Thorough language arts curriculum...

[Blessed5x]

I am soooo not familiar with a lot of curriculum out there. I've tried doing a search, but only have so much time to go through soooo many threads! I'll ask you smart people instead.

 

What are some good language arts curriculum that are thorough, but not super teacher intensive? I have a grade 1 and a grade 4. I'm currently using Phonics Road and Excellence in Writing...however I'm not super liking it. My older girls are still doing pretty terrible at spelling, even though they mostly know the rules. Their grammar is pretty much non existent. Their reading is at about 5th or 6th grade, so they're okay in that department.

 

I was looking at Essentials in Writing. Does this cover everything? Is it a good program?

 

What do you do for 4th grade language arts? I feel like I don't know which direction to go in and am soooo confused! Is composition important?? 

 

Sorry for such a scatterbrained post...however I really appreciate ALL/ANY advice!!

 

Thanks so much!!

[MrsRobinson]

We are doing essentials in writing level 1 for our 1st grade year here and dd loves it. It does cover writing and grammar so you would just need to add spelling and phonics (if its still needed.) It is hands off for the parent since there is a teacher giving instruction on the dvd. It took a while for dd to get the picture that she needed to listen to the dvd really well because "Mr. Stephens" is her writing teacher. She's got it now. Sorry I can't offer any suggestions for 4th grade, I'm not there yet! GL!

[Aurelia]

This was our most successful fourth grade lineup: FLL4, Phonetic Zoo, Treasured Conversations, plus assigned and free reading. 

 

Phonetic Zoo has worked well for spelling. If you get the CDs or audio files, your children should be able to use it on their own. 

 

Treasured Conversations is a writing program that also covers grammar. It's pretty parent intensive, but the copywork at the end of the lesson is easily done independently here. 

 

First Language Lessons 4 worked well for grammar, if you feel like your children need more intensive grammar work. You can have them do some of the work on their own, though you will have to spend part of the lesson teaching. 

 

I compiled my own literature list from various websites. It included things like Little House on the Prairie, Bambi, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Understood Betsy. Free reading was more or less whatever DD wanted to read (with some caveats), as long as she hadn't read it before. 

 

We did extra grammar because DD really hadn't had much and kept forgetting practically everything we had covered in other ways.

 

To answer your question, yes, composition is important. Honestly, I think it is the most important component of LA after the ability to read. Composition is how your children express themselves in writing. They REALLY need to learn to do it well, or it will impact them negatively for the rest of their lives. The sooner and more thoroughly they learn it, the better. 

[shinyhappypeople]

I'm using Essentials in Writing 4 for both of my girls (9 yo and 11 yo) and it's working reasonably well.  It covers the grammar that they need, which is nice.  EIW isn't a perfect program, but it's pretty good, and it gets done.  Typical learners will have no problem doing the program mostly independently.  

 

My atypical learner usually needs me to re-teach the lesson after she watches the video, but that's still easier on me, because the video "primes the pump" and is very helpful. 

[kiwik]

I'm using Excellence in Writing 4 for both of my girls (9 yo and 11 yo) and it's working reasonably well. It covers the grammar that they need, which is nice. EIW isn't a perfect program, but it's pretty good, and it gets done. Typical learners will have no problem doing the program mostly independently.

 

My atypical learner usually needs me to re-teach the lesson after she watches the video, but that's still easier on me, because the video "primes the pump" and is very helpful.

I think Shinyhappypeople meant Essentials in Writing because she started just before we did. We started level 3 in about early August. My kids attent B&M school so we only get to it a few times a week and we are about 2/3 of the way through. Ds7's writing has improved according to his teacher but can't I say it was due to EIW but I think it is part of the reason (the other reason in improved concentration which I think is due to improvement in a medical condition). He still doesn't write huge amounts but what he does write is much better.

[ByGrace3]

For 4th grade we are using:

Writing: Classical Academic Press Narrative 1, when finished with that we started Treasured Conversations. Next year for 5th we will go back to CAP.

Grammar: FLL 4

Spelling: Rod & Staff spelling with ounditconfusingm and structure

Reading: many Sonlight readers and other good books

Cursive copywork

[Ellie]

I am soooo not familiar with a lot of curriculum out there. I've tried doing a search, but only have so much time to go through soooo many threads! I'll ask you smart people instead.

 

What are some good language arts curriculum that are thorough, but not super teacher intensive? I have a grade 1 and a grade 4. I'm currently using Phonics Road and Excellence in Writing...however I'm not super liking it. My older girls are still doing pretty terrible at spelling, even though they mostly know the rules. Their grammar is pretty much non existent. Their reading is at about 5th or 6th grade, so they're okay in that department.

 

I was looking at Essentials in Writing. Does this cover everything? Is it a good program?

 

What do you do for 4th grade language arts? I feel like I don't know which direction to go in and am soooo confused! Is composition important?? 

 

Sorry for such a scatterbrained post...however I really appreciate ALL/ANY advice!!

 

Thanks so much!!

 

Phonics Road and other Spalding spin-offs (and Spalding itself) are teacher intensive, but the results are usually worth it. Nevertheless, sometimes we just need a break, lol. Knowing the rules is not enough; one of the reasons that Spalding and its spin-offs work so well is the analysis of the words in the spelling lists. Sometimes people feel less success if they are not faithfully going through the analysis process.

