Too Many Moving Parts LA (xpost)

[mymommy1]

We are having trouble getting all of LA done - spelling, writing, copywork, grammar, etc.  Dad homeschools and has difficulty with lists, but he is literally blowing up chem lab with the 5th grader.  The kids read lots and listen to lots of audio and take history and other classes at a little co-op. 

I need something simpler for LA that the kids can more manage themselves. For my 6th grader next year, I want to try AOPS prealgebra.  I'd like to have one thing for him to work through for LA + a reading list and free reads.  Ideas?

[beaners]

Personally, we drop copywork once our kids are producing a decent amount of their own writing. Unless it is something that seems very worthwhile for the particular child, I wouldn't feel bad about moving on from it by that stage. 

[mymommy1]

When do you drop spelling?

[Lori D.]

3 hours ago, mymommy1 said:

When do you drop spelling?

That's going to be very individual to the student. I'd say as a general rule: when the student has a good grasp of spelling phonograms, patterns, and syllabication rules, and has very few mistakes in his/her own writing. Some students are natural spellers and don't need a formal program beyond 5th/6th grade. Some need that extra time to solidify spelling concepts until somewhere along 7th/8th grade. And some are strugglers/remedial and need spelling up into or all the way through high school (I had one of those).

Edited March 22, 2019 by Lori D.

[beaners]

Yes, similar to what Lori said. We move on when we don't need it. We let it evolve into learning vocabulary instead of dropping it.