Using Classics for Language Arts?

[AsgardCA]

I saw this mentioned recently and it sounds like something I've been hoping for. Can someone tell me more about this? How would I know which books to use, or how to use them for spelling, grammar, etc. (I'm too used to scripted guides, and trying to get away from those.) I can see pulling words for vocab, but the rest I'm sort of fuzzy on. Are there any threads that have discussed this? I wasn't sure what exactly to search.

 

My oldest is finishing up first grade, we don't read many classics (though I'd love to) and we haven't found curriculum in most areas of language arts that we like. I'd like to change this. We need to work on reading comprehension, too. I would love to have a mostly-DIY/pieced-together language arts of classic and living books.

[chelsmm]

I'm completely new to this all, but here's what I would do...

 

I might read the book together, maybe a chapter at a time. My daughter would read some and I'd read some.  She doesn't have the reading stamina yet to read too much. Have her tell you about what happened.  Maybe have her write a sentance or two about what was read.  That will cover comprehension, handwriting, and some grammar.  You can decide what she needs to learn for grammar at the time and work that into her writing.  If she is just learning about the parts of speech, talk about nouns after reading and have her pick out some from a page, etc.  Spelling- you can chose words from the book, I guess, but I'd rather go with a spelling list if you are concerned about spelling.  We are using Spelling Plus (I think that's the name) for spelling words.  Vocab- from the book would make sense. 

 

I'm not sure if there are threads on this, but I bet there are.  It's just finding them! 

 

Easy Peasy all in one homeschool does something like this.  I was looking at it for the first time last night.  SHe has the kids read a chapter, write a sentance or two, and answer some questions. There might be some vocab covered.  She doesn't do spelling at this age though.  You could look at the site and see what you think.  I think Grade 1 English is a good example.  Grade 2 is a lot of poetry, I believe. 

 

Hope that helps a bit.  I'm interested in what others say.  I like the idea.

 

What books are you considering?  My two are first and second grade this year.

 

 

[AsgardCA]

Thank you, that does help sort things out a bit. I can see how this would be a good option for us.

 

I have no idea which books I'd consider. There are a few lists around that list the classics by age, etc. I'd probably pull from one of those should I find it again. 

[AsgardCA]

I'd love more suggestions! I know some people do this :)

[chelsmm]

bumping to see if anyone has any more input :)

[Arcadia]

There are people here who use core knowledge scope and sequence as a guide. Not sure whether that is similar to what you have in mind.

http://www.coreknowledge.org/mimik/mimik_uploads/documents/816/CKLA_G2_L&L_Scope%20and%20Sequence.pdf

[mrs.m]

This book will help you with writing: http://peacehillpress.com/the-complete-writer-writing-with-ease-instructor-text.html

[mrs.m]

This book will help you with writing: http://peacehillpress.com/the-complete-writer-writing-with-ease-instructor-text.html

[Heidi]

I think Classical Writing does this.  The models that you use for Language Arts come from these classics.  I just started using Aesop.  Each week we study one story.  We pull vocabulary words, spelling words, practice grammar, pull our copywork and dictation from it, use is for outlining, written narration, enhance that narration with dialogue and descriptions, and use it for oral reading practice.  I don't use the workbooks, I make the core work for us.  I do have a separate grammar (R&S) that I do orally and we practice what we are learning in R&S on the real sentences found in CW.  It is so effective!  I am really impressed.

[AsgardCA]

This book will help you with writing: http://peacehillpress.com/the-complete-writer-writing-with-ease-instructor-text.html

You know, I was just looking at that today and realized I should have bought that instead of the WWE workbook. I'm still reading through the PHP sample, but it seems to be what I've been looking for.

