ELTL info and placement?

[Wholesomemomma]

I'm considering using English Lessons Through Literature (ELTL) next year for my 4th and 2nd graders. Anyone use it? Love it, hate it? I'm using three different curricula for language arts this year (WWE, Spelling You See and CLE language arts) and I'm looking to condense and integrate next year. Anyone used both and can compare? I know they're two very different approaches. I like the independence of CLE but love the approach of ELTL so much more.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Wholesomemomma

[Wholesomemomma]

Anybody?

[Susie in MS]

I was hoping someone with more experience would have responded by now. I am new to ELTL. My dd and I like it very much. Everything is in one place and excellent literature is used. I like that the grammar is thorough but doesn't have an overwhelming amount of work, I like the way writing is taught. I like that so much of CM is intertwined .

[silver]

I haven't used CLE, only ELTL. I've used level 1, am almost done with level 2, and I've read through level 3 myself (although I've not taught it to my children yet).

 

ELTL would cover writing through copywork and narration for levels 1 and 2. There are more exercises in level 3 and up to help the student become a better writer. Higher levels cover summarizing, writing introductions, conclusions, etc. ELTL covers grammar (parts of speech starts in level 2) and diagramming (starts in level 3). Spelling is only covered through prepared dictation (level 3 and up). You could use the dictation sentences and have your kids mark them one day the way Spelling You See does and then dictate them the next day. It won't be as much spelling practice as Spelling You See has--so if you're kids need more help with spelling, you may still need to use another program.

 

Students could do ELTL semi-independently. They could either read the literature on their own or listen to it (all the selections are available free on Libravox). Then they could work through the lesson on their own. Any oral narration work would need you and any dictation passages need you. They may need you to remind them or help them work on the memory work (things such as definitions of parts of speech).

[hands-on-mama]

Hi! We have been using ELTL Level 2 since January. I have been trying my current 2nd grader to do most of it independently. She listens to the chapter and follows along either on the iPad or hard copy of the book. She listens either through the Kindle app or on Librivox. She reads through the lesson on her own next to me for now then does the exercise and copywork. I do the narrations with her that are only once every two weeks. It's really not bad at all. Next school year, my oldest will do level 3 and my youngest will be doing level 1.

[Wholesomemomma]

Thanks ladies.

 

Do you use it on-level or a year behind?  

 

My 3rd grade son is finishing WWE 2 and is quite good at narrations and summaries. He is also spelling well and has had some diagramming instruction and knows the parts of speech. Would he be ready for level 4 next school year?  

 

My 1st grade son is doing copywork this year, but has hasn't had much exposure to parts of speech, other than memorizing their definitions alongside his older brother. He listens in on big brother's narrations/summaries for WWE 2 and will chime in with details but hasn't done much narrating other than that. Should he start at level 1 or 2?

 

It's so hard to tell where to place them but looking at the first few lessons of the sample!

Edited April 4, 2016 by Wholesomemomma

[UCF612]

I have debated level placement for my 2 as well. I *think* I've decided to do my youngest on level 2 (for 2nd grade) and my oldest on level 3 (4th grade). My oldest has done some grammar but no diagramming so I wanted to start at the beginning for that. He's a strong reader but I still plan to do ELTL a year "behind." There didn't seem to be a strong argument towards not doing it that way. Plus then I'll have the stuff for my youngest to use in the future. Deciding where to place him was harder. He's very bright but the language arts are not his strong suit, however, I just wanted more for him than what I gathered level 1 provided since she said it is light. My youngest is just gaining reading fluency and I hope by fall he'll have progressed further. There is a chance though that come summer I'll decide to do level 1 with him instead and save level 2 for the following year. Good luck deciding!

Edited April 4, 2016 by UCF612

[silver]

Level 1 doesn't do any parts of speech. It sounds like your current 1st grader would do fine with level 2 in 2nd. I'm not familiar with level 4 enough, but it sounds like your current 3rd grader could do either 3 or 4 next year.

[greyseal]

We've done ELTL1-3, and we have now moved on to CAP. No problems with ELTL, just needed a change of pace for a while (and my DD wanted some modern literature choices for our read alouds).  

 

If I were in your shoes, I might try level 4, but I find the program is pretty rigorous. My DD found the copywork length transition from 2 to 3 a bit of a shock to the system. She got used to it pretty quickly. You might go ahead with 4 if your child is pretty confident with diagramming and writing. If you have any doubts, I would start in level 3. It is plenty rigorous, even a year behind, imho.