Too much to do Lightning Lit + IEW?

[KellyMama]

I'm contemplating LL8 for my 8th grader next year. We've done a mix of BF and Classical House of Learning this year and it's been pretty stressful for both of us. She loves to read and has actually read (but not "studied") The Hobbit, which is on the LL8 list, so reading isn't the issue. I just need a gentle "hand-holding" approach for her to delve a little deeper. I need something student-led/focused. I am happy to help her and review the books with her, but I think she would do better with a program that leads her through the questions on her own, rather than another 'mom-led' subject. Would LL fit this bill?

 

Now add into the mix that her years of private school left her with an epic void in how to construct essays and even paragraphs, also no clue on outlining etc. We've been working on summarizing this year and also exposing her to several different forms of writing through Jump In! I still think she needs more concrete, foundational methods, so I've purchased IEW SWI-B for next year and I'll be trying to get through that and hopefully SICC-B in preparation for HS.

 

Do you think doing all of this is too much? I know that technically LL8 is literature and IEW is composition, but I don't want to overload her - does it sound like a good marriage of concepts? Any other suggestions to accomplish these goals? :)

[Lori D.]

I don't think it's too much; when we did LL8, we used a separate writing program (Jump In) as well. I think IEW would do a fine job of covering your foundations of writing.

 

The writing instruction in LL8 is quite lite -- a very short 1-2 page "mini-writing-lesson" on a specific topic of writing (for example: citing a source; re-writing in your own words; starting with a "hook" to get your reader's interest; etc.) So I would definitely NOT rely on the composition portion of LL8 for your sole writing instruction and practice if the student needs more foundational work in writing.

 

There is a choice of longer writing assignment at the end of each LL8 unit, so 12 in all. We did not always choose to do one of the longer writing assignments from LL8, but when we did, we would just set aside the separate writing program for a week or so to focus on the LL8 writing assignment. And, it was nice to sometimes take a break from the separate writing program to do some slightly different writing.

 

 

As far as the literature portion of LL8: yes, it is written to the student and can largely be done solo by the student. So if you are looking to take yourself mostly out of the picture to reduce stress, then LL8 is ideal.

 

It is a very gentle intro into classic works of literature. It is mostly about reading the work, with the 6-8 page literary lesson which focuses on and explains a single literary topic (for example: setting; author's purpose; character; conflict; symbolism; etc.) and gives specific examples from the work for that unit. The student practices the literary element discussed with the work pages, which also include excerpts from other works and ask gentle guided literary analysis questions.

 

 

Looking ahead to beyond 8th grade, another program that can be done largely solo is Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings (LLftLotR). If your DD really enjoys The Hobbit and Tolkien's writing, that might be a great 9th grade program. Do be aware that it is a year-long study that includes 12 units on tangential topics, but which allows you to also study some additional works such as Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and either The Iliad or The Odyssey. There is no writing instruction, and I was underwhelmed by the writing assignment ideas, so you would want to use something else to cover your writing.

 

I would also suggest IEW's Windows to the World (WttW), which would be a step up from LL8 and LLftLotR, but does a super job of teaching how to annote, and then use your annotations to write a literary analysis essay, and how to look for (and write about) a number of different literary elements (for example: symbolism; irony; tone; point of view; etc.). WttW is also written to the student, and could be done solo, but probably works better with a bit more parent participation. There is a chapter with specific instruction on how to write a literary analysis essay.

 

Or, the Excellence in Literature series would be another good step up after grade 8. The program is also written more to the student, and does not require as much through the parent. There is a fair amount of writing involved, but no instruction in writing.

 

 

Hope that answered your questions! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

PS -- ETA:

 

To give you an idea of time for scheduling LL8:

- 10-15 min/day, 4x/week for reading through the literary lesson and/or doing the work pages

- 30-45 min/day, 4x/week for reading the literature

 

We read the literary lesson, and did the work pages WHILE also reading the work, rather than stringing them all out separately, one after another. When we chose to do one of the longer writing assignments, we took a week off of the separate writing program, and did that while also still reading the literature selection for that unit.

