Multi-Level Family-Style Language Arts Instruction in a Yearly Spiral

[Hunter]

Are there any unit study or other family style curricula that include a basic Language arts spiral that all students work though at their their current level? Something that could be used with any unit study or family style curriculum?

 

Student of the Word has one, and I like parts of it, but not all of it. I never purchased the recommended R&S handbook and remedial grammar workbooks that are required for the grammar instruction. Maybe I should.

 

I'm wondering what is out there that I might not know about.

[Hunter]

Does Writing Aids spiral through topics yearly?

http://cathyduffyreviews.com/grammar-composition/writing-aids.htm

 

"No matter their level, all children are likely to be working on a similar genre of writing at the same time. There are certainly exceptions, especially from the youngest levels and highest levels."

[Hunter]

I forgot I had an old raggedy copy of Kathryn Stout's Comprehensive Composition.

[Hunter]

Okay, let's turn this into one of my challenges. I know I'm evil.  :sneaky2:

 

You are in charge of a dozen or so homeless/refugee children ages 8-16 with varying educational background. They can all read and speak English, but some are reluctant readers and atrocious spellers, and are going to need a comprehensive review of phonics and handwriting. For all subjects, you are going to have to list the weekly topics on the board that everyone with be working on together. You can use LoL (layers of Learning) for the content subjects or something else. You can use LOE for the basic phonics and grammar or make up your own or use something else.

 

This is my attempt at starting to develop a composition scope and sequence, as I don't think anything like this exists, from the lack of response. The lowest functioning students would be narrating and copying. Obviously these types of scope and sequences are not ideal in the short term, but I want to play around with the idea of a yearly spiral, that in the long term will be adequate for daily life and junior college prep.

 

Sentence

Paragraph

Journal

Clustering/outlining

Summary

Descriptive paragraph

Purpose/Audience

Friendly letter

Business Letter

Poetry part 1

Expository paragraph/topic sentence

Giving directions

Introductions and conclusions

Expository report/titles

Research/bibliography

Poetry part 2

Science Lab report

Cartoons/speech bubbles and quotation marks

Narrative paragraph

Biography/character

News Story/setting

Short Story/plot

Poetry part 3

Persuasive paragraph

Book reviews

Persuasive Essay/Thesis

Play Writing

 

[susankhan]

Hunter,  your good :)   

[Hunter]

The director of the refugee center has told you that the number one priority is that classroom in a safe feeling place. Rhythm and calmness are the priority, not obsessing over international competitions. He says you can provide advanced material for any student that is motivated to self teach, but that the majority of the students need to be studying the weekly topics he expects to always see listed clearly at the top of the board. The director is big on rhythm and has a Waldorf background. He comes in a draws pretty borders and pictures on the chalkboard, once you have listed the weekly topics. And he personally will go the library and fill a book basket full of books on the weekly topics. He is big on seeing students curled up on cushions strewn all around the room, reading REAL books.

[susankhan]

Okay, let's turn this into one of my challenges. I know I'm evil.  :sneaky2:

 

You are in charge of a dozen or so homeless/refugee children ages 8-16 with varying educational background. They can all read and speak English, but some are reluctant readers and atrocious spellers, and are going to need a comprehensive review of phonics and handwriting. For all subjects, you are going to have to list the weekly topics on the board that everyone with be working on together. You can use LoL (layers of Learning) for the content subjects or something else. You can use LOE for the basic phonics and grammar or make up your own or use something else.

 

This is my attempt at starting to develop a composition scope and sequence, as I don't think anything like this exists, from the lack of response. The lowest functioning students would be narrating and copying. Obviously these types of scope and sequences are not ideal in the short term, but I want to play around with the idea of a yearly spiral, that in the long term will be adequate for daily life and junior college prep.

 

Sentence

Paragraph

Journal

Clustering/outlining

Summary

Descriptive paragraph

Purpose/Audience

Friendly letter

Business Letter

Poetry part 1

Expository paragraph/topic sentence

Giving directions

Introductions and conclusions

Expository report/titles

Research/bibliography

Poetry part 2

Science Lab report

Cartoons/speech bubbles and quotation marks

Narrative paragraph

Biography/character

News Story/setting

Short Story/plot

Poetry part 3

Persuasive paragraph

Book reviews

Persuasive Essay/Thesis

Play Writing

 

[susankhan]

Is this typically what a student will learn by the time they graduate high school?   Is this chronological?   

[ElizabethB]

It just covers the reading and spelling part, but Blend Phonics/Webster's Speller with the spelling and syllable division rules added works well for multi age classes. It is all based on syllables, review syllables with everyone, work similar things at first, then older/faster students can work ahead in Webster's Speller once they start doing well.

 

Links and checklist at end are what you need.

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/howtotutor.html

 

As a bonus, the arrangement by accent pattern is really helpful for ESL students, it gets them to figure out this level of language, most ESL students never get the hang of this without explicit training and I have not seen anything else that addresses the schwa accent pattern of English.

