DD/12 doesn't know parts of speech...how do I help her?

[Mosaicmind]

She has been in public school the last year and asked to come home this year. She also went for 1/2 of her 2nd grade year and all of her 3rd. Now she is in 7th and home from public school, which I am thankful for (should have never let her go last year).

 

Anyway, I got her R&S English 7 and she is already lost and she just did lesson 1. She doesn't even know her parts of speech, what a preposition is, or the difference between a noun and a verb. I take some responsibility for this, but not all. I was seething with anger today :cursing:at what she didn't do last year in school or even review.

 

Now, that I am over the shock, what do I do for her. I have Easy Grammar 4/5 here that I could have her do along with the R&S or instead of, but would that be enough? I am just looking for some quick help because I don't want to lose a day right now with her.

[mktkcb]

Don't know if you want to hear this, but R&S 7 is WAY to hard for a kid that doesn't yet know parts of speech. Its even too hard for many 7th graders that DO know them, LOL! If you like R&S, I would get levels 5 and 6, and get through as many of the grammar lessons as you can comfortable get through this year. You might be able to double up on some of them in level 5. Skip the writing. Level 5 will lay a great foundation that your dd needs. Trust me, she will NOT be behind in a year if you do this. And don't skip the oral reviews at the beginning of lessons, or the written reviews at the end. Make her do the worksheets and tests to really cement things in there. R&S grammar is advanced by level 6, and gets more so by levels 7 and 8. If your dd gets through level 6 by the end of 8th, thats great! Perfectly OK, REALLY (honest). Levels 7 and 8 make great HS level grammar courses. And I'm not just trying to make you feel better.......its the truth. So be of good cheer.

[mktkcb]

Oh, and you can have her just do the easy grammar while you wait to start the other. Don't worry. It will be ok.

[In The Great White North]

Colored pencils.

 

I picked a color for nouns, another color for verbs, another color for prepositions, circled the whole prep. phrase, etc. Be consistent and keep the same color all year.

 

We did this in English and German all last year. Around April, it clicked.

[anissarobert]

Don't feel bad about using R and S English behind grade level. It is very complete and difficult. We started in 7th, last year for 8th grade and it was difficult for my daughter, even though languages are her strength. R and S asks a lot of the student and that is a good thing, but as I discovered 7th is a hard place to jump in. I now have 5 and 6 and looking through them it would have been much easier for her to start lower.

[Linda...inOwasso]

I don't have a child as old as yours; however, I would use the Easy Grammar 4/5 alone. I would catch her up gently and NOT tackle R&S 7 until she was ready.

 

You've got plenty of time to get her up to speed in grammar.

[LauraL]

Memorizing the definitions of the parts of speech--by way of the definitions and repetition in First Language Lessons--was one of the most valuable things my children have done to help them with their subsequent grammar work in Rod and Staff. I don't know that I would specifically purchase the book for a 7th grader, but if you could borrow a copy for a quick and painless introduction to the parts of speech, I would do so. (It is geared for 1st and 2nd grade level, so the approach is very nonthreatening, and, I think, would be beneficial even for older students who don't have that background.) Just an idea. Grammar Rock is also a fun review video.

[Ellie]

and I'd get Easy Grammar Plus. Two or three pages a day, and she'll finish in less than a year.

 

You can do it simultaneously with R&S, even though the parts of speech are not taught in the same sequence. And ITA--a lower level of R&S, probably 5th, *maybe* 6th. It will be fine.

[sarahv]

ACE has an online diagnostic test, and would prescribe the actually numbers for the workbooks to help her in the areas she needs it most. It would be an easy, and probably fast way to catch her up, then you could switch to whatever curriculum you wanted.

[Tree House Academy]

I have no great recommendation as my oldest ds is just starting to learn this in 4th grade...but I will recommend NOT using Winston Grammar Basic. I have an BA in English, Technical Writing and that book was a good review for ME...not at all a good teaching method for my son. It went way too fast and had tricky sentences from day one. I hate to admit it, but I missed a few here and there when I went through the book just to refresh my own skills. So, while I have no great advice FOR something to use, I have a heads up on what not to use with a child who is just learning.

