Memorizing grammar rules and definitions: using FLL, R&S, or other

[Colleen in NS]

I use FLL Levels 1 and 2 with dd7, and ds10 used it at that age, too. They both memorized the parts of speech and other items in that book. Ds has gone through R&S 3 and 4, and is at the beginning of R&S 5. At one point, I thought he should continue to memorize grammar rules and definitions from R&S, too. So I started out with having him write down the "Remember" boxes from R&S 4 on a sheet of paper in his English notebook, but never had him actually memorize them. Then I quit having him do that partway through R&S 4.

 

The reason I quit having ds write them down and never had him work on memorizing them, is that in further levels of R&S, I would find the same concepts written out in the "Remember" boxes, but with more sophisticated explanation. Which is appropriate as kids get older. And I also found that he was retaining the concept in general by doing the oral reviews in R&S. But I wondered what the use was of memorizing a "Remember" box rule or definition in the lower levels, if the wording of the concept was going to get more sophisticated as we went along, and he'd have to slightly change what he had memorized each year. I was afraid it would be too confusing to change the memory work slightly each year.

 

I'm now starting to think it's important to have my kids memorize grammar rules, definitions, and lists (like helping verbs, prepositions, subject pronouns, etc.). Then, I read today in my WTM (logic stage grammar section) that kids should be memorizing these things (I hadn't noticed this before). So, if you have your kids do this type of work throughout their school years, how do you go about it, without the possible confusion I described above (R&S or otherwise)?

[Kay in Cal]

My ds has memorized the definitions and lists orally, first using FLL and now reviewing with GWG. He doesn't write fluently, and learns best by hearing rather than writing, so that's worked fine for us. My younger son is more visual, so when he gets to that point, perhaps I'll have him write them down as a memory tool...

[Colleen in NS]

My ds has memorized the definitions and lists orally, first using FLL and now reviewing with GWG. He doesn't write fluently, and learns best by hearing rather than writing, so that's worked fine for us. My younger son is more visual, so when he gets to that point, perhaps I'll have him write them down as a memory tool...

 

Hi Kay,

 

I reworded my question at the end of my last paragraph. Would you be able to comment further about that?

[Kay in Cal]

We start by running over it when we reach it in the book, I type up a copy and put it in our "memory" notebook. Each piece (list, definition, etc.) moves back in the notebook as it is mastered, until it is only reviewed periodically. My oldest memorizes fast, so there usually isn't THAT much in there on a daily basis...

 

The memory notebook: I have "daily", "weekly", "monthly" and "archive" section dividers. If he does it perfectly for a run matching the next period, it moves towards the back. For example, he repeats the list perfectly every day for a week... it moves into the weekly section. He repeats it perfectly once every week (on Thursdays, for us) for a month... it moves into the monthly section. If he does it correctly for several months in a row, I move it to the "archive".

[Peela]

I find as my kids get older, issues like you are concerned about- that if you memorise something now, and next year in the same book, the concept is taught more in depth and so the words change- become less and less of an issue. I think it's more likely to upset a younger child, and only some kids. An older child understands what's going on and can roll with it and learn the new depth to the concept.

I have started R&S6 with my son, after not using R&S for several years, and we just go over the memory work as we come to it in the TM, and it's not long before it is memorised. I dont try and do it all at once- as in, here is the box, I want this memorised for next week. It comes up over and over again anyway, so after a while it does become memorised fairly effortlessly.

[Linda...inOwasso]

We use Shurley English and the jingles CD is great! I (think?) you can purchase just the CD, if not from the website than perhaps on the sale/swap board. We're only on the 3rd grade level, but my dd has memorized so much (definitions of parts of speech, all prepositions, etc...).

 

I've heard some people don't like the jingles, though, so I'm sure it depends on the child. But, they've worked like a charm for us!

 

Best of luck! :)

[Colleen in NS]

I find as my kids get older, issues like you are concerned about- that if you memorise something now, and next year in the same book, the concept is taught more in depth and so the words change- become less and less of an issue. I think it's more likely to upset a younger child, and only some kids. An older child understands what's going on and can roll with it and learn the new depth to the concept.

 

Aahhh, OK, this makes me feel better about it.

 

I have started R&S6 with my son, after not using R&S for several years, and we just go over the memory work as we come to it in the TM, and it's not long before it is memorised. I dont try and do it all at once- as in, here is the box, I want this memorised for next week. It comes up over and over again anyway, so after a while it does become memorised fairly effortlessly.

 

I, too, have found that for the most part, ds understood the concepts really well and could answer all of the TM review questions fairly effortlessly, without having memorized anything beyond what's in FLL 1 and 2. When he answers the questions, I can tell he understands the concept.

