Help me figure out language arts

[Clarkd]

My dd is 6.5. She is a voracious reader who reads at an early 4th grade level. She has decent sentence construction. Her speling is average. She is using ETC 3 and is about to start 4. We also supplement with a variety of spelling programs/lists. She has an expansive vocabulary. She loves WWE. We have just started FLL 2. We did not do FLL 1 since she knows noun and proper nouns. I heard it was a bit repetitive. She writes 3-5 sentences in her journal daily. Should I start MCT island series (grammar island, sentence island, practice island)? I have their Aesop's set but she seems beyond it already. Thoughts? I worry that this is too many programs. Alternatively I worry she isn't getting a comprehensive enough language arts program.

I also considered Brave writer and wanted to like it but it just isn't my style.

[Clarkd]

Clearly my spelling needs help...sorry.

 

[AK_Mom4]

If you have ETC, FLL, and WWE all going along well right now with lots of regular reading, then I would hold off on MCT for another year. There is quite a lot of material in MCT Island and it seems like overkill with all the other programs too.

[Clarkd]

Thanks AK. We have just started FLL but two others are going fine. Does Aesop's set blend with island at all? It seems completely separate but why wouldn't all the LA from one company go together? If separate I won't mess with it but if they do mesh then I would give it a try.

[Forgiven]

Clarkd, the Aesop's Fables curriculum in RFP is not done by Michael Clay Thompson. It actually looks really nice and I've been considering purchasing it for my youngest for half way through 1st grade or 2nd grade. I actually probably will purchase the entire set over the summer and then just wait for the right moment for when my youngest is ready for it. But I don't think it's a precursor to MCT's LA program as it's done by a different author entirely.

 

In your first post you mentioned your child being beyond the Aesop's Fables program. Have you tried all the books? You stated that your child is reading at a 4th grade level. The first Aesop's book starts at a 2.1 reading level and the series increases to a max of a 4.3 reading level, so maybe that's why your child seems beyond it?

 

I agree with AK_Mom4 in that you should stick with what you're doing, as it seems to be working and then do MCT next year. I started Island with my 2nd grader this year (he was 7 1/2 when he started it) and he's excelled at it. It amazes me how well he's done. I had purchased the curriculum for my 4th grader, but my 2nd grader saw it and wanted to do it too. My 4th grader has since finished the Island level and is now on Town, and my 2nd grader is still chugging along at Island, but he isn't going slow. It's more that my 4th grader went fast and my 2nd grader has been going at an average speed. He'll be finished with it before May.

 

Just wanted to throw my 2 cents out there. ;)

[Spetzi]

You may have it figured out by now, but I wanted to advise you to hold off on Island level. We enjoyed MCT, but found the reading vs. understanding vs. writing expectations to be quite uneven. While a 6.5 yr old might love the story, but not be able to do the expected writing. That would be fine, but the next level is a bit of a step up and the next one bigger still. The stories are very engaging and a interesting for both mom and child.

[Clarkd]

Thanks, Forgiven. That clears up the Aesop's issue. I think I will save that for my next dc or my next...

Thanks, Spetzi. I think it is probably me being a curriculum junky. I hear how much everyone loves Island and I want to have fun too!