Growing With Grammar - Likes/Dislikes & Question!

[RootAnn]

I've looked at a lot of the threads on here about grammar programs. I am leaning towards Growing with Grammar because I want a "solid" program to do next year with my to-be-3rd grader. She is pencil-phobic, so I don't want it to be writing-intensive and I'd like at least ONE of my curriculum choices to be something I don't have to teach her the whole time.

 

So, what are your likes AND ESPECIALLY dislikes about Growing with Grammar?

 

Also, the grammar we will have done up to this will have been very loose, unformal grammar in the enrichment exercises of our spelling program (SWR). Should I get GWR 1/2 and breeze through it before starting GWG 3? Or, can I just get GWG 3 and it will offer some review/ramping up at the beginning?

 

Thanks!

[King Alfred Academy]

The things you are looking for are the reasons I like GWG. There isn't a lot of writing and not teacher intensive. My second grader does a lesson a day. We read it together, I make sure he understands it, completes the work on his own, I correct and do an reteaching, and then he corrects. Pretty simple. We like it and will continue using it as far as we can.

 

As far as where you should start, I don't feel qualified to answer that. Hopefully someone else will have a thought for you. :001_smile:

[lovemykids]

You can start in 3...Tammy made three as a starting point for WTM users before FLL 3 came out, she went back and made 1/2 for those that wanted to use it instead of FLL. I can't think of anything negative about GWG.

 

Good choice!

[nukeswife]

I agree with what the pps said. It's not that writing intensive and sometimes with my son "who can be pencil phobic at times" I just cut out some of the problems, or have him tell me what the answer is and I write it for him.

 

No need to start with 1/2. My son had no grammar instruction of any kind before last year and did fine with 3, I had emailed Tammy to ask her about it and she said it's fine to start in 3 since it really starts from the beginning without being too young for them. I'm also using 1/2 for my dd this year (she's in 1st grade) and I think my son would have breezed through it but would have been bored if we started with that.

 

HTH

[Linda...inOwasso]

Nothing but positive comments regarding GWG from me. I used 1/2 with dd for 1st and 2nd grade. Now we're using 3 -- doing 1 lesson a day. It's a great program -- covers everything, no fluff, the perfect amount of practice.

 

Start at level 3 and ENJOY! :)

[Hen]

I really like GWG, started using it with my then 5th and 7th graders mid-year, last school year.

 

I did a review of it here:

 

Show and Tell-Growing with Grammar

 

I am really informal about grammar, but this went over well. I think the only downside I can see to it, is an older student might breeze through each assignment and still not "get it". I go over each lesson, and have my student narrate back to me what the lesson was all about.

[keptwoman]

We like it a lot. It certainly fits all your requirements.

My one wee complaint....and it's very small....is there are a few things where the child chooses between 3 words to decide which is correctly spelt; with no relation to the work in the lesson. It's certainly not enough to put me off using it again.

[MgoBlue]

I've heard only good things about gwg as well. We purchased it or my 2nd grader this year and i've had her go thru the first grade year doing 6 lessons at a time so we can complete the second grade year. Most of it was easy, but there were things that weren't covered in catholic school last year..such as "an" before a vowel...etc. I just don't want to miss anything and doing 6 lessons for her wasn't a problem. We're doing fll as well, but I think I'm not doing fll thoroughly enough or something...maybe I just have a workbook happy kid?

 

Anyway...that's one of the things i'm happy with in this, our first year of home schooling.

fwiw, Paula

[Dee in MI]

We like it. We started in third grade, with GWG 3. He only does every other problem, or the first few problems, of each section. Then I review them, and if he got them right we're done. If not, I go over the lesson in more detail with him, and he does the rest. This give him incentive to figure it out himself the first time through, but the opportunity to get it right if he doesn't. I change the instructions from writing sentences to editing when I can. I skip the review if I don't feel he needs it. And we do all diagramming together on the white board.

 

We're doing Latin, so I spend as little time on English grammar as I can get by with. But I wanted what we do to be meaty. GWG fits the bill.

[rafiki]

.

[Tree House Academy]

I do not use GWG alone. I use it to supplement the grammar he is getting in Writing Tales II and LLATL. We use GWG when something doesn't click and he needs more practice. I could not use it alone as it is just too much drudgery for my non-english-y kid. I, however, was an English major and love writing and English and I also find GWG boring if done alone.

[sixpence1978]

So far we love GWG. I switched my 2nd grader to it after a complete bust and tears with BJU grammar. The best part is, that he is finally understanding grammar.

 

I could see how some kids could do the work without really learning it. I do choose to teach the lesson and do some examples on the board with DS. We also do some Mad Libs for fun little extras. But it is short and the writing level is low, which is great for my DS. We usually finish a lesson a day in 15 minutes max.

[RootAnn]

Thanks to all who took the time to reply. I'm glad to hear I can start with GWG 3 w/out going through 1/2 as that will be easier on the pocketbook. :)

 

The post explaining _how_ you actually use the program was helpful as well as the opinion on not using it alone. I have awhile to think about it before next year, obviously, but am encouraged by the posts. Thanks again.