 

I don't do "language arts." :-)

 

A 9yo might be ready for grammar; I wouldn't worry about a 6yo (I'm not in the group that believes that native speakers of English need to study their own grammar for 12 years). In our home, because I don't believe diagramming is important, we do Easy Grammar when the dc are 10ish. If you want diagramming, you might consider Jr. Analytical Grammar.

 

Yes, composition is important, but I don't believe very young children need to be doing as much writing as some do, because I don't think it's developmentally appropriate. My favorite writing series is Writing Strands. Your older dc would start with Level 3; your younger dc would continue with improving her reading skills, and simple writing (e.g., learning how to put words together in sentences, with proper capitalization and end punctuation). Copy work would be fine.

 

My favorite spelling is Spalding, but if I were to choose a non-Spalding series, it would be Spelling by Sound and Structure, beginning with the fourth grade book.

[Farrar]

For fourth grade, we used Brave Writer and were very happy with it. Also All About Spelling. We dipped our toes into doing grammar with MCT but it didn't work for us.

 

Most people use a variety of resources for language arts, which can include spelling, vocabulary, handwriting, phonics, writing, literature, etc. If you can clarify your goals with language arts, I think that might help people toss out some advice. For example, Writing with Ease (WWE) is based on dictation and narration that's very focused on summary. People usually use it alongside First Language Lessons (FLL) and a spelling program of their choice. Brave Writer is based on learning writing through developing writing voice, it includes dictation, copywork, oral narration, poetry, lots of different pieces.  Michael Clay Thompson (MCT) is really focused on understanding language through grammar and analysis. I could go on, but basically what you want to focus on and teach and what your philosophy of teaching language arts is going to be a big part of what you want.

[purduemeche]

Over our journey, we have come to rest on these as our core Language Arts set:

 

Rod and Staff English

Rod and Staff spelling

literature assignments through Tapestry of Grace

Memoria Press Latin

Institute for Excellence in Writing

Handwriting Without Tears

[My3girls]

My 4th grader is using CAP Writing and Rhetoric, FLL, and Spellwell.

[FairProspects]

Language arts covers a few different strands, namely reading comprehension, grammar, literature, writing composition, spelling, and penmanship. Some people combine these skills several at a time, some use an all-in-one program that covers all of them together, and others separate them out based on ability and desire. I'm one that schedules an LA block and cycles through separate skills programs during that time. That is just what works for us. I suspect some of the confusion comes from the fact that with language, there are many good paths to an end. Language instruction varies a lot more than math so you will see lots of different answers to how people approach LA as a complete program.

[FO4UR]

For the 4th grader, Treasured Conversations (TC) for grammar/writing and Apples & Pears (A&P) for spelling.  TC is excellent for teaching the teacher how to do LA as well as being a great curric for that level.  A&P is my recommendation for people who tell me that O-G and/or Spalding programs are not working well.  A&P works from different angle.

 

 

For 1st, I'd recommend FLL 1 and a simple phonics/spelling wb because you said she's already reading very well.  Explode the Code works.

 

 

Add in reading some great books and discuss a few together.

 

 

[sbgrace]

For the 4th grader, I would consider Apples and Pears Spelling. I had a child who knew all the rules via Phonics Road, but still couldn't spell. Apples and Pears is a different approach, and it worked here. I really recommend it when rule based programs don't work. We do 1/2 a lesson a day, and it takes about 15 minutes. It's open and go, so that time is all you're investing.

 

Consider Treasured Conversations if you haven't had a lot of composition or grammar. Alternatively, I really like CAP Writing and Rhetoric for 4th grade, though I started with Most Wonderful Writing Lessons Ever book http://www.amazon.com/Most-Wonderful-Writing-Lessons-Grades/dp/0590873040 and think it's a great intro. All of those require teacher interaction, but it's not intense or difficult. Essentials in Writing would be a more independent program, and particularly good if you want to keep the child in public school like language arts work (grammar and composition).

 

For the first grader, I might just do WWE. I think Apples and Pears would have too much writing, and I don't think you need formal grammar or composition at that age.

[lazzaroni]

Having just come from PS and zero grammar training, I had my 4th grader do FLL 1 and 2 with lots of streamlining of lessons bc it is very repetitive. We completed that in just a few months. We are now doing Grammarland and Treasured Conversations to reinforce basic grammar and work on writing skills. It seems to be working really well for us so far. We will probably follow up with FLL 3 and 4 next spring and/or fall probably at a much slower pace than FLL 1 and 2 since we will have by then be caught up in a manner of speaking.

[shinyhappypeople]

I think Shinyhappypeople meant Essentials in Writing because she started just before we did. We started level 3 in about early August. My kids attent B&M school so we only get to it a few times a week and we are about 2/3 of the way through. Ds7's writing has improved according to his teacher but can't I say it was due to EIW but I think it is part of the reason (the other reason in improved concentration which I think is due to improvement in a medical condition). He still doesn't write huge amounts but what he does write is much better.

Yes, I did! Thanks!  I just corrected it. :) 

[SnMomof7]

We switched into CLE LA in 4th for my oldest and it worked very well for us, younger DC are following along. I will say that in 6th you'll likely to need to beef up your own grammar (I'm there now).

 

We do substitute R&S spelling in 3rd and up, since it's more phonetic. CLE'a spelling lists tend to be topical at this point.

 

Both programs are quite independent. The step by step research report in 5th was great!