Would you choose CLE LA or R&S English/Spelling?

[avazquez24]

If you had to choose between using CLE LA or R&S English and Spelling, which one would you choose?  It would be for a current 3rd and 4th grader for possibly starting now, or perhaps waiting until next school year. 

[3girls4me]

I like R&S better. I wanted to like CLE because it seemed easier since it has handwriting, grammar and spelling all in one, but my kids are retaining more/grasping more with R&S. I also didn't care for CLE's spelling or handwriting. We use R&S spelling (3rd grade and up) and another HW program. I don't think you can go wrong with either, but you asked for our thoughts and that is our experience.

[Ellie]

Rod and Staff, although I wouldn't do Spelling by Sound and Structure until 4th grade. I think there's a great deal of value in English being written on actual paper instead of filing in blanks in workbooks.

[Heidi]

I like R&S better.  I haven't used CLE LA, but I've looked at it.  I think one of the benefits of R&S is that they have to read the lesson and write out their answers on paper.  That just seems like a super important skill to have, imo, and R&S works great for that.  We do only odds in R&S unless they need extra practice.

[avazquez24]

Thanks everyone! DS has some difficulties with the physical aspect of writing due to some fine motor delays (he's in OT for it now).  Would he have a hard time with R&S since it has them write out their answers?

[Ellie]

Thanks everyone! DS has some difficulties with the physical aspect of writing due to some fine motor delays (he's in OT for it now).  Would he have a hard time with R&S since it has them write out their answers?

 

If you look at samples, you'll see that there isn't as much writing as you might think (except for lessons which specifically address composition). It is easier to write on a single piece of paper lying flat on a desk than to wrestle down a workbook, which is one reason I prefer R&S over anything that comes in a workbook format.

 

[PineFarmMom]

I prefer the get-it-done aspect of CLE over R&S. My oldest two used R&S from 3rd-7th or so. My youngers are using CLE. We do plenty of writing with Latin, copy work, dictation, writing in our writing curriculum, etc., so I don't feel like writing more in grammar is all that necessary, for us anyway. I actually look for ways to keep from having more writing , and that has been a benefit if CLE for us.

[Katydid]

We use Rod & Staff pretty much all orally (minus the diagramming, which we do on a whiteboard, and the composition assignments). It's very straight forward, easy to get done, and my 6th grader is retaining a lot.

 

[daybreaking]

Thanks everyone! DS has some difficulties with the physical aspect of writing due to some fine motor delays (he's in OT for it now).  Would he have a hard time with R&S since it has them write out their answers?

 

R&S is very cheap, so I actually buy each of my children their own textbook and have them write some of the answers in the textbook, if doing so doesn't affect their learning.  For instance, on today's assignment, part of it asked the students to copy sentences and then add the correct punctuation.  I just had my son add the punctuation to the sentences in the book, as it seemed unnecessary for him to copy them.  On another section, he was asked to copy prepositional phrases and then mark the preposition and object in each.  I had him circle the phrases and underline the parts in the book, rather than write it all out.  On the same assignment, I had him do all of the diagramming in his notebook, as well as a section where he was asked to write original sentences.  On average, unless it's a "composition day," the children do about half of each lesson on notebook paper.

 

I can't say enough good about R&S!  This is our 8th year using their curriculum and I'm sold!  I've never used CLE, so I can't comment on them.

[michaeljenn]

I have used both CLE and Rod and Staff.  We are currently using CLE, and will finish the year with it.  I plan to go back to R&S next year.  CLE is a great program, but   Rod and Staff explains things so much better that CLE!  R&S also spends more time on a concept and I think it helps them retain it.  The spelling exercises in CLE, in my opinion, are not that great at all.  I like R&S Spelling much better.  The ONLY downfall to R&S Spelling is the words are not challenging, but the exercises in the book are.