[Hunter]

It just covers the reading and spelling part, but Blend Phonics/Webster's Speller with the spelling and syllable division rules added works well for multi age classes. It is all based on syllables, review syllables with everyone, work similar things at first, then older/faster students can work ahead in Webster's Speller once they start doing well.

 

Links and checklist at end are what you need.

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/howtotutor.html

 

As a bonus, the arrangement by accent pattern is really helpful for ESL students, it gets them to figure out this level of language, most ESL students never get the hang of this without explicit training and I have not seen anything else that addresses the schwa accent pattern of English.

 

I have most of this printed out from a few weeks ago, from before I really wanted to start a fast and repeating spiral.  I need to look at it, again, with my new goals. Thank you!

[Hunter]

Is this typically what a student will learn by the time they graduate high school?   Is this chronological?   

 

Susan, this is still brainstorming to me. This is group problem solving exercise, not advice.

 

But what I'm trying to do is create a list that has at least SOME potential, to be completed each year, by a wide variety of abilities, and repeated year after year. This is NOT a mastery list! This is a weekly topic list that is NOT expected to be mastered. It's an introduction to a topic. It's scope and sequences like these that lead many parents to start homeschooling their children. :lol:

 

But at the same time, I just like playing with lists, and it will be useful to ME with SOME students, and for my own self-education and note-taking and storage/organization of resources.

 

Spirals CAN work if an instructor STICKS with them. They work well in SOME circumstances.

 

I just like challenges and lists. They are a hobby of mine.

 

This is like a rotary. There are the onramp skills, not included here. And there are the offramp skills that would need to be tackled after the spiral was used for several years. But the spiral would take care of a lot of students for a lot of years.

[Hunter]

It just covers the reading and spelling part, but Blend Phonics/Webster's Speller with the spelling and syllable division rules added works well for multi age classes. It is all based on syllables, review syllables with everyone, work similar things at first, then older/faster students can work ahead in Webster's Speller once they start doing well.

 

Links and checklist at end are what you need.

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/howtotutor.html

 

As a bonus, the arrangement by accent pattern is really helpful for ESL students, it gets them to figure out this level of language, most ESL students never get the hang of this without explicit training and I have not seen anything else that addresses the schwa accent pattern of English.

 

 

I have most of this printed out from a few weeks ago, from before I really wanted to start a fast and repeating spiral.  I need to look at it, again, with my new goals. Thank you!

 

Okay, I found it. It already has notes and sticky tabs added. :) I'm off to read this again.

[silver]

Aren't Igniting Your Writing and Write On both supposed to be used with all kids in the family at once? I've never looked deeply in either, so I don't know if they'll work for what you want.

[ElizabethB]

I have most of this printed out from a few weeks ago, from before I really wanted to start a fast and repeating spiral. I need to look at it, again, with my new goals. Thank you!

If you work through things quickly and check everything off several times, that should work. Use the checklist, and have some kind of code, for example, a check for first time through, cross the check for second time through, circle over it for 3rd time through, you could switch to a new color and repeat, then a new sheet...

[Hunter]

Aren't Igniting Your Writing and Write On both supposed to be used with all kids in the family at once? I've never looked deeply in either, so I don't know if they'll work for what you want.

 

Do I own Igniting Your Writing? Sometimes other people know what I have better than I do, because they just read a post from 2 years ago.

 

Write On! is meant to be used over several years.

 

What I'd like to try, just to try, because I'm bored,  is a more spiral approach, instead of a mastery approach, for as many topics as possible. Some just cannot be taught that way, but many can.

 

I see already I can take all the poetry out of the composition list, as it's covered in depth under "art" in LoL.

[ElizabethB]

My Greek and Latin word root bingo should be a fun addition:

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/LangLessons/greeklatinroots.html

 

My phonics lesson 27 explains how I teach the basics of the spelling differences between each language of origin. There are also some charts linked next to this lesson that you may find useful.

[Hunter]

If you work through things quickly and check everything off several times, that should work. Use the checklist, and have some kind of code, for example, a check for first time through, cross the check for second time through, circle over it for 3rd time through, you could switch to a new color and repeat, then a new sheet...

 

I have a lot of notes, that I barely remember taking. I really hate my memory loss issues. Finding notes is easier than dealing with people that know me, but that I don't remember meeting. Anywaaaay….

 

I have notes next to lesson 21 ai and ay

"add Blumenfeld Primer 57/58 ey, ei, eigh"

 

Am I missing these phonograms being taught in Blend Phonics?

 

I seem to have several places referring me back to Blumenfeld. Maybe that's why I put this away, even though I remember being so excited by it when I started studying it.

 

A code sounds good. I'd just like to try a faster scope and sequence with some students, that get restless easily.

[silver]

I mentioned Igniting Your Writing because it's a multi-level program. I think it's meant to be gone through more than once, but I have no idea how comprehensive its S&S is.

[Hunter]

My Greek and Latin word root bingo should be a fun addition:

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/LangLessons/greeklatinroots.html

 

My phonics lesson 27 explains how I teach the basics of the spelling differences between each language of origin. There are also some charts linked next to this lesson that you may find useful.

