s/o - Transitions in Language Arts

[abba12]

Wondering what others do. I am a huge advocate of spending a couple of hours on a subject once a week instead of a little bit each day. It's the only way I managed in school, I could NOT handle those transitions. I even went so far as to double up math and do it every second day, though I realize that's not generally recommended. 

 

But, I'm wondering how people who don't do an inclusive language arts curriculum manage transitions within LA. Do you have a subject called 'Language Arts' and do a little handwriting, grammar, spelling, etc each day? Or do you alternate handwiriting and grammar and spelling, one a day through the week?  They seem like topics which can't really be done 'a weeks worth in a day', like that would be a LOT of handwriting, and spelling requires revision etc. But how do you find transitions between the little segments when they're in multiple books? 10 mins on spelling, 10 mins on grammar, 10 mins on handwiriting, they feel like they would have sent me crazy as a kid (I used a mostly inclusive curriculum, writing was the only separate topic and I did that weekly like everything else) are the transitions easier because they're all English, and the same basic topic? 

[Farrar]

The BW philosophy is to try and do one thing a day - so a day for copywork, a day for narration, a day for grammar, a day to work on writing projects that are ongoing... We haven't completely adhered to that - when we were doing spelling it was 15 mins a day every day, for example, and we have been doing more dictations and written narrations to get more practice. But in general we use that as a guideline. So fewer transitions. Fewer transitions is always good.

[EmilyGF]

I write a list on a white board. They know what they have to do and where to do it (they have notebooks). There really isn't much transition time. If I am working with another kid, I may give that child a problem to do independently while I explain the grammar to the child doing copywork. Then the child takes his/her copywork and does. Before I do a read aloud, I read a poem. Handwriting is part of copywork (I'll explain something to work on when I explain the copywork).

 

If handwriting weren't part of copywork, I would discuss the handwriting and copywork and then have the child do both.

 

Emily

[Ellie]

Wondering what others do. I am a huge advocate of spending a couple of hours on a subject once a week instead of a little bit each day. It's the only way I managed in school, I could NOT handle those transitions. I even went so far as to double up math and do it every second day, though I realize that's not generally recommended. 

 

But, I'm wondering how people who don't do an inclusive language arts curriculum manage transitions within LA. Do you have a subject called 'Language Arts' and do a little handwriting, grammar, spelling, etc each day? Or do you alternate handwiriting and grammar and spelling, one a day through the week?  They seem like topics which can't really be done 'a weeks worth in a day', like that would be a LOT of handwriting, and spelling requires revision etc. But how do you find transitions between the little segments when they're in multiple books? 10 mins on spelling, 10 mins on grammar, 10 mins on handwiriting, they feel like they would have sent me crazy as a kid (I used a mostly inclusive curriculum, writing was the only separate topic and I did that weekly like everything else) are the transitions easier because they're all English, and the same basic topic? 

 

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

 

With younger children, each of the components of English is taught separately, because they need to be. Very few instructional materials are "all inclusive;" publishers such as ACE, Alpha Omega, and Christian Light include them altogether (except doesn't ACE have a separate writing??). Most other textbook publishers have grammar/comp together, and separate spelling, penmanship (except ABeka, which mushes things up some), and phonics/reading. Some homeschool-published materials include everything, such as Learning Language Arts Through Literature. Spalding and its spin-offs can do everything including grammar and composition, but most people like to change things up. :-)

 

Yes, a few minutes daily for penmanship, spelling, grammar, composition, reading/literature. Grammar and composition might or might not be taught simultaneously; that is, there might be a few days or weeks of grammar, followed by composition. It's no big deal.

 

I did Spalding with my younger dd; spelling, penmanship, punctuation and capitalization, learning to read were inseparable from each other.

[abba12]

With younger children, each of the components of English is taught separately, because they need to be. Very few instructional materials are "all inclusive;" publishers such as ACE, Alpha Omega, and Christian Light include them altogether (except doesn't ACE have a separate writing??). Most other textbook publishers have grammar/comp together, and separate spelling, penmanship (except ABeka, which mushes things up some), and phonics/reading. Some homeschool-published materials include everything, such as Learning Language Arts Through Literature. Spalding and its spin-offs can do everything including grammar and composition, but most people like to change things up. :-)

 

Yep, we did LLATL for a big portion of time, and an inclusive program similar to ACE for the rest of it, which is why the concept of broken up language arts is really overwhelming to me! It's totally foreign to the homeschooling I and my friends did :)

