Hakg Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 I have seen a number of discussions about this program here and understand that many do not think it is full grammar instruction. Some are using it alongside more comprehensive programs etc. I have also asked at the IEW forum and they insist it IS a full grammar program?? I'm a little confused and wanted to find out if anyone is actually using it as their sole grammar program and are happy with the results?? A little background - DS11 took a year off grammar last year having completed FLL3. Apart from nouns and verbs, he has very little retention. We have dabbled with a few other programs - MCT, JAG, GWG... If you are using, or have used Fix It on its own for some time, and believe it is a comprehensive grammar program (and you are pleased with the results), I'd love to hear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 1. The revised version IS a full grammar program. 2. A lot of people are familiar with the old program, which was not really a full grammar program as I understand it. 3. Fix-It starts out VERY gently and the lessons are short so someone used to a really heavy grammar program would probably think it too light, but for some kids the gentleness and short lessons keep them more engaged and enthused (doesn't seem like work) sort of like putting a frog in a cold pot of water and slowly increasing the heat vs. just dumping the frog in the hot water :) . 4. Fix-It ramps up significantly over the course of the program and is quite rigorous if you complete it. 5. The TM gives good additional info you can add to a lesson if the student is needing more depth (plus great suggestions for how to explain things if your student is struggling). 6. The program includes 6 books. Each book can be done over a school year, 15 minutes or less each day, 4 days a week, nice and easy. Or, if you think your student can get through, say, Book 1 very easily then it is quite simple to increase the pace and finish 2 books in one school year. Double the lessons so you finish two lessons per day, including Fridays. It would still be less than 30 minutes a day and you could cover 2 books in one year. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 And yes, so far I am very pleased with the results. DD is retaining the information, she rarely gripes about doing lessons, when we need to double up she is fine with that, too, and she DOES NOT like grammar. She likes this program, though. I will say that while it is pretty independent we always work collaboratively on the first day to make sure she understands the lesson. She does the rest of the lessons on her own then we check them together. We enjoy that part, especially since the TM is very positive in its approach. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hakg Posted May 25, 2016 Author Share Posted May 25, 2016 Thank you OneStepAtATime - I'm really pleased to hear this is working for you. DS does not like grammar either, but if we can keep it to short daily lessons like the ones Fix It offer, I think it may be a little more palatable. Anyone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amiesmom Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 My DD completed FLL 1-3 and could diagram the sentences in the book correctly and had all the definitions memorized, but when asked to identify a subject or verb in any given sentence could not. We finished Fix It book 1 this year, and I would say it was successful in helping her identify parts of speech, and since we use IEW for writing it also reinforces some of the style & dress up techniques. She likes Fix It, and it is quick and easy, FLL was taking a huge chunk of time every day, Fix It is 4 days a week 10 min. a day. It does not, however, teach diagramming. Some feel that a grammar program without diagramming is not complete. I am happy with the program and plan to continue using it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndGenHomeschooler Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 I'm glad to hear this. I'm planning to use Fix-It with my 5th and 7th graders next year. Maybe I'll try to do two books the first year since we're starting late. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 I'm glad to hear this. I'm planning to use Fix-It with my 5th and 7th graders next year. Maybe I'll try to do two books the first year since we're starting late. Definitely doable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 My DD completed FLL 1-3 and could diagram the sentences in the book correctly and had all the definitions memorized, but when asked to identify a subject or verb in any given sentence could not. We finished Fix It book 1 this year, and I would say it was successful in helping her identify parts of speech, and since we use IEW for writing it also reinforces some of the style & dress up techniques. She likes Fix It, and it is quick and easy, FLL was taking a huge chunk of time every day, Fix It is 4 days a week 10 min. a day. It does not, however, teach diagramming. Some feel that a grammar program without diagramming is not complete. I am happy with the program and plan to continue using it. This is true. I know there are some that feel a grammar program HAS to teach diagramming. I am not militant about diagramming. I just want something that works for my kiddos. So far Fix-It has been a really good fit for us, and painless. Even when we have to put other things aside because of time constraints this can and usually does still get done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hakg Posted May 25, 2016 Author Share Posted May 25, 2016 My DD completed FLL 1-3 and could diagram the sentences in the book correctly and had all the definitions memorized, but when asked to identify a subject or verb in any given sentence could not. We finished Fix It book 1 this year, and I would say it was successful in helping her identify parts of speech, and since we use IEW for writing it also reinforces some of the style & dress up techniques. She likes Fix It, and it is quick and easy, FLL was taking a huge chunk of time every day, Fix It is 4 days a week 10 min. a day. It does not, however, teach diagramming. Some feel that a grammar program without diagramming is not complete. I am happy with the program and plan to