Easy Grammar 3 or 4?

[jens2sons]

My son is 9 and a bit behind in grammar.  We used a bit of FLL2 last year but it became tedious and we set it aside.  This year my son is going in to 4th grade and I've decided to use Easy Grammar to go along with Here to Help Learning Paragraph Writing.  I own EG3, but according to the EG website I should place him in EG4 if he is to be in 4th grade.  Since he hasn't had much direct grammar instruction would it be fine to just use the EG3 that I own or purchase the next grade level?   

[Tiramisu]

I'd use what you own, as long as your DS doesn't feel funny about it. You can still do EG 5 next year.

[jens2sons]

I'd use what you own, as long as your DS doesn't feel funny about it. You can still do EG 5 next year.

 

That is what I was also wondering about.  Thank you for bringing that up!

[MerryAtHope]

EG doesn't change THAT much year to year--I think you'll be fine with 3.

[Ellie]

My son is 9 and a bit behind in grammar.  We used a bit of FLL2 last year but it became tedious and we set it aside.  This year my son is going in to 4th grade and I've decided to use Easy Grammar to go along with Here to Help Learning Paragraph Writing.  I own EG3, but according to the EG website I should place him in EG4 if he is to be in 4th grade.  Since he hasn't had much direct grammar instruction would it be fine to just use the EG3 that I own or purchase the next grade level?   

 

That he is a 4th grader really is not the important thing, nor that he hasn't had much direct grammar instruction. :-) If his reading ability is up to EG4, then I'd do that one. The next year, do Daily Grams. The year after that, do EG 6, then Daily Grams, and finally Easy Grammar Plus (I always have to think ahead on stuff like this, lol).

[jens2sons]

That he is a 4th grader really is not the important thing, nor that he hasn't had much direct grammar instruction. :-) If his reading ability is up to EG4, then I'd do that one. The next year, do Daily Grams. The year after that, do EG 6, then Daily Grams, and finally Easy Grammar Plus (I always have to think ahead on stuff like this, lol).

 

I like the idea of using what I have (EG3) and skipping EG4 and going straight to EG5 next year.   Are the Daily Grams really necessary?  I want retention, but what I don't want is busy work.  

 

I also own R&S English 3 which was too much for him last year.  If DG's are necessary, then maybe I should stick with R&S since I already have it so I don't need to purchase DG?  Can the two be used together or compliment each other?    I'm moving away from Sonlight Language Arts and wanting more of a comprehensive program to move him forward.  I will be using the Sonlight Readers 4/5 though.  I want a simple, easy to teach program.  I also plan on using Here to Help Learning-Paragraph Writing for creative writing to go along with grammar/English lessons.  It's supposed to really draw the kids in to enjoying the process of writing and I've read nothing but great reviews.   I will also be using Spelling You See so I want to be careful of not doing too much writing.  SYS will cover the copywork portion as well, so I'm concerned that if I add in R&S that it will be way too much writing for him.  This is why I have been planning on using EG because of the short lessons.  

Edited September 5, 2016 by jens2sons

[spinsane]

I doubt this will help much, but I also have a 4th grader, and we bought the 3rd grade level to do with her instrad of level 4. I read elsewhere that there was a significant time jump going from level 3 to level 4, but that otherwise they were about the same. We also did FLL, but quit partway and are making up for it now. If nothing else, you aren't alone :).

[jens2sons]

I doubt this will help much, but I also have a 4th grader, and we bought the 3rd grade level to do with her instrad of level 4. I read elsewhere that there was a significant time jump going from level 3 to level 4, but that otherwise they were about the same. We also did FLL, but quit partway and are making up for it now. If nothing else, you aren't alone :).

 

Have you used EG3 yet or are you using it for her right now?  By "time jump" do you mean level?

[Tiramisu]

DG are not required. I'd only recommend them if they offer something you think your DS needs right now. You can look at samples to see.

 

We did DG last year mostly because I wanted the sentence combining.

 

The year before that we used Evan Moor Daily Language Review, which I s somewhat similar, for the mechanics practice.

Edited September 5, 2016 by Tiramisu

[Ellie]

I like the idea of using what I have (EG3) and skipping EG4 and going straight to EG5 next year.   Are the Daily Grams really necessary?  I want retention, but what I don't want is busy work.  

 

I also own R&S English 3 which was too much for him last year.  If DG's are necessary, then maybe I should stick with R&S since I already have it so I don't need to purchase DG?  Can the two be used together or compliment each other?    I'm moving away from Sonlight Language Arts and wanting more of a comprehensive program to move him forward.  I will be using the Sonlight Readers 4/5 though.  I want a simple, easy to teach program.  I also plan on using Here to Help Learning-Paragraph Writing for creative writing to go along with grammar/English lessons.  It's supposed to really draw the kids in to enjoying the process of writing and I've read nothing but great reviews.   I will also be using Spelling You See so I want to be careful of not doing too much writing.  SYS will cover the copywork portion as well, so I'm concerned that if I add in R&S that it will be way too much writing for him.  This is why I have been planning on using EG because of the short lessons.  

 

DG are not necessary. I believe the author now recommends using DG simultaneously with EG, which I just don't understand. o_0 But I know that many people here think that there should be grammar instruction every year, so I suggested alternating EG and DG. For myself, there's no former grammar instruction until the dc are 11ish, and then it's Easy Grammar Plus.

 

I don't recommend R&S's English series for folks who want only grammar. So, if you're using something else for grammar, and something else for writing, then no, I wouldn't recommend R&S English; IOW, IMHO, it's either R&S English or a variety of things to cover the same content. R&S does a fine job of teaching writing; it is not necessary to supplement it; doing so would be overkill.

 

If you love Here to Help, then add something for grammar and call it good. You could also comb through the R&S English and see if anything is taught in it that is not covered in either the writing or grammar that you're going to do.

[spinsane]

Have you used EG3 yet or are you using it for her right now? By "time jump" do you mean level?

I read that the lessons take more time to complete in the upper levels, so I went with grade 3 so it wouldn't take so much time, and hopefully be a little easier to implement. I haven't used it yet, but will be starting it this week. Edited September 6, 2016 by spinsane

[Terabith]

I think it's important to do Daily Grams simultaneously with Easy Grammar. 3 followed by 5 would be fine. The Daily Grams only take about two minutes but they offer repetition of mechanics that really is vital.

[Ellie]

I think it's important to do Daily Grams simultaneously with Easy Grammar. 3 followed by 5 would be fine. The Daily Grams only take about two minutes but they offer repetition of mechanics that really is vital.

 

See, some of the things that DG starts right off with as "review" have not yet been taught in EG. It was our experience that EG was enough; of course, we did EG every day, at least two pages, most often three, such that we finished it in a year (or less), so that the dc's grammar skills really sharp and continually used.

[Terabith]

That's true about review. I did often use it as a teaching situation if need be. I felt it was important to do the Daily Grams because the mechanics was only a small component of the book.

[Tiramisu]

It also really depends on the kid. Mine tend to need more review. I really wish I had used Daily Grams both times I used EG Plus. Used them with EG 4. Now I'm using Hake because that review is built in, and because I found a great deal.