[Ellie]

Yep, we did LLATL for a big portion of time, and an inclusive program similar to ACE for the rest of it, which is why the concept of broken up language arts is really overwhelming to me! It's totally foreign to the homeschooling I and my friends did :)

 

I guess the rest of us don't think of it as "broken up." :-) Each component of English is a different skill, and it's no big deal to do penmanship for 10 minutes, put that away and take out the spelling book for 20 minutes, and so on. :-)

[wintermom]

I think you may be comparing your b&m school experiences to something that is not quite the same in a home setting. In the homeschool, there isn't the same need to transition quickly to the next subject. You can go 2 hours a week with some subjects, and have other tasks be short and complete in 10 minutes/day. If your dc are having difficulty with this, that would be the time to change things. If the dc are managing different lengths of time for different subjects and tasks, then roll with it. Spending 2 hours on spelling a week may be great if there is a special spelling bee or something, but on a regular basis it may not be practical or appreciated by your dc.

[Jacbeaumont]

It may help to have all the LA stuff out, opened up on the correct page, ready to go.

Our morning Calendar time consists of multiple sheets and or workbook pages for calendar, weather, handwriting, phonics, etc. I have it all out and opened sometimes stacked on top of each other. 

Done filling marking off his calendar? He moves it to the done pile, what's next in the 'To Do' pile? A Handwriting page. Once he is finished that, 'Done' pile, move on to the next. This way there is no transition and it goes much faster. :) 

 

[luuknam]

Wondering what others do. I am a huge advocate of spending a couple of hours on a subject once a week instead of a little bit each day. It's the only way I managed in school, I could NOT handle those transitions.

 

Aside from what the others have said, your daughters aren't you, and you aren't your daughters. What worked or didn't work for you isn't necessarily going to be the same for them, and all three of them might be different. Younger kids often have shorter attention spans, so it may turn out to not be a big deal for your daughters to do 10 minutes of spelling, and then 10 minutes of copywork, or w/e, rather than try to do things in big blocks. Or, you may find that they are like you. My oldest is very different from me in some ways, and a bit more similar in other ways.

 

Just wanted to point that out, because in this thread your posts have mostly talked about how *you* couldn't handle multiple subjects per day as a kid, rather than about the kids you're teaching.

[Squawky Acres]

I have different programs for the components of "language arts," and do not find the transitions difficult.  As we are working from multiple books (around 10 minutes each), I prep the books the night before by making a stack for each kid with a sticky tab bookmark at the correct page.  That way, it is very easy to do two pages of handwriting, a FLL lesson, WWE, spelling, and reading (as applicable) all in one sitting.  The transitions would be horrible if I had to hunt down each book and figure out where we were with my child sitting there and quickly losing interest.

[Chris in VA]

I found it actually easier to do some of the components every day. Spelling was really only 4 days a week, with a test on Friday if she needed it. We used Spelling Workout, so sometimes it was a matter of going over the lesson, then she'd finish the page "later" when I needed to work with her brother (had elem and high sch in our homeschool). I used history narrations as copywork and composition, so I didn't do "writing" with my elementary kiddo.

Two birds, one stone philosophy.

 

I just said Small things, done well over time, lead to big things. So a bit every day was easier for her to retain. I am like Ellie, in that it didn't seem choppy, really. We weren't taking a break between English subjects--but I'd only do two writing things in a row so as not to fatigue the brain or the hand.

[Squawky Acres]

Oh, I am so envious.  You are able to leave tape out on a low shelf in FULL VIEW!

[ScoutTN]

I have different programs for the components of "language arts," and do not find the transitions difficult.  As we are working from multiple books (around 10 minutes each), I prep the books the night before by making a stack for each kid with a sticky tab bookmark at the correct page.  That way, it is very easy to do two pages of handwriting, a FLL lesson, WWE, spelling, and reading (as applicable) all in one sitting.  The transitions would be horrible if I had to hunt down each book and figure out where we were with my child sitting there and quickly losing interest.

 

 

 

:iagree:

 

We do reading and writing every day. Spelling and grammar, 3 x a week. I just pile the relevant books on the school table and we work through them. Each book has a sticky note place marker in it so we are ready to open and go. No transition except to switch books or get a clean sheet of paper. 

 

Dd does spelling and grammar at one time and writing at another time, but she can work more independently than Ds.

