Opinion about language arts

[Elizabeth86]

As I said in my last post, I am pretty set on abeka phonics for first grade.  I have been told it's really thorough and phonics is just one thing I think must be done well.

 

Here is my question.  I am in love with the idea of Memoria Press Storytime Treasures.  This is what it says it includes.

 

Vocabulary, spelling, composition, capitalization, punctuation, and more are included.

 

Here is what abeka's full language arts program includes. 

 

                      Phonics—Regardless of your child’s phonics background, A Beka’s six steps to reading will turn him into a reader!                    This proven system teaches thousands of beginning readers every year.

•      Reading—Ten engaging reading books of his very own plus daily systematic practice teach word analysis skills, build vocabulary, increase reading comprehension, and further develop the thinking process. And he will love the stories and Bible reading!

•      Language–Early work in language skills increases your child’s thinking and writing skills. He will learn to write complete sentences and even turn them into stories!

•      Spelling and Poetry—The 30 phonics-based word lists with activities reinforce reading skills and teach spelling. And your child will memorize 8 delightful poems!

•      Writing—A Beka’s step-by-step approach to good penmanship emphasizes neatness and correct letter formation. Phonics, spelling, and creative writing are built into the daily penmanship practice. Although manuscript writing is not included in the Parent Kit lesson plans, you would teach your child one page from the Writing with Phonics book per day.

 

 

Which part of abeka do you think I could safely leave out that would be covered well with Storytime Treasures or do you think I should just stick with all abeka?  I haven't really heard too many reviews on Storytime Treasures.

 

Also, I was interested in A Reason for Spelling and A Reason for Handwriting.  How do you think the 2 of these compare to abeka. 

 

Thank you all.  So far, you all have been the most helpful homeschool forum I have came across.  :wub:

 

 

[Storygirl]

I didn't use Abeka or Storytime Treasures, so my advice is just to pick one. My oldest did go to a private university model school that used Memoria Press materials in third grade. While I liked the literature choices, I did not care for the related written work.

 

I know from your other thread that you have younger children, and I did too, when I was doing first grade with my oldest. I really tried to do a lot for first grade with her, and I wish I hadn't. I wish I had streamlined the academics at that early age and spent more time playing with my toddlers.

 

If you think Abeka offers all of the components you need for language arts, maybe just go with that. You can just read the books that Memoria Press uses in their program, without adding the academic work.

 

We did use A Reason for Handwriting and loved it. But if it duplicates what you would do with the Abeka materials, either skip it or skip the handwriting practice in Abeka.

[poppy]

I don't use Abeka. We do writing 1x per week, poetry 1x per week, handwriting 1x per week. Of course we reading every day.   No phonics except to address specific reading issues.

 

[Sugarfoot]

I love Storytime Treasures! I've never used Abeka, but from the descriptions in your list, I think you could leave out Reading and Language. Are the 10 books in Reading phonics readers designed to go with the Abeka program? if so, you probably want them. If not, I'd just use the books in Storytime Treasures. There are some spelling words included in ST, but MP uses SWO at the same time for spelling and their own handwriting program for handwriting.

[Ellie]

As I said in my last post, I am pretty set on abeka phonics for first grade.  I have been told it's really thorough and phonics is just one thing I think must be done well.

 

Here is my question.  I am in love with the idea of Memoria Press Storytime Treasures.  This is what it says it includes.

 

Vocabulary, spelling, composition, capitalization, punctuation, and more are included.

 

Here is what abeka's full language arts program includes. 

 

                      Phonics—Regardless of your child’s phonics background, A Beka’s six steps to reading will turn him into a reader!                    This proven system teaches thousands of beginning readers every year.

•      Reading—Ten engaging reading books of his very own plus daily systematic practice teach word analysis skills, build vocabulary, increase reading comprehension, and further develop the thinking process. And he will love the stories and Bible reading!

•      Language–Early work in language skills increases your child’s thinking and writing skills. He will learn to write complete sentences and even turn them into stories!

•      Spelling and Poetry—The 30 phonics-based word lists with activities reinforce reading skills and teach spelling. And your child will memorize 8 delightful poems!

