Coffeemama Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 I'm considering using Voyages in English 6 for my DS11 next year. He hasn't retained much with GWG and I'm thinking maybe Voyages will be more engaging. For those who use Voyages, is the teacher guide necessary, helpful, or a waste of money? Also if anyone has experience with a different grammar program for a child who doesn't seem to have a memory for grammar terms, but is otherwise a good student, I'm all ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 I have used Voyages with English with a third grader this past year. I do have the Teacher's Edition but regret buying it. It is heavily oriented towards classroom use and contains very little substantive material beyond what is already in the student textbook. We really like the program itself (my son loves it, actually) but the TE was an expensive mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 I basically agree with JennyD (and I own the full set of ViE, grades 3-7...got sets for a steal). There is some worthwhile stuff in the TE's, but nowhere near enough to make them worth their hefty price tag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 I just got VIE 6 (student edition only) on Amazon for a good price. I ordered the 2006 version. DS10 likes the color and style of the grade 3 version, which I have him read through to review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Amazon used is your friend. There is very little difference between editions--mostly rearranged page numbers. ;) I usually pay $30-40/level used total for student, teacher, and test books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Memoria Press grammar recitation program. It is just the rules and nothing but the rules with no frills. Winston Grammar is hands-on. Bob Jones is colorful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Also if anyone has experience with a different grammar program for a child who doesn't seem to have a memory for grammar terms, but is otherwise a good student, I'm all ears. I somehow missed that you might want other suggestions until Paradox5 made some. ViE is pretty traditional. The memory thing might be a problem...except that grammar is repeated so much year to year that maybe it would be impossible for it not to be memorized at some point. I just wanted to mention that I have seen the most success with usage and overall retention of grammar terms by incorporating grammar into the writing process as much as possible. Something like Learning Grammar Through Writing might be worth looking at. One reviewer lays out how it is used pretty well. Context is a great teacher. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/083881493X/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Also, MCTLA (the grammar in particular) has been a perfect fit for my most artsy, whole-to-parts kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forgiven Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Also, MCTLA (the grammar in particular) has been a perfect fit for my most artsy, whole-to-parts kid. I second MCTLA. When I started HSing my DD11 back in 3rd grade, we used ViE. I loved it, but it was all I knew--traditional school book grammar. My DD hated it and retained nothing. The next year, I gave MCTLA a try, and I LOVE it so much more than I thought I would. My kids also loved it. My DS9, who was 7 at the time liked it as well, and though he was a year behind the recommended grade level, I let him try it because he begged to do it. Retention for both of my kids is great. LA is fun, engaging, and getting done without moans of protestation. We're a happy MCTLA family here. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeemama Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 Looking at the sample of MCT Grammar Voyage, it appears to move quickly from grammar term to term with just one or two examples. Does the student need to remember what everything is called and definitions? My son's writing is OK, not sophisticated, but he rarely makes grammar errors (despite not being able to name the parts of speech or rules). I'm guessing it's because he is a strong reader. He has been using IEW writing for two years and is able to correctly incorporate the dress ups and sentence openers. The problem seems to be grammar in isolation. I read the review of Learning Grammar through writing and I love the idea of marking a paper with the rule number for the child to look up and fix the error on his own. I worry that if there are barely any errors (due to non-complex writing), will that be enough? Alte Veste, does that book assign writing which would stretch the child to use more advanced phrasing or more sophisticated sentences? TY to all who are helping! I certainly won't worry about the teacher guide for ViE now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Looking at the sample of MCT Grammar Voyage, it appears to move quickly from grammar term to term with just one or two examples. Does the student need to remember what everything is called and definitions? My son's writing is OK, not sophisticated, but he rarely makes grammar errors (despite not being able to name the parts of speech or rules). I'm guessing it's because he is a strong reader. He has been using IEW writing for two years and is able to correctly incorporate the dress ups and sentence openers. The problem seems to be grammar in isolation. I read the review of Learning Grammar through writing and I love the idea of marking a paper with the rule number for the child to look up and fix the error on his own. I worry that if there are barely any errors (due to non-complex writing), will that be enough? Alte Veste, does that book assign writing which would stretch the child to use more advanced phrasing or more sophisticated sentences? TY to all who are helping! I certainly won't worry about the teacher guide for ViE now. The beauty of MCTLA grammar is that it is used in practice. My kids started with Island though and worked through, so there is retention and carryover from that. And, cough, from ViE. We also analyze sentences outside the program, including our own. We diagram too, but I am a bit of a nut job. LOL I see you used Killgallon but don't anymore. We have enjoyed that, and we find ourselves Killgalloning sentences we find in our reading. LGTW does not have writing assignments. It's just meant as a corrective tool for writing that is supposed to make learning grammar relevant and painless. Does not sound like what you need though. For me, I'm not sure grammar in isolation is a problem. As much as I like grammar, my end game is usage. I do think ViE is a solid choice though. All three of my kids like it, even the one who favors MCTLA. I may have an itty bitty grammar problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeemama Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 The beauty of MCTLA grammar is that it is used in practice. My kids started with Island though and worked through, so there is retention and carryover from that. And, cough, from ViE. We also analyze sentences outside the program, including our own. We diagram too, but I am a bit of a nut job. LOL I see you used Killgallon but don't anymore. We have enjoyed that, and we find ourselves Killgalloning sentences we find in our reading. LGTW does not have writing assignments. It's just meant as a corrective tool for writing that is supposed to make learning grammar relevant and painless. Does not sound like what you need though. For me, I'm not sure grammar in isolation is a problem. As much as I like grammar, my end game is usage. I do think ViE is a solid choice though. All three of my kids like it, even the one who favors MCTLA. I may have an itty bitty grammar problem. Thank you for helping me think through this. I just ordered Voyagers 6 (student only) for $10 on Amazon. I'll see how it goes while we continue to discuss/edit grammar in the writing he does across the curriculum. I have 3 different Killgallon books that I tried with both my 13 years old and 11 year old; neither one liked it, but I may revisit it again in the future (or with my youngest). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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