[ScoutTN]

I found it actually easier to do some of the components every day. Spelling was really only 4 days a week, with a test on Friday if she needed it. We used Spelling Workout, so sometimes it was a matter of going over the lesson, then she'd finish the page "later" when I needed to work with her brother (had elem and high sch in our homeschool). I used history narrations as copywork and composition, so I didn't do "writing" with my elementary kiddo.

Two birds, one stone philosophy.

 

I just said Small things, done well over time, lead to big things. So a bit every day was easier for her to retain. I am like Ellie, in that it didn't seem choppy, really. We weren't taking a break between English subjects--but I'd only do two writing things in a row so as not to fatigue the brain or the hand.

 

 

:iagree:

[Carol in Cal.]

Actually, in my experience it really helped LA not seem like a Huge Overwhelming Mess to break it into a bunch of little subjects.  I did most of them most days, too, but there was that feeling of accomplishment in finishing each one, and everything was in a small enough chunk that it seemed more doable.

 

I originally started this, with much trepidation, because DD was borderline dysgraphic--a terrible speller with horrendous handwriting--but was a fantastic composer of essays, poetry, and fiction.  There was no all in one curriculum that wouldn't have ruined her for writing forever.  Thankful that I did this!

[TheAttachedMama]

Actually, in my experience it really helped LA not seem like a Huge Overwhelming Mess to break it into a bunch of little subjects.  I did most of them most days, too, but there was that feeling of accomplishment in finishing each one, and everything was in a small enough chunk that it seemed more doable.

 

I originally started this, with much trepidation, because DD was borderline dysgraphic--a terrible speller with horrendous handwriting--but was a fantastic composer of essays, poetry, and fiction.  There was no all in one curriculum that wouldn't have ruined her for writing forever.  Thankful that I did this!

 

I agree.   Breaking language arts up into a bunch of different, smaller subjects makes things easier for us for two reasons:

 

1)  As already mentioned, I can customize each subject so it fits their exact level.   (We used Sonlight's all-in-one-language arts and it did not work because it tried to group all of these skills into one subject.   So, the writing ended up being too hard, but the reading was too easy, etc.)

 

and

 

2) I can space out the seat work throughout the day.   I find that switching the KINDS of things we are doing helps keep everyone focused.   It is hard to REALLY pay attention when you are doing 60-90 minutes of seat work in one big block.   So changing up our day helps us to actually get more done because we are able to focus better.  I take it a step further and often even change LOCATION when we make a subject transition.  

 

So we might start out with math (seat work, writing at desk),

then transition over to reading (no writing, change of location to couch)

then do a spelling lesson (more seat work, back at desk, change of location)

then take a break and eat a snack while mommy does poetry and reads aloud literature (change of location and task)

then we do about 30 minutes of writing and grammar (back at the desk, writing)

then we do some chores (another change of location and different type of work)

then we come back for history (listening, back on couch)

then we do latin (speaking, hearing, watching, writing)

then they might move to the computer and do typing, math facts, and geography (different location and type of work again)

 

You get the idea.   But changing things up like this helps keep us focused.   If I were to pull book, after book, after book out in a row while they sat at a desk and wrote--- everyone would groan---and not have much joy.   Moving to different locations and changing up the type of work keeps us enthused.    Simply Charlotte Mason actually wrote an article about this exact philosophy when it comes to scheduling. 

[Critterfixer]

Typically we get the mechanics out of the way in the morning and do composition after lunch.

Spelling is four days a week.

Grammar is twice a week.

Composition takes eight days. I spread a project out that way. Two days are free-write days just to play with whatever we want to write.

 

[Carol in Cal.]

I found that assigning the hardest stuff in the morning was crucial through about 5th grade.

So whatever skill or two was truly the most difficult was a morning item, whether that was reading acquisition early on, or grammar, or composition, or math.

Breaking up LA into chunks made it easy to move, for instance, copywork and Editor in Chief and Phonetic Zoo into the afternoon without losing momentum, but also if I needed a quick filler assignment in the morning I could throw one of those in.

[73349]

I deliberately keep them separate because DS likes some much better than others. Reading is fine and is part of couch time. Grammar is currently his favorite part of table time. Spelling, which he just started, is hard enough that I let him dictate the letters to me. I don't want him to think of those as having anything to do with handwriting. :) The transitions are seamless because I always have the next thing ready.