•      Writing—A Beka’s step-by-step approach to good penmanship emphasizes neatness and correct letter formation. Phonics, spelling, and creative writing are built into the daily penmanship practice. Although manuscript writing is not included in the Parent Kit lesson plans, you would teach your child one page from the Writing with Phonics book per day.

 

 

Which part of abeka do you think I could safely leave out that would be covered well with Storytime Treasures or do you think I should just stick with all abeka?  I haven't really heard too many reviews on Storytime Treasures.

 

Also, I was interested in A Reason for Spelling and A Reason for Handwriting.  How do you think the 2 of these compare to abeka. 

 

Thank you all.  So far, you all have been the most helpful homeschool forum I have came across.  :wub:

 

Does your little person already know how to read? If not, if you're still working on phonics instruction with him and you love ABeka, then I'd stay with ABeka's phonics and writing. I'd skip the reading, language, and spelling and poetry. Use good trade books (books you'd find at the library or book store) instead of the vocabulary-controlled basal readers included in the reading series.

 

If your little person is reading already, then do Storytime Treasures.

 

I don't love formal spelling materials for such young children (except for methods which teach children to read by teaching them to spell, such as Spalding and its spin-offs/look-alikes), so I can't be enthusiastic about A Reason for Spelling. A Reason for Handwriting is ok.

 

[Elizabeth86]

Does your little person already know how to read? If not, if you're still working on phonics instruction with him and you love ABeka, then I'd stay with ABeka's phonics and writing. I'd skip the reading, language, and spelling and poetry. Use good trade books (books you'd find at the library or book store) instead of the vocabulary-controlled basal readers included in the reading series.

 

If your little person is reading already, then do Storytime Treasures.

 

I don't love formal spelling materials for such young children (except for methods which teach children to read by teaching them to spell, such as Spalding and its spin-offs/look-alikes), so I can't be enthusiastic about A Reason for Spelling. A Reason for Handwriting is ok.

 

Yes, he can already read.  We started using The Reading Lesson when we started K this year and he was only 4.  We are over 3/4 of the way done with it.  He reads the passages easily, but he isn't thrilled about reading books just yet.  When I say he has to try, he reads no problem, he just doesn't like to yet.  I had him read one of the Chapters from Little Bear the other day and he was able to read the whole chapter although he wouldn't do it in one sitting, we had to take breaks.  He only had to sound out a couple words and there was maybe one word he wasn't able to get.  He even knew how to read contractions and we've NEVER even discussed them yet.  I haven't used abeka, I've just been told it's really good and more thorough than the reading lesson.

 

 

[Ellie]

The Reading Lesson is not phonics; it's whole language, which is really sight reading with some phonics stuff thrown in there. Of course some children will learn to read with it, but I recommend true phonics over whole language any day.. ABeka is phonics, so yes, it is definitely more thorough.

 

More thorough than ABeka, though, is Spalding, which teaches children to read by teaching them to spell--a two-fer!--while simultaneously covering penmanship, capitalization and punctuation, and simple writing. It would replace all of ABeka's materials, and then you could do Storytime Treasures. You only need to purchase the manual (Writing Road to Reading) and a set of phonogram cards, less than $40, and you're good to go.

[Guest]

Storytime Treasures are reading comprehension/activities workbooks.

 

Memoria Press phonics are here. I used the First Start Reading books with my second child, paired every once in a while with OPGTTR and he and I both loved that approach enough that I plan on doing it with the baby when it is his time. OPG goes much further than first start reading, but FSR is such a great start.

 

With First Start Reading, you do NOT need the little readers they sell, as long as you have other things for the little ones to read. The workbooks are self-contained.

 

ETA--I found storytime treasures to be busywork. My kids get a lot more out of books by simply having conversations//beginning narrations. Plenty of ppl disagree with me about ST and ymmv.

Edited January 21, 2017 by OKBud

[MyLife]

Here's what we are using for first grade: Abeka Letters and Sounds, Abeka Spelling and Poetry, five of the Abeka readers, WWE 1, and Shurley 1. We also use the Abeka phonics flashcards and the Handbook for Reading. The readers do have some comprehension questions. I also have my son read real books in the evening, so that he's not just reading the Abeka readers. The readers are great practice but not very exciting or engaging.

Edited January 22, 2017 by MyLife