an week in between each new topic just practicing and reviewing what we already learn to cement it before moving on to the next thing. Or the child needs to have previous exposure to the concepts, so everything isn't quite so new. I came from a Ruth Beechick/ Sonlight LA philsophy, which doesn't cover grammar, so this is all new. With my younger kids I think I am going to use EG so they are at least familiar with the terms and concepts when they read JAG. I am hoping that will allow them to do JAG at a normal pace without problems. In addition I will probalby want something for my oldest to review with until she is old enough for AG, which won't be till next year. I might consider EG simply because it uses the same general philosophy (still not decided, I want to see the material for the younger kids first). Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 We use Rod and Staff as well. Love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 We've been very happy with Rod & Staff here, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
langfam Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I like Basic Language Principles with Latin Background. http://homeschoolchristian.com/Reviews/BasicLanguage.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in MO Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Abeka grammar, which I really like. I don't like the way they teach creative writing in the earlier books, but the writing does improve in the high school books. I used Abeka primarily because the first year I homeschooled I used Abeka for everything, simply because I was not familiar with anything else. SWB recommended Abeka in the 1st ed. of TWTM. Now she recommends R&S. If I were to start homeschooling today, I would also use R&S, hands down. It covers everything: diagraming, parts of speech, writing, etc. Abeka does too, but its writing instruction is weaker, IMO. I usually supplement with CW-Aesop in the earlier grades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenKitty Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 We've always used Easy Grammar and it's worked for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TX Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 I voted "other" because I use Rod and Staff for grammar. Now I can't say it is the best (it's all I've ever used) but it works for us. Susan in TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarinesWife Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Rod and Staff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praisefor3 Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMarie Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 another Rod & Staff vote.... We're in our 5th year with R&S grammar. This is one of the few curriculum choices I've never questioned. What a peace to know I don't ever need to switch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meljoy Posted July 29, 2008 Author Share Posted July 29, 2008 Rod & Staff is sending me a sample of their 6th grade books- is the R&S Grammar 6 we are talking about actually called R&S English? TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in CA Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Analytical Grammar has been one of the best homeschool choices I have made in 8 years - I love it, it makes sense, and it sticks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threetreasurs Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 I have yet to find a favorite grammar program! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleinMN Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Rod & Staff is sending me a sample of their 6th grade books- is the R&S Grammar 6 we are talking about actually called R&S English? TIA Yes, Rod & Staff grammar is actually their English program. HTH, Michele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Rod and Staff. hands down, no contest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Testimony Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 :lurk5: I did not vote because I have not used a grammar program yet for my sons. My oldest is going into 5th grade. He will do Growing with Grammar for 5th grade. I cannot say anything about the program until I have done it. Oh, I forgot! I did do KISS grammar with my older son last year, but I am going with Growing with grammar (GWG). I looks easier for now. Blessings in your homeschooling journey! Sincerely, Karen http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Rod and Staff, hands down. :iagree: It's solid, easy to use, easy to adjust for individual needs, and did I mention solid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4wildberrys Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 I just recently sent back Analytical Grammar. I know it has some great reviews---but it just looked too dry and not totally what I was looking for. So far, I LOVE the looks of Hake Writing and Grammar and Abeka grammar---I will be using these programs alternately until my kids are through high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmjkjashipley Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 I looked at a bunch of different programs and settled on GWG b/c it was straightforward grammar. It has diagramming and a lot of review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicki Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 We use Rod and Staff. My youngest ds has only used Rod and Staff. We have tried Easy Grammar and A Beka. God bless, Vicki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pongo Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 IMHO, Shurley English is the BEST grammar program on the market. Of course, it's probably the most teacher-intensive as well. However, apparently Veritas Press & Logos School agree with me since that's what they recommend. :) I concur with the previous responses too --- whichever program works for *you* is the best. Good luck! :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Rod and Staff, hands down. Why I like Rod and Staff: --Clear explanations --Daily quick review that is quite thorough --Plenty of practice --Thorough yet can be done in a short time each day --Incorporates grammar into writing instruction as well (Context for grammar is key!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Am I the only one who likes Voyages in English? I did try another program (to save $), but went back to VIE. Even the dc asked to go back. My only beef is the cost. But, now you all have got me thinking about Rod & Staff. I prefer a secular program, though, and I think that's what has been holding me back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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