Questions about CLE Language Arts

[bbcooker]

I don't know which level to start my kids in. Please help me.

 

 

Background:
* We did FLL levels 1 and 2, where they memorized the definition of a noun, verb, pronoun, adjective, adverb, the list of being verbs, list of helping verbs, list of prepositions. This was straight memory work. They did not master application of these definitions or lists.
* We attempted Easy Grammar (they weren't learning from it, for whatever reason), Growing with Grammar (same story - didn't learn from it), and FLL level 3 (same story didn't learn from it).
* Last year we did Rod & Staff Grade 3 grammar - they were learning well what they were taught, mastering it, but it was tedious and took a lot of planning from me (deciding which lessons to complete, which exercises to skip, how to schedule it).

 

 

I'm looking at CLE LA. Actually I ordered all of grade 4 for them. Now as I'm looking at the books, I wonder how much of this they've forgotten and how much they'll remember as review. CLE puts things in a different order than other grammar books. They also include more teaching - spelling is included, cursive writing, phonetic pronunciation notation is taught. My kids don't know cursive, nor pronunciation notation, and 1 is a horrible speller. They also don't have experience with writing assignments (the other grammar programs didn't do this).

 

So.. should I start my kids back at grade 1??? So that they catch it all??? And whiz through it all fast??
Or where do you suggest they start?? (I was originally going to start them at 310, then go on to 4th grade after that book. I'm very willing to change from this original plan.)

[Insertcreativenamehere]

Did you do the placement test? That's usually the best way to know where to start.

[MotherGoose]

I've done CLE for a couple of years. Rising 2 and 5 grade now. Younger started at beginning and knows many phonetic symbols. Wouldn't worry about it for your olders. Wouldn't start at 1st either with olders. 310 is probably fine. I do spelling separately. The light units are cheap and it's easy to skip things.

[UnlikelyHomeschoolingMama]

We are starting CLE LA now (having used FLL 1 and 2).  My DD is going into 3rd grade and CLE LA 3 is perfect for her.  I have gone through the first light unit and put an X through all the spelling, penmanship and anything with the phonetic symbols since she reads on a 5th or 6th grade level. Even crossing that stuff out, she has a good 15 or 20 minutes of work in one lesson sometimes.  Other days are a little faster. We do everything else and it is great!  And it is so cheap that I'm fine skipping things. 

[strange_girl]

CLE 400 should be a good place to start since you went through R&S (which is very similar). They may need a brush-up on their cursive (with a cursive workbook or something), but the grammar should be right on. As another poster mentioned, you can easily cross out anything you don't want them to do, such as spelling or writing.

 

If you're very unsure where they should be, the placement test is the surest way to find out!

 

We used CLE from 100-300 levels. The lessons are just so long! I wanted something shorter, to make room for more history and science this year, and so went with Easy Grammar this year. We'll see how that goes!

[Guest]

Did you do the placement test? That's usually the best way to know where to start.

I agree. Give the kids the placement tests and begin where they place. CLE is not something to just eyeball and jump into. FYI, all the LA and Reading levels are being revised. 100-500 Reading is done. 100-400 LA is done. 500 should be ready for fall.