SparklyUnicorn Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 I know not everyone agrees that vocab study is necessary, but I did use MCT vocab and I really think it was magical for us. I usually let my 13 year old pick which books he wants to read. The other day he said to me that he loves older books (think past the copyright classics). Amazing because I wouldn't have been able to read many of those easily at 13. He is totally comfortable with the vocabulary in them. I fully credit MCT for that. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black-eyed Suzan Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 Hooray! That is one of my goals. :) Which ones did you use? Did you use the whole series or just the vocabulary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike in SA Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 We've found it quite good, as well. We've bounced around with WWS and MCT, and found that a combination works very well. MCT vocabulary (especially Caesar's English) have been a key component. DS13 is wrapping up WWW2 and will do WWW3 in the spring, and has also used Magic Lens (finished ML3). DS9 is doing CE2 this year, as well as the full Voyage level. To be honest, the only thing we really don't use much of is Advanced Academic Writing. The Well Trained Mind writing series is a bit better, though also a bit easier. We have a tutor to work on analysis, as it is important to introduce different viewpoints. I'm not aware of any other program that drives home vocabulary like MCT does, though studies of Latin and Greek certainly would help. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 13, 2015 Author Share Posted December 13, 2015 Hooray! That is one of my goals. :) Which ones did you use? Did you use the whole series or just the vocabulary? We used the first four. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 13, 2015 Author Share Posted December 13, 2015 We've found it quite good, as well. We've bounced around with WWS and MCT, and found that a combination works very well. MCT vocabulary (especially Caesar's English) have been a key component. DS13 is wrapping up WWW2 and will do WWW3 in the spring, and has also used Magic Lens (finished ML3). DS9 is doing CE2 this year, as well as the full Voyage level. To be honest, the only thing we really don't use much of is Advanced Academic Writing. The Well Trained Mind writing series is a bit better, though also a bit easier. We have a tutor to work on analysis, as it is important to introduce different viewpoints. I'm not aware of any other program that drives home vocabulary like MCT does, though studies of Latin and Greek certainly would help. Yeah and it really takes very little time per day to use. There isn't tons of pointless busy work either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 If you used the upper level of MCT vocab, can you tell me if it reviews Caesar's English words? Also how repetitive is magic lense grammar? Can we get away with using levels1 and 3 and skipping 2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 13, 2015 Author Share Posted December 13, 2015 If you used the upper level of MCT vocab, can you tell me if it reviews Caesar's English words? Also how repetitive is magic lense grammar? Can we get away with using levels1 and 3 and skipping 2? It reviews CE's stems. The focus is stems. Admittedly we didn't enjoy that one as much as the other three. CE 1 and 2 were our favorites. He has another level now after CE 2, but that comes before WWW. I didn't buy that one (yet), but it is similar in set up to CE. Magic Lens grammar does get more in depth than the other grammar books. I've only used the first one so far though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Thanks! I'm hoping to use MCT vocabulary and poetry. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike in SA Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 It reviews CE's stems. The focus is stems. Admittedly we didn't enjoy that one as much as the other three. CE 1 and 2 were our favorites. He has another level now after CE 2, but that comes before WWW. I didn't buy that one (yet), but it is similar in set up to CE. Magic Lens grammar does get more in depth than the other grammar books. I've only used the first one so far though. We're seriously considering that new level for DS9. Voyage is perfect for him, but he isn't quite ready for the next tier maturity-wise. We'll keep on sequence with Writing With Skill, though. That's the base course for us (keep in mind that MCT is NOT really a full curriculum -- it was designed for GT enrichment). WWS will wrap up before middle school, so we're going to have to find a suitable next step there while MCT continues. DS13 did ML1 and 3. He probably should have started with ML2, though. In any case, it is certainly possible to skip a level if the student is strong enough, just like any other curriculum. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 We're seriously considering that new level for DS9. Voyage is perfect for him, but he isn't quite ready for the next tier maturity-wise. We'll keep on sequence with Writing With Skill, though. That's the base course for us (keep in mind that MCT is NOT really a full curriculum -- it was designed for GT enrichment). WWS will wrap up before middle school, so we're going to have to find a suitable next step there while MCT continues. DS13 did ML1 and 3. He probably should have started with ML2, though. In any case, it is certainly possible to skip a level if the student is strong enough, just like any other curriculum. We mostly just read the writing books. I used WWS 1 and now we use IEW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 We didn't love the vocabulary but the grammar was awesome. It prepared T so well for tackling Latin. She's never stumped by how words are being used in a sentence. It even cleared up my mixed up remnants of grammar knowledge. I'm so glad we found it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobeatenpath Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 I have just started using it (Grammar Town and CE1). I have found it excellent for explaining grammar - my son has always had a freakily-extensive vocabulary (like four year old talking like a Victorian gentleman ...) but was rubbish at Grammar. And even though I used to work professionally as an editor, I was never formally taught grammar so was finding it difficult to explain a lot of usage beyond 'because it sounds better that way'. While he is finding it difficult at first, once the logic of the structure clicks he is fantastic at breaking down sentences (using the ebooks has been great for this) and has an understand of why stuff sounds better that way. We are about to move back to Latin and I have a feeling that MCT is going to be really helpful with that too. We are supplementing MCT with Bravewriter so a very different approach but it seems to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth83 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 We used the first four. I am very interested in this program. Can someone link these? I only see two? Although, I always get so confused looking into MCT's products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Here are all the levels: http://www.rfwp.com/pages/michael-clay-thompson/ I found MCT incredibly confusing until I finally had it in my hands. