BraveWriter Arrow vs. Primary Language Lessons

[Katydid]

Can someone compare these two programs for me?

 

I understand they are set up differently (Arrow being monthly assignments based on classic books) but, from what I can tell, it looks like they teach much of the same stuff (copywork, dictation, poetry, light grammar, spelling and word usage, etc.) Is this accurate? If cost were not an issue, would you prefer on over the other?

[Jess4879]

:bigear:

[llindseymomoffour]

:lurk5:

[stripe]

Have you seen PLL and obtained a sample of the Arrow?

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=JfAsAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false (it's out of copyright so you can obtain it for free via download)

 

http://www.bravewriter.com/program/language-arts-programs/the-arrow/

 

I would say that The Arrow has thematic lessons, where real literature is used to illustrate various concepts. PLL is not like that. I don't see much "great literature" in it. I've been using it for a while; mostly there are fairly generic sentences in it. i try to find sentences in the books we're using to supplement. There are things like letter writing in it too that are not in The Arrow, although this is not the entirety of her BraveWriter program. There are also pictures for narrating from in PLL and stories from Aesop. I think they are sometimes a bit dull or old fashioned/girly, which is not necessarily the case with The Arrow. My son is a bit bored by them, to be honest, so I don't do everything in the book. I don't care for the poems to be memorized in it, and The Arrow doesn't cover poetry. This is covered elsewhere in Bogart's program (Poetry Teas). So PLL attempts to be more comprehensive than The Arrow, which is only one segment of her program.

[Katydid]

We have been loosely using PLL and, while I like the idea of it, I do find many of the selections uninspired. Any time there is an Aesop Fable, for example, I find the same one in our copy of Milo Winter's version for DS to read instead since they are so well written. But I do like the loose guidelines it gives and I like that it brings up things that I wouldn't think to do on my own.

 

I did end up buying some back issues of the Arrow, The Writer's Jungle, and Jot it Down, which I still need to print out and read. I do like what I've seen so far, though. :)

[stripe]

We have been loosely using PLL and, while I like the idea of it, I do find many of the selections uninspired. Any time there is an Aesop Fable, for example, I find the same one in our copy of Milo Winter's version for DS to read instead since they are so well written. But I do like the loose guidelines it gives and I like that it brings up things that I wouldn't think to do on my own.

I share your sentiments. I find the poems and pictures either boring/dull or awful, and typically overly girly. (SWB had a similar observation about girliness in that other vintage LA text.) Nonetheless I try to take things out of the framework to use because I think the contents are good and appropriate. I did buy Galore Park's Junior English and tried to use it, but didn't get too far, but I did feel it was much more contemporary and boy-friendly. I may go back to it.

[Saraswati]

I can't really comment on either program - as I've never used PLL, and we JUST started using Arrow today. I just wanted to let you know that Brave Writer subscriptions are available at the HSBC for 50% off.

 

https://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/brave-writer/?c=1

[Katydid]

Thank you! I did buy my BW stuff from HSBC, thankfully. Such a good deal!