KeriJ Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 I'm always intrigued by this program and since the upper levels are newer it's hard to find a lot of experience information. I'm curious how it's going so far. (I think I may even have asked this recently...sorry) Anyone switched from R&S to ELtL? Comparisons? Retention? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelticHaiku Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 bump 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted October 20, 2015 Share Posted October 20, 2015 I'm not sure how much experience I have. We are on lesson 13 of levels 2,4 & 5. My DC are 8, 10 and 13. I've heard many reviews about lack of retention, but I wonder how many are actually memorizing the grammar rules. It's mentioned in the introduction, but there aren't a lot of reminders for it. She also recommends memorizing poetry throughout the year as well. I picked up a divided index card notebook for this. They have a poetry section and a grammar/memory work section in the notebook. We work on the memory work 3 times per week, and they are making great progress. I just have them read their poem aloud (looking at the card) and we go through the rest as a group...They just join in with the facts or rules that they are working on. They've already memorized their first poem and the rules covered so far. This along with the sentence diagramming seems like plenty of review to me. We've only just started on the diagramming, but it isn't overwhelming so far. We used R&S years ago (my oldest did level 2 and part of level 3). Last year we used LLATL and I wasn't a huge fan of it (too much busy work and not enough reading in the early levels). Both programs seemed very time consuming to me, especially with multiple children to teach. I like that ELTL gets through all their material in 3 weekly lessons and includes many subjects (not just grammar). I'm also loving the writing lessons. My writing phobic DD does well with them so far. Kathy Jo really breaks down written narrations and outlining into easy steps and the readings that they write about are short stories. There is also no busy work, so I don't feel like our lesson time is wasted. I'm super thrilled with my decision to switch to ELTL! One area we have changed is the dictation/copywork. We've been using Spelling Wisdom for a couple years now and I prefer their dictation selections. I just substitute the SW passages for the ELTL dictation selections. Two of my DC are using Print to Cursive Proverbs for copywork time. They will continue with ELTL copywork (in cursive) when they finish the cursive program. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfknitter.# Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Bumping. I'm about to buy level and wanted to see what others thought of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimicoto Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 We are currently using Levels 2 & 4 with my children and really love it. Like Holly, we really enjoy that the lessons are comprehensive and that there is no busy work. It has gotten both of my children interested in classic lit, and it doesn't 'feel' like textbook LA in the least. I would agree with Holly's comment though, about the lack of reminders for Memory Work....embarrassed to say that half-way through the year, I've just realized that we should be working on that memory work! I'm new to this style of study (and relatively new to homeschooling) so I can be forgiven I hope! Of the many many pieces of curricula I have purchased, ELTL (and everything else I've purchased from Kathy Jo) are the only ones about which I have no regrets. Really wonderful, thorough, high-quality programs that are literally a pleasure to work with. Elfknitter - which level are you considering? If you go to Barefoot Ragamuffics Curricula there is an FAQ section on 'which level of ELTL' should I use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edeemarie Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 (edited) We have used it now for a couple of years, and I can't imagine us ever using anything else. I will say that this is the first year we have remembered to do the memory work and it has made a huge difference in retention. I made flash cards of all of the grammar terms and we go over those on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, which is also when we do ELTL lessons. On Friday we read through the "Common Usage" passages. We started ELTL toward the beginning of when it first came out so my kids use it behind grade level (6th grade using level 4 and 4th grade using level 3). Because of this, we have added writing to it, but I probably didn't need to do that. We have had to cut assignments in either ELTL or IEW to not overwhelm them, so I'm pretty sure for next year we will just use ELTL, and maybe add some creative writing of some sort. Now that I am a few years in, I can see the beauty in the simplicity of this program. Each year repeats the previous year's concepts, moves through them a little bit faster, and adds in some new material too. So if they don't fully understand some things, you know they will go over it again in the next level. I'm so glad I can start from the beginning of this program with my two younger boys. Edited January 30, 2016 by edeemarie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimicoto Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 We have used it now for a couple of years, and I can't imagine us ever using anything else. I will say that this is the first year we have remembered to do the memory work and it has made a huge difference in retention. I made flash cards of all of the grammar terms and we go over those on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, which is also when we do ELTL lessons. On Friday we read through the "Common Usage" passages. We started ELTL toward the beginning of when it first