 

Thanks! I like this for a fast spiral.

 

I had stopped teaching roots, because they just don't stick. But in a fast spiral, I'd like to try it again. And If I'm just teaching a bite a week, even if it doesn't stick, it still looks good on the list of weekly topics being covered, and gives a student real satisfaction to check it off as something done.

 

I wouldn't have thought of this on my own. Thanks! I know I have root worksheets and things tucked away on a hard drive somewhere. I can start them when I do the Greek and Lain units in LoL.

[Hunter]

I mentioned Igniting Your Writing because it's a multi-level program. I think it's meant to be gone through more than once, but I have no idea how comprehensive its S&S is.

 

I saw a sample. Interesting!

 

There is a chance I have this as a pdf. It looks familiar. I'm off to check my currclick account.

[Chelli]

I think Igniting Your Writing would be pretty close to what you want. There is a beginner, intermediate, and advanced level for every assignment. You introduce the material together and then assign the work based on which level the student is at. Once you finish the program you are supposed to go back and do it again with the student working at the next higher level of assignments.

[Hunter]

Hmmm, I must have just looked but not have bought, at least not from currclick.

[Hunter]

I think Igniting Your Writing would be pretty close to what you want. There is a beginner, intermediate, and advanced level for every assignment. You introduce the material together and then assign the work based on which level the student is at. Once you finish the program you are supposed to go back and do it again with the student working at the next higher level of assignments.

 

This sounds like exactly what I want. Thanks!

[ElizabethB]

Thanks! I like this for a fast spiral.

 

I had stopped teaching roots, because they just don't stick. But in a fast spiral, I'd like to try it again. And If I'm just teaching a bite a week, even if it doesn't stick, it still looks good on the list of weekly topics being covered, and gives a student real satisfaction to check it off as something done.

 

I wouldn't have thought of this on my own. Thanks! I know I have root worksheets and things tucked away on a hard drive somewhere. I can start them when I do the Greek and Lain units in LoL.

I have worksheets too, but the bingo is much quicker and is retained much better. I let them use small allergy free chocolate chips (Enjoy life brand, no milk or soy) or skittles as markers, that makes it even more fun.

[Hunter]

I guess I posted about looking at this. :lol:

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/413696-igniting-your-writing-on-sale-at-currclick/

 

I can't find any traces of having bought it though.

[Hunter]

I have worksheets too, but the bingo is much quicker and is retained much better. I let them use small allergy free chocolate chips (Enjoy life brand, no milk or soy) or skittles as markers, that makes it even more fun.

 

I like that idea!

[FO4UR]

You have me asking "What would Charlotte Mason do in a one room school house out on the American prairie?"  I think that would be safe feeling, comforting, engaging, and LA skills can easily be modified for the individual student. 

 

 

 

Looking for a unit study curric is missing the mark entirely. Real books, but let the students feast on the ideas that they will.  Slow and gentle with the skill work.

[Hunter]

CM on the American Prairie. :lol: What a visual!

 

I'm liking LoL right now.  :biggrinjester:  I'm not really using most of it. It mostly just the scope and sequence I'm using more than anything. A unit is 4 topics. I might not do more than look at pictures with a student for 10 minutes and talk for 5 to call a topic "done". But the rhythm of having weekly topics is good.

 

I'm still figuring out exactly what it is i'm trying. Mastery curriculum is a lot of pressure on my students. They have to wait for me to judge and be the one to decide if they move on. With a spiral of stand alone topics, they get to move on no matter what. They get to just relax into the rhythm, and soak up as much as they want and can. And if they are manic, and remember nothing 2 weeks later, that is okay.

 

Oh man, is one student FLYING high right now, but more than ever she is clinging to her books and studies as a tether. She says Benny in the Boxcar Children is teaching her how to eat fruit in moderation and not excess, and Bulfinch Mythology is teaching her the dangers of how music can be used to manipulate a person. Okaaay. I had to close those conversations down after awhile and MOVE her on to the NEW week's topics for MY sake. New topics and new books are good for BOTH of us.

[Hunter]

I'm such a "write to learn" person. I learn by having to organize my thoughts, before attempting to write them. Thank you everyone so much for chatting with me in this thread. I can feel that I have figured some things out that are bigger than a scope and sequence and any curriculum. 

 

 

[ElizabethB]

What is the native language background of most of them?

[Hunter]

What is the native language background of most of them?

 

English and Spanish, sometimes Haitian, African, Russian and Chinese.

 

I hate extensively tweaking an expensive curriculum, especially one I see as unfinished, but…I think I'm going to use LOE. I wouldn't buy it if I didn't already have it, but I do have it, and it's nice and tidy in eBook format, sent to my Kindle account. There are exactly 40 lessons for the 40 weeks of LoL I want to use each year. 

 

It bugs me, though, to so heavily tweak something so expensive. I know I already said that. I might say it again. I think I will. It bugs me to use something so expensive that I'm going to still have to tweak so much.