First Language Lessons and Writing With Ease..

[Luvingmy4boys]

I am currently using CLE Language Arts 1. We are just starting unit 102. I really like the look of FLL and WWE but I have several questions. My boys will be working on a first grade level (ages 5 and 6). While looking through the samples of FLL 1 and 2, I realize that book 1 primarily deals with nouns. Is it really necessary to cover more than 30 lessons on just nouns? If I start with book 2, would my kids be missing out on important lessons?

 

Is Writing With Ease 1 too much for a first grader if used along with the First Language Lessons? I will be using My Father's World Adventures in US History so they will be doing some copywork there and I don't want to overwhelm them. They really don't like writing which seems to be a common issue with boys. I don't want to overwork on Language Arts but I want to make sure they have a good grammar and writing foundation.

 

I will be working with 2 kids on the same level and was wondering if any of the FLL books are consumable? Are the PDFs a better option? What books do I need to purchase for Writing With Ease? I see they have a text and workbooks so do I need both?

 

Your help and suggestions are much appreciated.

[Missouri Okie]

I just followed the lessons, because I didn't see any need to rush through it. Five and six year olds thrive on repetition. It's adults who have a problem with it. This may come across smart-alecky, but (to answer your question) I guess the authors would say it is necessary to cover just nouns in 30 lessons. If you find it too repetitive, I'd accelerate through 1 rather than skip it altogether.

 

The recommendation from SWB is to skip the copywork and narration in FLL if you are doing it along with WWE.

 

I don't have a new addition of FLL, but in past editions there is no writing in the level 1 and 2 book itself so you can use it with all your kids. With WWE, just use this (or the PDF equivalent) UNLESS you want to find your own passages to narrate/copy, in which case use this. Don't use both. The text gives an overview of the program for Levels 1 - 4, but the workbooks contain all you need to do the program unless (again) you want the freedom to pick your own passages. I bought both because I didn't know better. Although the text gave me an idea of where the program will take us over the next few years, I consider it unnecessary because I prefer just using the 'open and go' workbook. The workbook provides pages for writing, but I prefer to use our own paper.

 

Hope that helps!

[UrbanSue]

Basically I agree with the pp. FLL does start at the beginning with each level but for kids 5 and 6, I agree with the advice to just skip things if you get too repetitive. My first to use FLL loved the repetition, my dd was ready to scream after the third time she was asked to state the definition of a noun. Just gauge your kids and you can take a break, speed up, skip stuff. Whatever. My kids loved the practical stuff in FLL like months of the year, addresses, etc. And, yes, FFL 1 and 2 are entirely non-consumable. 3 and 4 have two books, one of which is consumable.

 

I really like the text book for WWE linked above (the second one). The overview of the entire program found in that book is really worthwhile reading. The text has a long introductory section and then sample weeks for all four years of WWE--basically, every time the skill focus or expectations change, there is a new sample week. I think it's a great resource. But, if you like an open-and-go resource, you can just get the workbooks and skip the text. You don't truly need both. Though if you aren't reading the intro material in the textbook, I would strongly recommend getting some of the PHP writing lecture audios. It seems like a lot of parents are on here after awhile with WWE scratching their heads wondering what they are trying to accomplish :)

 

As for levels and pushing too hard with WWE, it is quite common to use it more slowly or a year behind. You could alternate days with WWE and FLL and use level 1 of WWE over two years, if you want. FLL is designed to be used 3x/week already.

[Luvingmy4boys]

Thanks for your replies. Now, I'm debating whether or not to read the text. I'm more of an open and go type of person, but I'd love to know the overview and purpose of the program.

[Walking-Iris]

I found the text used on Amazon cheaply. I bought it first and read it, and then later got the workbooks. I really like the workbooks (I don't like to call them workbooks because they aren't really) because of the guided questions for narration and the reading passages. We've discovered quite a few books we wanted to read using WWE.

 

I personally found that I had to read The Well Trained Mind as well as the WWE text to get an overall idea of SWB's program. Her lectures are really helpful too.

[mamamindy]

I found the text used on Amazon cheaply. I bought it first and read it, and then later got the workbooks. I really like the workbooks (I don't like to call them workbooks because they aren't really) because of the guided questions for narration and the reading passages. We've discovered quite a few books we wanted to read using WWE.

 

I personally found that I had to read The Well Trained Mind as well as the WWE text to get an overall idea of SWB's program. Her lectures are really helpful too.

 

:iagree:

 

This exactly. While I did fine for the first half of the year without the text - it really is like a transcript of the writing lecture almost, but I like being able to reread things rather than re-listening, if that makes sense - I liked having the idea behind WWE in order to stop using the WB midyear when my daughter needed to slow down, we wanted to use different material, etc. That said, if you prefer open-and-go, and don't want to purchase both (not necessary) then just get the WB, and listen to the audio lecture if you have any uncertainty. There is also a fabulous description of this writing process in both my copies of TWTM. Have fun!

[CAmomof4]

We have found FLL 1 to be a great text (we started in K year). There has been some degree of eye-rolling when asked to say the definition of a noun, but let me tell you, she knows that definition!! I just gloss over something if it gets TOO repetitive. FWIW we are around lesson 60 and have also done pronouns and started into verbs. We're beginning to take sentences and identify the parts of speech in the sentence. I do eliminate extra copywork when it doubles up with WWE. Cumulatively between grammar and writing we spend about 10-15 minutes per day, using both FLL and WWE. And I don't feel like I'm leaving things out, which is nice.

[Dahliarw]

Honestly, we found FLL to be WAY too repetetive. My ds would just roll his eyes and give me the definitions the minute I pulled out the book. I have since stopped using both FLL and WWE and am using other curriculum that isn't so monotonous and repetetive. I know for other kids it works great, so it probably is personality dependent.

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

The thing about nouns is there are actually a lot of different kinds of nouns. While learning about those nouns my son actually learned a lot of other information as well. Here's a link to my blog reviews of the first 40 lessons (keep in mind that the reviews are in backward order; I can't seem to fix that.....,) and what we did with them, so you have an idea of what it covered. We didn't start WWE (though I did buy it) because my son's handwriting and reading just weren't where I wanted them to be before we started it. We will start it in the fall.

[weederberries]

I did the exact same thing in 1st grade, including MFW Adventures. We used FLL and completed levels 1 and 2 within the one year. It was easy to combine lessons and my children were eager/willing. I wouldn't skip it because the poem memorization is fun, it has fundamentals for narrations, etc. I think it is easy enough to just progress through it quickly. Don't let the repetition scare you off.

 

I did not start WWE with my first graders, we waited until 2nd grade. We really hated it. All of us did. We were already doing so much writing with with the SotW narrations and there is copy work and dictation in the FLL. It was far too much for my students to tolerate and they didn't like writing from the same passage each day. We gave that up after a month.

 

When my third student came along, I followed the FLL as written and it worked beautifully too. He has a different style of learning than the first two and we slowed our overall progress as a family down to keep us sane.