 

I think Classical Writing does this.  The models that you use for Language Arts come from these classics.  I just started using Aesop.  Each week we study one story.  We pull vocabulary words, spelling words, practice grammar, pull our copywork and dictation from it, use is for outlining, written narration, enhance that narration with dialogue and descriptions, and use it for oral reading practice.  I don't use the workbooks, I make the core work for us.  I do have a separate grammar (R&S) that I do orally and we practice what we are learning in R&S on the real sentences found in CW.  It is so effective!  I am really impressed.

I will check this out, it sounds neat. Thank you!

[KBunn]

We use these http://store.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70_76_90&products_id=257

 

The lapbooks and hand's on activities bring the story to life and make reading fun for my dyslexic son who is not a fan of reading at all. It also includes vocabulary work, comprehension, etc. I add a fun book report project at the end just as something extra since he is older. Something like writing a newspaper story about the plot, dressing up as a character and doing an oral report, or something in that realm. 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Are you familiar with Charlotte Mason? She has an integrated language arts method using classic books.  The WWE instructor text is a good guide for making sure you cover everything. 

 

Basically, just choose any book you think your kids would enjoy, and read a chapter.  Find a sentence of appropriate length for them to copy- depending on the child's age, they could copy a passage directly from the book, or you could write it neatly on their page.  When we started, I skipped lines so that my son was literally copying letter for letter underneath.  Now, I copy the whole section, then he copies below mine or on another paper.  Copywork creates the visual memory for goos spelling later. 

 

For 3rd grade +, add in dictation, where a passage is studied, especially words the child hasn't spelled before.  Then after studying and perhaps copying a few times, a dictation is done.  WWE also begins dictation I think in grade 3, so there should be instruction in how to do it in the instructor's text, though I haven't checked that far ahead yet!

 

Grammar can be covered by memorizing the parts of speech and then trying to pick them out in the copywork, eventually graduating to parsing or diagramming or both. 

[AsgardCA]

Are you familiar with Charlotte Mason? She has an integrated language arts method using classic books.  The WWE instructor text is a good guide for making sure you cover everything. 

 

Basically, just choose any book you think your kids would enjoy, and read a chapter.  Find a sentence of appropriate length for them to copy- depending on the child's age, they could copy a passage directly from the book, or you could write it neatly on their page.  When we started, I skipped lines so that my son was literally copying letter for letter underneath.  Now, I copy the whole section, then he copies below mine or on another paper.  Copywork creates the visual memory for goos spelling later. 

 

For 3rd grade +, add in dictation, where a passage is studied, especially words the child hasn't spelled before.  Then after studying and perhaps copying a few times, a dictation is done.  WWE also begins dictation I think in grade 3, so there should be instruction in how to do it in the instructor's text, though I haven't checked that far ahead yet!

 

Grammar can be covered by memorizing the parts of speech and then trying to pick them out in the copywork, eventually graduating to parsing or diagramming or both. 

 

I've skimmed Ambleside Online. I was impressed but intimidated and thought it unlikely I'd ever be able to follow along with it. I'm going back to re-read through everything now and I'll probably try to add that in for our new year. Thank you!

[quark]

We used classics in a very relaxed way through the K to 5th years. I borrowed ideas from Ambleside Online, Great Books Academy and suggestions on the boards. I also liked booklists from Tanglewood, Milestones Academy etc. We chose books that appealed to us and didn't bother to do any copywork or dictation with them. We just read and read. Some were read alouds complete with crazy accents (me) and play acting (son). He did a few imitation exercises for writing but that was about it. We didn't do any formal parts of speech type exercises but things like that would come up in conversations and because he had read so widely it was easy to pull up examples from books if needed. Every time we came across difficult words it was just a natural thing for us to dissect them and try to determine what the roots meant, and therefore with this prefix or that suffix it should mean this or that...then we googled or double checked with the dictionary. Son has consistently scored very highly on language arts tests with this method. Only one time he got tripped up by what a "modifier" was lol. But he caught on in a minute or so after I explained it.