continue using it. We had a similar situation here - we did FLL2 & 3 and DS was fine while using it, but very little transferred over to writing and there was a lot he didnt retain. I'm not too fussed about diagramming as there seems to be many resources available to teach that on its own, later on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 (edited) We've really enjoyed it this year. I've been doing the first book with my 5th, 6th and 8th grader. I'll tell you, my 8th grader has done grammar through R&S, CLE and various other programs over the years but never "got" grammar at all. This year he can actually identify the parts of speech with confidence for the first time in his life. I know he's woefully behind in this area, but this is the first year that I've had any hope at all that he would pick up on grammar concepts. I don't know whether Fix-It is the reason, or if he just finally grew into his understanding of grammar but I'm going to assume it's Fix-It and also the fact that it's been very easy to be very consistent with grammar with that program. We're going to continue on to the second book next year. Diagramming was a big hang up with me. I wish they had just included it in the book but they didn't so when we do our Fix-It, I put the sentence up on the board and about once a week I show them how to diagram at the least the major parts of the sentence. Over this summer, I'm going to try to diagram out the sentences in the second book ahead of time so I can be more consistent with that part next year. I should add that one of the reasons I am using it is to allow time in our day for Latin. We're using a grammar-heavy program for Latin so I feel that the balance is about right between the two subjects. Edited May 25, 2016 by JanOH 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeljenn Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 Diagramming was a big hang up with me. I wish they had just included it in the book but they didn't so when we do our Fix-It, I put the sentence up on the board and about once a week I show them how to diagram at the least the major parts of the sentence. Over this summer, I'm going to try to diagram out the sentences in the second book ahead of time so I can be more consistent with that part next year. Feel free to share that with us :lol: I also wanted to chime in here... I was able to get all 6 books for a steal at Mardel last summer. The books get VERY deep as you progress. We did not use Fix-it! this year because I had already bought CLE Language Arts and went ahead and used it. I was a bit scared that Fix-it! Wouldn't work. However, while the children were pretty much getting all the exercises correct in CLE, it was not transferring to their writing. My 3rd grader was STILL writing fragments, not capitalizing things ect... My 5th grader did better, but I think it was more due to using IEW US History each and every week. She was still making mistakes that was covered in CLE. I am going to ditch CLE for next year and give Fix it! a try. What do I have to lose???? They are not retaining the other grammar programs anyway!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewe Mama Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 So, for those of you who are in the know, Is the older version of Fix It still good to use if you don't need a complete grammar program, or is the new version so incredibly awesome that everyone should jump on board? I bought the older version, used, just before I found out there was going to be a new one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hakg Posted May 26, 2016 Author Share Posted May 26, 2016 I am going to ditch CLE for next year and give Fix it! a try. What do I have to lose???? They are not retaining the other grammar programs anyway!! Yes, good point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hakg Posted May 26, 2016 Author Share Posted May 26, 2016 So, for those of you who are in the know, Is the older version of Fix It still good to use if you don't need a complete grammar program, or is the new version so incredibly awesome that everyone should jump on board? I bought the older version, used, just before I found out there was going to be a new one. I can't speak from experience, but from what I have researched online, it appears the new edition is substantially better. Have you checked out the IEW forums? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamamoose Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 I was all set on First Form Latin and MP grammar, but this has always looked fun. Would it be too much? I second guess curriculum decisions so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 So, for those of you who are in the know, Is the older version of Fix It still good to use if you don't need a complete grammar program, or is the new version so incredibly awesome that everyone should jump on board? I bought the older version, used, just before I found out there was going to be a new one. Agree with the post upthread that the new is supposed to be better. I never used the old version but the new version is supposed to be substantially better. I really like the new version but I don't have the old version in front of me to compare it to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 I was all set on First Form Latin and MP grammar, but this has always looked fun. Would it be too much? I second guess curriculum decisions so much! Too much in what way? You mean do Fix-It along with First Form Latin and MP Grammar? Or replace both of those with Fixi-It? Or replace MP grammar with Fix-It? Fix-It is really very short. Honestly, just :15 minutes a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamamoose Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 In addition. Maybe it won't be necessary. Dd enjoys sentence diagramming, and grammar in general. She's a workbook-y type! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama25angels Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 I was all set on First Form Latin and MP grammar, but this has always looked fun. Would it be too much? I second guess curriculum decisions so much! I'd love to know the answer to this as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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