 

So, doing LL8 just 4 days a week, for 40-60 minutes a day, we completed the program in one school year at a relaxed pace and still had time for other reading, and a separate writing program.

[freerange]

We're using LL7 alongside Galore Park's SYRWTL English (book 1 for one, & book 3 for older) & Kilgallon's Story Grammar, so I don't think what you suggest would be too much writing, depending what you're doing in other subjects.

[freerange]

We're using LL7 alongside Galore Park's SYRWTL English (book 1 for one, & book 3 for older) & Kilgallon's Story Grammar, so I don't think what you suggest would be too much writing, depending what you're doing in other subjects.

[KellyMama]

I don't think it's too much; when we did LL8, we used a separate writing program (Jump In) as well. I think IEW would do a fine job of covering your foundations of writing.

 

The writing instruction in LL8 is quite lite -- a very short 1-2 page "mini-writing-lesson" on a specific topic of writing (for example: citing a source; re-writing in your own words; starting with a "hook" to get your reader's interest; etc.) So I would definitely NOT rely on the composition portion of LL8 for your sole writing instruction and practice if the student needs more foundational work in writing.

 

There is a choice of longer writing assignment at the end of each LL8 unit, so 12 in all. We did not always choose to do one of the longer writing assignments from LL8, but when we did, we would just set aside the separate writing program for a week or so to focus on the LL8 writing assignment. And, it was nice to sometimes take a break from the separate writing program to do some slightly different writing.

 

 

As far as the literature portion of LL8: yes, it is written to the student and can largely be done solo by the student. So if you are looking to take yourself mostly out of the picture to reduce stress, then LL8 is ideal.

 

It is a very gentle intro into classic works of literature. It is mostly about reading the work, with the 6-8 page literary lesson which focuses on and explains a single literary topic (for example: setting; author's purpose; character; conflict; symbolism; etc.) and gives specific examples from the work for that unit. The student practices the literary element discussed with the work pages, which also include excerpts from other works and ask gentle guided literary analysis questions.

 

 

Looking ahead to beyond 8th grade, another program that can be done largely solo is Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings (LLftLotR). If your DD really enjoys The Hobbit and Tolkien's writing, that might be a great 9th grade program. Do be aware that it is a year-long study that includes 12 units on tangential topics, but which allows you to also study some additional works such as Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and either The Iliad or The Odyssey. There is no writing instruction, and I was underwhelmed by the writing assignment ideas, so you would want to use something else to cover your writing.

 

I would also suggest IEW's Windows to the World (WttW), which would be a step up from LL8 and LLftLotR, but does a super job of teaching how to annote, and then use your annotations to write a literary analysis essay, and how to look for (and write about) a number of different literary elements (for example: symbolism; irony; tone; point of view; etc.). WttW is also written to the student, and could be done solo, but probably works better with a bit more parent participation. There is a chapter with specific instruction on how to write a literary analysis essay.

 

Or, the Excellence in Literature series would be another good step up after grade 8. The program is also written more to the student, and does not require as much through the parent. There is a fair amount of writing involved, but no instruction in writing.

 

 

Hope that answered your questions! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

PS -- ETA:

 

To give you an idea of time for scheduling LL8:

- 10-15 min/day, 4x/week for reading through the literary lesson and/or doing the work pages

- 30-45 min/day, 4x/week for reading the literature

 

We read the literary lesson, and did the work pages WHILE also reading the work, rather than stringing them all out separately, one after another. When we chose to do one of the longer writing assignments, we took a week off of the separate writing program, and did that while also still reading the literature selection for that unit.

 

So, doing LL8 just 4 days a week, for 40-60 minutes a day, we completed the program in one school year at a relaxed pace and still had time for other reading, and a separate writing program.

 

Excellent! Thank you so much - this information is perfect. I'd wondered about the IEW lit program for HS. :)

[Murrayshire]

This is great information.....I'm all ears! Thank you!