 

This year, we are going to try some diagramming and deeper analysis so it's possible we'll do something more formal with the classics. But in the younger years just reading the classics, going deep into their meaning, discussing and discussing and discussing anything that appealed to us (or wondering why something did not appeal to us but seemed to have appealed to others), just talking about what we were reading was a great and very educational experience. My son rarely reads twaddle (just a personal preference) so perhaps that's another reason it was so effective for us to be laid back with language arts.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I've skimmed Ambleside Online. I was impressed but intimidated and thought it unlikely I'd ever be able to follow along with it. I'm going back to re-read through everything now and I'll probably try to add that in for our new year. Thank you!

 

Ambleside Online has a lot of good information, but I find it to be an intimidating source!  Remember that this site is one person's (actually a group of people) attempt to create a Charlotte Mason curriculum, in the same way that The Well Trained Mind is one person's interpretation of classical education.  There are many other sites- Simply Charlotte Mason, Charlotte Mason Helps, etc, that all have various booklists that offer a Charlotte Mason inspired curriculum.  AO chose its book list primarily based on their availability online for free, which means they have some out-of-date materials on there and miss a few more modern well-written books. 

 

The most important thing is not the book lists, but the technique of integrated language arts.  Choose your copywork, dictation, and narrations from your read-aloud.  Grammar can be done that way as well, or look for a beautiful text like First Whole Book of Diagrams to work from.  Spelling can be part of dictation (although I htink some kids need a bit more focused attention than that). 

 

The only area where I differ from Miss Mason is on teaching reading- I'm a bit phonics supporter!!! 

[morganvicky98]

Also great to use classics. They're classics for good reason. You would want your children to have read as many of the classics as possible. Good luck.

[Coco_Clark]

I saw this mentioned recently and it sounds like something I've been hoping for. Can someone tell me more about this? How would I know which books to use, or how to use them for spelling, grammar, etc. (I'm too used to scripted guides, and trying to get away from those.) I can see pulling words for vocab, but the rest I'm sort of fuzzy on. Are there any threads that have discussed this? I wasn't sure what exactly to search.

 

My oldest is finishing up first grade, we don't read many classics (though I'd love to) and we haven't found curriculum in most areas of language arts that we like. I'd like to change this. We need to work on reading comprehension, too. I would love to have a mostly-DIY/pieced-together language arts of classic and living books.

Reading from classics is the one thing we never fail to do in a day :). I decide which books to use by looking at book lists from Ambleside, Tanglewood, Circe Institute, ext. Last year we did the Complete Beatrix Potter, Andrew Langs Blue Fairy Book and Red Fairy Book, The Complete Winnie the Poo, The Wizard of Oz, The Velveteen Rabbit, and Peter Pan and Wendy. This year we're beginning with Charlottes Web and moving on to Mrs Pigglewiggle and Alice in Wonderland, we will see after that. I have my eyes on The Jungle Book, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Dr Doolittle...really once you get started its a question of having too many books!

 

We work on reading comprehension by narration. My DS simply is asked to tell me what happened, or what was his favorite part, or if he thinks so and so should have such and such. We will work on spelling and grammar and handwriting this year by copywork. Ill choose (or he will) a line to copy. Seeing and copying proper grammar, spelling, ect will provide the example. Later we will move onto dictation.

[HejKatt]

We use Language Lessons through Literature - I think the author is also here on WTM.

http://www.barefootmeandering.com/lltl.html

 

We are only partway through the 1st year and it is a hit here.  So far we have read from Beatrix Potter tales, Five Children And it and the Jungle Book.  I have been amazed that my dc could actually sit through the passages, including the younger one. The older one gets excited over the selections, and I've seen him pick up the books for leisure reading - either to sneak peek at the story to come, or to re-read a story he liked.

 

I do agree that the first year is light, as the page above describes, and I use SWR for spelling. Looking ahead, the grammar seems comparable to other early texts of grammar I've seen (FLL). But what I've appreciated the most is the author's selections - they build stamina to listen and enjoy longer, more complicated passages.