Need help with LA program...please!!

[daisylynn]

I am looking for next year. I have one who will be 6th grade and two who will be 4th grade. Right now we use PLL and ILL. I really like it but am wondering if it's enough LA? So, I was looking at what else to get. We will be doing SCM, and they recommend AG. It looks amazing! So, I started researching that and just got more confused. LOL It seems that there are so many good ones...HAKE, The Phonics Road, AG, ILL, etc. I would love to be able to get my hands on each to look through them...that would make it so much easier. But since I can't, I need your help!

Here is where we are. My soon to be 6th grader is advanced. She reads/spells/writes well. She is so super easy and learns quickly. One of my soon to be 4th graders is very much the same. The other soon to be 4th grader is struggling with spelling especially, and reading/writing. We have done phonics (Abeka) will all three of them and he just didn't pick it up like they did. I am still doing phonics with him some this year.

A couple of questions:

1- Should I still be doing a phonics program with my struggling one? I feel like we are both burned out on Abeka phonics from so many years of doing it :/ But I don't want to stop it if he still needs it. We've tried Rod and Staff but I didn't feel like it was intensive enough.

2- Are PLL and ILL sufficient for the grades they will be in? Or should I think about switching?

3- What is the best LA program if I switch from PLL/ILL? What, in your opinion, would be best for all of my kids at their levels?

Up until now, we haven't really had formal LA. I've done Writing Strands with my oldest but she hated it. I also tried Learn to Write the Novel Way and she hated that too. We do really like ILL, but I just want to make sure I'm giving them what they need for a well-rounded LA program.

Thoughts/suggestions?

Thank you!

[daisylynn]

One more thing...

I was looking at SCM's Hearing and Reading, Telling and Writing: A Charlotte Mason LA Handbook with companion CD. Has anyone used this and is it worth the purchase?

 

[daisylynn]

I'm stuck and don't know what to do! Would love some advice/suggestions! :)

[beka87]

I was under the impression PLL and ILL were more for grammar than composition...I had considered PLL for my eldest, who is about to start second grade, and it would have been only one component of her Language Arts program.  Each child is different, however, so what she needs isn't necessarily what your kids need.  Does ILL include paragraphs and such?  I guess if it were me, I'd list out the different areas of language arts and your student specific goals for each and see if ILL covered it all sufficiently.  You know, spelling/grammar/composition/etc.  I always thought that ILL was generally supplemented.  Maybe keep ILL and supplement each child where they need it individually?  Also, I'd switch the phonics program.  Your son isn't going to get any more comfortable with reading if he, and you, are burned out with the program.  Have you looked at Dancing Bears?  That is a fairly cost effective program that is meant to be about ten minutes a day.  There are others out there, too.  Hope you find what you need (and maybe someone with some more advice ;) ).

[fourisenough]

I would do AG + WWS for your advanced 6th grader. I would do AG Jr. + WWE for your Advanced 4th grader (plus practice with paragraph writing). I have no recommendations for your 4th grader still working on reading/spelling- sorry.

 

I used ILL with my older girls and found it underwhelming (they were bright/motivated learners) and it just wasn't 'enough' for us. Just my $.02. Good luck.

[MerryAtHope]

1- Should I still be doing a phonics program with my struggling one? I feel like we are both burned out on Abeka phonics from so many years of doing it :/ But I don't want to stop it if he still needs it. We've tried Rod and Staff but I didn't feel like it was intensive enough.

 

2- Are PLL and ILL sufficient for the grades they will be in? Or should I think about switching?

 

3- What is the best LA program if I switch from PLL/ILL? What, in your opinion, would be best for all of my kids at their levels?

 

 

1-I'd consider a phonics-based spelling program such as All About Spelling for your struggling speller. Then you'll get the phonics reinforcement plus work on spelling. I don't think you need a reading program unless your 4th grader is struggling with reading. 

 

2-PLL is for 2nd-3rd grades, and ILL is for 4th-6th; so PLL may be a bit light for your younger ones (which could still be appropriate for a struggling speller though), but ILL would be fine for your 6th grader. If they are working well and your kids enjoy them, you probably don't need to switch. We used PLL, but ILL didn't work as well here (for both student and teacher). I hesitate to change things that work though!

 

3-depends on your goals. LA is basically reading, writing, listening, and speaking. I think PLL and ILL touch on elements of all of those, in a more CM-ish kind of way. 

 

Some kids need direct, incremental instruction for things like reading, writing, spelling, or grammar.

 

Some, like probably your struggling speller, need more work on spelling before they'll be ready for much writing. 

 

I like to look at building up my kids' LA skills gradually--here's a blog post that might help you in planning LA and what you want to do and what your goals are for each student--and then you can pick appropriate curriculum for them. HTH some!

 

Merry :-)

[daisylynn]

Thank you for all the suggestions! 

So, if it's working for us now, is it better to stay with it and then maybe switch my oldest when she gets to 7th grade (and out of ILL) to Analytical Grammar? I think my problem is that I think that program looks so awesome and don't want to wait longer than I should to introduce it. But PLL/ILL are working right now, so maybe I should hold off?

I will also check out AAS! We need something different because I just don't think what we're doing is working well enough for him :(