 

P.S. I know the feeling - my son made straight A's all through school. He can't spell, didn't know to sound out difficult words while reading (just made something up that seemed similar????!!!!) and has handwriting that is really lacking in legibility. And *this* was the kid at the top of the class??? I hate to see the poor kid at the bottom of the class. :(

[mom31257]

What about Mad Libs? Those are great for parts of speech. You could take some sentences out of something and break them down, showing her each part and the "role" it plays. I use BJU English. In the back is a section on diagramming that actually covers quite a bit about the parts of speech as well as parts of sentences. I'd be glad to scan the pages and email you if you'd like. There are 4 pages. I'm getting ready to get off here and go to bed soon, so I'll check in the morning if you want me to do that for you.

Don't be angry. Just be glad you found out now so you can really work on it this school year.

 

Let me know!

[magistramom]

Suggestion:

 

Give her sixteen index cards. Tape them, accordian style, into two sets, each with eight cards. choose one of the groups. Have her title each card with one of the eight parts of speech, fill in a definition, then fill in common examples on each card for each part.

 

The second set will have the same titles and definitions for each part of speech, but will be used to write down exceptions (e.g., in can be a preposition, adverb or adjective; affect can be a noun or verb, and so on).

 

Rather than R&S, your 7th grader may benefit from dropping down to level 5, and/or by reading short portions of Grammar Girls book, Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing as well as just going through portions of Strunk and White or Harvey's Grammar before tackling R&S 7 which has a lot of grammar AND writing. Long sentence... I'm still learning too!

[H.S. Burrow]

I would use R&S level 5. It will be easier than level 6 and help to boost her confidence. She could probably move through it rather rapidly if parts of speech is the only area of concern. I would take it one lesson a day and just continue on with level 6 as soon as she finishes level 5.

 

If she is a fast learner, then you may want to have her read the lessons and complete the worksheets and then go ahead and move into level 6.

 

On the other hand, you could start with level 5 and just move up from there and she'll be doing level 10 when she is a senior. I have not seen levels 9 & 10, but I hear they are very rigorous and focus more on writing compositions.

 

R&S is the only grammar program that I am familiar with so I can't advise about changing to something else. My kiddos also didn't know their parts of speech when we started to homeschool...they were also in public school. We jumped in on grade level (6 for DD) and it was tough, but she did well with it.

 

HTH:)

[Kareni]

What about Mad Libs? Those are great for parts of speech. You could take some sentences out of something and break them down, showing her each part and the "role" it plays.

 

 

Precisely the suggestion I was going to make. It's a fun way of learning the parts of speech and you can include your 8 and 10 year olds too.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[dalynnrmc]

Don't know if you want to hear this, but R&S 7 is WAY to hard for a kid that doesn't yet know parts of speech. Its even too hard for many 7th graders that DO know them, LOL! If you like R&S, I would get levels 5 and 6, and get through as many of the grammar lessons as you can comfortable get through this year. You might be able to double up on some of them in level 5. Skip the writing. Level 5 will lay a great foundation that your dd needs. Trust me, she will NOT be behind in a year if you do this. And don't skip the oral reviews at the beginning of lessons, or the written reviews at the end. Make her do the worksheets and tests to really cement things in there. R&S grammar is advanced by level 6, and gets more so by levels 7 and 8. If your dd gets through level 6 by the end of 8th, thats great! Perfectly OK, REALLY (honest). Levels 7 and 8 make great HS level grammar courses. And I'm not just trying to make you feel better.......its the truth. So be of good cheer.

 

 

I agree 100% totally with this. R&S is known for being *at least* a year ahead of the "level" that it's labelled. It only goes up to 10, so if a 7th grader starts with Level 5, and goes through a level each year, they will be doing the last year of R&S (Level 10) during their senior year. Perfectly acceptable.

 

A third or fourth grader who is new to R&S often will start with Level 2, and this is no different. Start with 5, go her speed (skipping the writing assignments would be fantastic, assuming she's comfortable with that part of LA), and be sure that SHE realizes that the level number does NOT equate to grade level!

 

And hang onto R&S7 for when you need it in a year or two. :)