Attention HWT, ETC and FLL users!! Please help!

[Guest 4boys]

I am a little lost on what to do with my first grader for language/writing/etc. Originally I was just going to use ETC and HWT for the year. But now I've been looking at FLL 1-2 and I really like how it looks, as well as introducing grammar and other language concepts in a gentle and fun way. If I did all three, would it be overkill? If I use ETC and HWT alone, is that enough? If I use FLL should I drop the other two? Not sure what I should go with.

 

And along the same lines, if I am ok with just using ETC and HWT for now, at what point would I start implementing a more complete language arts course? Can I just jump into other English courses like FLL or Rod and Staff English at a later grade level and still be ok, or would I have to START with those programs in order to use them later? I hope this makes sense.

 

Curriculum research fries my brain. And yet I love it! :lol: Thank you for any help!

[Karen in CO]

I would just stay with ETC and HWT until reading is solidified. The FLL is nice and can be gently added, but I wouldn't do it on the same days as you did ETC. You could do HWT daily, ETC three days a week and FLL once or twice a week.

 

You can jump into grammar at a later age without harm.

[Country Mouse]

I think you can use all three of these programs together easily.

ETC is for reading, right? So, they each would cover different areas: reading, grammar, handwriting.

I've never used ETC but I do use FLL and HWT. I really like FLL. We have finished with the book for 1st and 2nd and will be beginning the 3rd book soon.

HWT is only supposed to take a few minutes each day. I have found it essential for my ds who has trouble with handwriting.

To answer your question about waiting on FLL, I think you could jump in with the 3rd book later without having used the 1st/2nd one. I don't know about any other programs as I have no experience with that. :)

HTH.

[Susan in TX]

I am a little lost on what to do with my first grader for language/writing/etc. Originally I was just going to use ETC and HWT for the year. But now I've been looking at FLL 1-2 and I really like how it looks, as well as introducing grammar and other language concepts in a gentle and fun way. If I did all three, would it be overkill? If I use ETC and HWT alone, is that enough? If I use FLL should I drop the other two? Not sure what I should go with.

 

And along the same lines, if I am ok with just using ETC and HWT for now, at what point would I start implementing a more complete language arts course? Can I just jump into other English courses like FLL or Rod and Staff English at a later grade level and still be ok, or would I have to START with those programs in order to use them later? I hope this makes sense.

 

 

ETC and HWT would be enough by themselves at this point. In fact, depending on your child, you may not even need HWT. Mine got enough writing practice just with ETC.

 

If you like FLL then you can certainly throw that in as well. If you decide to wait to do grammar, you can start FLL or Rod and Staff later. I don't do any grammar until my kids are reading fluently (usually 3rd/4th grade). I start with Rod and Staff, grade 3 English. With an even older child, you could start with Grade 4. That is what I plan to do with my son.

 

Susan in TX

[Guest 4boys]

Thank you! Your experience is valuable to me in deciding what works and what I will use. I'm so glad I found this board! Any other experience/advice is welcome!

[Cathy in IL]

I did all three of those with my dd. It didn't feel like too much at all. They were all different enough from each other that she enjoyed and learned from each one. I saw in your signature that you use Horizons for math. We do too. It looks like we have a similar taste in curriculum.

[Guest 4boys]

Cathy, how do you like Horizons? I haven't actually used it yet, I'm just starting it in a month with Bailey. I like the look of it and that the lessons are short but it remains to be seen how Bailey does with it.