came out so my kids use it behind grade level (6th grade using level 4 and 4th grade using level 3). Because of this, we have added writing to it, but I probably didn't need to do that. We have had to cut assignments in either ELTL or IEW to not overwhelm them, so I'm pretty sure for next year we will just use ELTL, and maybe add some creative writing of some sort. Now that I am a few years in, I can see the beauty in the simplicity of this program. Each year repeats the previous year's concepts, moves through them a little bit faster, and adds in some new material too. So if they don't fully understand some things, you know they will go over it again in the next level. I'm so glad I can start from the beginning of this program with my two younger boys. How exciting to hear how this has worked for your family longer term! I too am so charmed by it that I have a hard time considering anything else. BTW my children also use it one year behind. I just posted a question asking about exactly what you have done - adding a beefier writing component to it for both DCs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfknitter.# Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 We are currently using Levels 2 & 4 with my children and really love it. Like Holly, we really enjoy that the lessons are comprehensive and that there is no busy work. It has gotten both of my children interested in classic lit, and it doesn't 'feel' like textbook LA in the least. I would agree with Holly's comment though, about the lack of reminders for Memory Work....embarrassed to say that half-way through the year, I've just realized that we should be working on that memory work! I'm new to this style of study (and relatively new to homeschooling) so I can be forgiven I hope! Of the many many pieces of curricula I have purchased, ELTL (and everything else I've purchased from Kathy Jo) are the only ones about which I have no regrets. Really wonderful, thorough, high-quality programs that are literally a pleasure to work with. Elfknitter - which level are you considering? If you go to Barefoot Ragamuffics Curricula there is an FAQ section on 'which level of ELTL' should I use? Shoot. Level 5. I thought I had included that when I posted. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 We have used it now for a couple of years, and I can't imagine us ever using anything else. I will say that this is the first year we have remembered to do the memory work and it has made a huge difference in retention. I made flash cards of all of the grammar terms and we go over those on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, which is also when we do ELTL lessons. On Friday we read through the "Common Usage" passages. We keep our memory work in one of those spiral note card books with dividers. They have one section for their poems to memorize and one section for grammar memory. We try to review these 2-3 times per week. For the poems, I just have them read their poem aloud at this time. By the end of a month, they have it mostly memorized. Honestly, I'm more concerned with them being able to read a poem well than have every last line memorized. We usually do the grammar memory as a family. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimicoto Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 (edited) Shoot. Level 5. I thought I had included that when I posted. Ok - have you downloaded the samples from Lulu.com? There are about 6 lessons of each level in the samples, and all of the 'up front' information about how to use, reading lists etc. is included. A full table of contents for each level can also be found - that will give you an idea of what is covered by that particular Level. You will also find Kathy Jo's recommendation about which levels are appropriate for stage. Don't quote me, but what I recall is that Levels 4 and 5 contain material that should be covered before High School. My DD is in 6th grade and has a decent grammar background, is a good writer but is crossing that threshold of writing with purpose on subjects, taking notes, gathering info from sources etc....and is also new to narration. I have her using Level 4 and I'm glad I chose it. It is allowing her to become familiar with the CM methods, she is enjoying classic lit for the first time, and she'll still have a level ahead of her when she finishes with this. If nothing else, download the samples, look through Levels 4 & 5, and work with your dc on a couple of weeks of lessons - see how it goes... ETA: Here is the link to the Samples....hopefully it works for you! http://www.lulu.com/shop/kathy-jo-devore/samples-english-lessons-through-literature/ebook/product-21697611.html HTH! Edited February 1, 2016 by Mimicoto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimicoto Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 I'm back with something I just remembered last night....I had asked Kathy Jo something about Level 4 and she brought to my attention the fact that all the memory work is in the Appendix of each book. I do like to write down, or have the kids write down, the grammar rules but if you're stuck for time, it's already there in one place... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineFarmMom Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 I am very new to looking at this. I'm considering it for my 1st grader for next year. I am having a hard time understanding what all it covers. Would it be a full lit program as well as spelling, grammar, and writing instruction? Would you need a separate spelling curriculum with it? We use TOG. Would we be able to do their literature as well or would that be overkill? I have been leaning more cm in the last year, adding a few elements here and there. I really like the idea of language arts in this way. Does it teach diagramming? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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