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syllieann Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 We didn't love the vocabulary but the grammar was awesome. It prepared T so well for tackling Latin. She's never stumped by how words are being used in a sentence. It even cleared up my mixed up remnants of grammar knowledge. I'm so glad we found it. I think this is the first I've seen that someone didn't like the vocab. What is it that you disliked about it? I'm considering just the vocab based on all the glowing reviews, but the dinky samples hardly give me a feel for whether it would fit us. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porridge Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Could any of you comment on whether the Literature Trilogies are necessary, or how much added value you get from them? Also, does MCT ever go on sale? I hope I didn't just miss a black friday or holiday sale.... thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoKitty Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 We've used the Alice, Peter , Mole literature trilogy. My kids like the grammar boxes - it reminds them to pay attention to the details. I really like the socratic questions, discussions that ensue from the parent manual, as well as using some of the questions for written response essays. We will be using other trilogies as well. hth 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 (edited) never mind. :) Edited December 21, 2015 by Runningmom80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 Sparkly, did you use the teaching manuals or just the student books? I did use the TMs. There isn't much in them other than the answers though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Thanks! We originally skipped CE 1 when we did Town level, but I just ordered CE 1&2 because vocab was DS' lowest score on the DORA. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 I think this is the first I've seen that someone didn't like the vocab. What is it that you disliked about it? I'm considering just the vocab based on all the glowing reviews, but the dinky samples hardly give me a feel for whether it would fit us. Dd hated memorizing the prefixes. Since she studies both Latin and Spanish the parallels weren't that helpful and they struck her as repetitive. I'm not sure she'd like any vocabulary program, though. She prefers to learn words from reading them in context and is much happier using the Smarr guides vocabulary section than she was with a stand alone program. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike in SA Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Dd hated memorizing the prefixes. Since she studies both Latin and Spanish the parallels weren't that helpful and they struck her as repetitive. I'm not sure she'd like any vocabulary program, though. She prefers to learn words from reading them in context and is much happier using the Smarr guides vocabulary section than she was with a stand alone program. Interesting. MCT advises against memorization of words, but does expect the "right" translation to be applied. For many students, the prefixes and stems come naturally through the exercises, but getting the "right" translation requires some memorization... We just chose not to be as strict as he suggested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 Dd hated memorizing the prefixes. Since she studies both Latin and Spanish the parallels weren't that helpful and they struck her as repetitive. I'm not sure she'd like any vocabulary program, though. She prefers to learn words from reading them in context and is much happier using the Smarr guides vocabulary section than she was with a stand alone program. This is why we liked CE 1 and 2 better than WWW. There was at least a mix in CE 1 and 2. It is odd to just memorize a bunch of prefixes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Condessa Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 I've been trying to decide when to jump in to MCT with dd1. Would you always keep a level together, and just figure that some of the books will be easier or more challenging, or would you split up the levels to better match where the kid is at in each subject? dd1 has a very extensive vocabulary, and I'm sure could do the vocab books now. I've been watching her progress and thinking she will be ready for the grammar and probably the sentence writing for second grade in 2016, though I think the poetry would still be very challenging for her. Though, if I waited until third, dd2 might be ready to do it with her as a second grader, and that would be way easier for me--but I don't think I could put off starting dd1 for my own convenience if she's ready for it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 I've been trying to decide when to jump in to MCT with dd1. Would you always keep a level together, and just figure that some of the books will be easier or more challenging, or would you split up the levels to better match where the kid is at in each subject? dd1 has a very extensive vocabulary, and I'm sure could do the vocab books now. I've been watching her progress and thinking she will be ready for the grammar and probably the sentence writing for second grade in 2016, though I think the poetry would still be very challenging for her. Though, if I waited until third, dd2 might be ready to do it with her as a second grader, and that would be way easier for me--but I don't think I could put off starting dd1 for my own convenience if she's ready for it. You could definitely do it the way you are describing. That's one thing I love about this program. It's very adaptable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakpak Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 Thanks for this thread. I finally ordered Level 1 Vocabulary and Poetry, and my DD6 is loving them so far! I haven't decided about Grammar yet - we'll see how it goes with the first 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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