 

But, he doesn't always know how to word his oral answer right away. And a couple of weeks ago, he was asked to define "command" and "exclamation" and to give the end punctuation for each. He got stumped with this multiple-answer question, and I realized that if he had just memorized the definitions, he would have been able to answer efficiently, with understanding, and move on.

 

So it got me thinking that here we are in R&S 5, and things are going to get more complicated, it would probably make things a whole lot easier for him if I just had him memorize the grammar rules as they come up (not like, as you said, "have it memorized by next week", but just read them aloud each day until he can recite them or call upon them easily to answer questions and to apply the knowledge to his writing). I'm thinking it's the same thing as memorizing math facts.

 

Thanks for your reassurance about my silly worry. I think I'm going to go ahead and do it.

[Colleen in NS]

We start by running over it when we reach it in the book, I type up a copy and put it in our "memory" notebook. Each piece (list, definition, etc.) moves back in the notebook as it is mastered, until it is only reviewed periodically. My oldest memorizes fast, so there usually isn't THAT much in there on a daily basis...

 

The memory notebook: I have "daily", "weekly", "monthly" and "archive" section dividers. If he does it perfectly for a run matching the next period, it moves towards the back. For example, he repeats the list perfectly every day for a week... it moves into the weekly section. He repeats it perfectly once every week (on Thursdays, for us) for a month... it moves into the monthly section. If he does it correctly for several months in a row, I move it to the "archive".

 

Thanks, Kay. I had a system set up like this last year, too. Do the definitions in GWG "grow" each year to include more depth? If so, do you have him memorize the newly worded definition, and if so, how does that go for him?

 

We use Shurley English and the jingles CD is great! I (think?) you can purchase just the CD, if not from the website than perhaps on the sale/swap board. We're only on the 3rd grade level, but my dd has memorized so much (definitions of parts of speech, all prepositions, etc...).

 

I've heard some people don't like the jingles, though, so I'm sure it depends on the child. But, they've worked like a charm for us!

 

Best of luck! :)

 

Do the Shurley English definitions and rules "grow" each year (see my above comment to Kay :))?

[Linda...inOwasso]

I *think* so Colleen, but honestly don't know. Hopefully someone further along the path will chime in. I can't imagine the jingles staying the same throughout because my dd8 has memorized the whole CD in 8 weeks. If you're interested, check the Shurley website -- I know they have a s&s listed.

 

Best of luck! :)

[Kate in Arabia]

We use Classical Writing, and they actually have "flashcards" in an index in the book for you to cut out and use. But what I did was to make a matching game, where I printed the terms on one set of cards and the definitions on another. Somehow this made it more palatable to ds, he has to go through them once a week. Between those and the Schoolhouse Rock cartoons, he seems to have it down.

 

I have also started this for Arabic grammar terms as well, we'll see if it "translates" lol.

[Colleen in NS]

Thank you, everyone. I'm going to have my kids memorize the definitions and rules in R&S. I started going through R&S 3 and 4 today, and am making up flashcards for the "Remember" boxes, tweaking wording when necessary, and not writing up cards that simply repeat what is already on a previous card. I'll add more detail as they come up in R&S. I'm also colour-coding, if anyone is interested. Four colours. One for definitions of grammar and writing terms, one for grammar rules, one for lists (like prepositions or linking verbs), and one for writing rules.

 

Always tweaking, we are, aren't we? :lol:

[Diane]

We used GWG for 1st, 2nd, and now we are in our 3rd year. I've never had ds memorize anything, but he is really grasping and using what he has learned. So, I should say he has memorized it but we haven't purposely sat down and memorized...it just sinks in with continual review and usage.

[Colleen in NS]

We used GWG for 1st, 2nd, and now we are in our 3rd year. I've never had ds memorize anything, but he is really grasping and using what he has learned. So, I should say he has memorized it but we haven't purposely sat down and memorized...it just sinks in with continual review and usage.

 

Thanks. I found this to be true, too, until recently. Concepts are starting to get more complex, and I think memorizing will make the learning easier.

[mom2abcd]

Thank you, everyone. I'm going to have my kids memorize the definitions and rules in R&S. I started going through R&S 3 and 4 today, and am making up flashcards for the "Remember" boxes, tweaking wording when necessary, and not writing up cards that simply repeat what is already on a previous card. I'll add more detail as they come up in R&S. I'm also colour-coding, if anyone is interested. Four colours. One for definitions of grammar and writing terms, one for grammar rules, one for lists (like prepositions or linking verbs), and one for writing rules.

 

Always tweaking, we are, aren't we? :lol:

 

Does anyone have the Remember boxes already typed up? No sense re-inventing the wheel:o)

 

Maybe thisquestion needs a separate post...