What is your favorite resources for tutoring various language arts components?

[homemommy83]

If you could pick only 4 items to teach basic language arts to young students what would you pick for your "go bag".

1. Phonics Pathways...it begins with 2 letter blends and moves all the way to multisyllable words in a gentle way.

2. McGuffy reader set.  It would span all abilities and could be used orally, for copywork, and vocabulary growth.

3. Natural Speller as he list can be used to grow weak readers by working through patterns.  It is also an excellent resource for spelling patterns and teachers the rules.  It even goes into Greek and Latin roots.

4.  Rod and Staff English 5.  If I could only grab one of the text, it would be this one.  It is written in an easy to understand way and would give a solid base in basic grammar and writing.

 

Blessings,

Brenda

P.S.  This is similar to the threads Hunter did when I was on here years ago.  I just love thinking simply and thinking of the what ifs..  Thanks for participating!

[lulalu]

Phonics Pathways for phonics and early spelling. 

Rod and Staff 4th or 5th for grammar. 

[alysee]

1. Fix It Grammar

2. HWT

3. Phonics Pathways

4. Growing Brave Writers

[countrymum]

A set of phonogram cards and my Language toolkit booklet

Rod and staff English 5 

The All About Reading readers

The Old Treasury of Literature readers (at least the last 4 or 5) or a set of Alice and Jerry books

 

I can come up with a pretty good spelling progression from the language toolkit with all the phonograms and rules listed and I think the readers are necessary. Kids need something to read! If allowed another book I would take either Natural Speller or The ABCs and All Their Tricks for word lists.

My reasons for Rod and Staff 5 are the same as above;) no teacher book required.

 

[Xahm]

It's really hard for me to answer this because if there were a problem that limited what I had, LA would be one area where I really could teach with just whatever. Writing utensil, something to write on, and whatever books, though preferably she with decent sized print, would be enough. 

If I were traveling and didn't have much space, I'd take a tablet to get library books through, blank notebook and pencils, and probably whatever All About Spelling levels the kids were on. I'd likely through in a small white board and markers as my kids are less resistant to making mistakes on a white board.

[Zoo Keeper]

1. Phonics Pathways (but I'd try to squeeze in Word Mastery and/or Alpha Phonics as well- some students just need to look at a different book sometimes).

2. FLL 1 & 2 ( I use the combined volume), followed by a season of copywork/dictation and diagramming to expand on parts of speech and basic sentence structure.  I'd then go to R&S English book 4 or book 5 when ready.

3. CLE Language Reference Charts, to go with all that copywork/dictation/diagramming/discussion.   And for spelling rules and lists, this handout from Susan C. Anthony (Spelling Plus).  

4. For writing, I'd use the progression of skills outlined in SWB's writing talks (including the lit analysis one), and/or the progression given in this thread by 8Fills.  Both are very adaptable to different ages/stages and to use with whatever books you have handy. 

5.  I have to include a "extra" thing, because I think this is so important to a student's overall language development, no matter what his gifts or challenges: read alouds.  Ideally across genres,  and at or slightly above a child's level.  Especially for a struggling LA student, this helps build content and language patterns/vocab that is not dependent on what the student can decode in their own reading.  It also helps a child learn to visualize, to remember, to anticipate, to empathize, and many other not-quite-so-easily-measured-on-a-test benefits.  Just do it. 🙂

 

[mathmarm]

Is the assumption/given that I have access to sufficient reading material? If so I will put my energy into teaching reading and writing. Since I now feel able to teach basic spelling from a phonics book, and handwriting with just a pen(cil), highlighter and paper, I would make my 4 items:

1) Open Court Foundation Program ( Blue Book + Gold Book ) which makes a powerful 1 year reading program for beginning students and can be used to teach spelling as well.
2) WISE OWL Polysyllables  for extending the phonics skills to longer words in context and vocabulary development.
3) SRA Reasoning and Writing C
4) SRA Reasoning and Writing D

 

[homemommy83]

7 hours ago, mathmarm said:

Is the assumption/given that I have access to sufficient reading material? If so I will put my energy into teaching reading and writing. Since I now feel able to teach basic spelling from a phonics book, and handwriting with just a pen(cil), highlighter and paper, I would make my 4 items:

1) Open Court Foundation Program ( Blue Book + Gold Book ) which makes a powerful 1 year reading program for beginning students and can be used to teach spelling as well.
2) WISE OWL Polysyllables  for extending the phonics skills to longer words in context and vocabulary development.
3) SRA Reasoning and Writing C
4) SRA Reasoning and Writing D

 

If I could have added a couple items more than 4 Wise Owl would totally be on my list😁.

[homemommy83]

8 hours ago, Zoo Keeper said:

1. Phonics Pathways (but I'd try to squeeze in Word Mastery and/or Alpha Phonics as well- some students just need to look at a different book sometimes).

2. FLL 1 & 2 ( I use the combined volume), followed by a season of copywork/dictation and diagramming to expand on parts of speech and basic sentence structure.  I'd then go to R&S English book 4 or book 5 when ready.

3. CLE Language Reference Charts, to go with all that copywork/dictation/diagramming/discussion.   And for spelling rules and lists, this handout from Susan C. Anthony (Spelling Plus).  

4. For writing, I'd use the progression of skills outlined in SWB's writing talks (including the lit analysis one), and/or the progression given in this thread by 8Fills.  Both are very adaptable to different ages/stages and to use with whatever books you have handy. 

5.  I have to include a "extra" thing, because I think this is so important to a student's overall language development, no matter what his gifts or challenges: read alouds.  Ideally across genres,  and at or slightly above a child's level.  Especially for a struggling LA student, this helps build content and language patterns/vocab that is not dependent on what the student can decode in their own reading.  It also helps a child learn to visualize, to remember, to anticipate, to empathize, and many other not-quite-so-easily-measured-on-a-test benefits.  Just do it. 🙂

 

If I added an extra Grammar book, it would also be FLL 1/2.  I LOVE this book.  I love your minimalist approach by using references as an excellent way to cover more levels and topics in a small space. Smart!

[homemommy83]

10 hours ago, Xahm said:

It's really hard for me to answer this because if there were a problem that limited what I had, LA would be one area where I really could teach with just whatever. Writing utensil, something to write on, and whatever books, though preferably she with decent sized print, would be enough. 

If I were traveling and didn't have much space, I'd take a tablet to get library books through, blank notebook and pencils, and probably whatever All About Spelling levels the kids were on. I'd likely through in a small white board and markers as my kids are less resistant to making mistakes on a white board.

Tools are definitely a great addition.  I keep contemplating between buying an old fashioned chalkboard and a lot of chalk for teaching the neighborhood if the very difficult times came.  Keeping children's minds busy may help bring a little normalcy. My thoughts are my toddlers love taking lids off of dry erase, so I may be more wise to switch to chalk. 

[homemommy83]

11 hours ago, countrymum said:

A set of phonogram cards and my Language toolkit booklet

Rod and staff English 5 

The All About Reading readers

The Old Treasury of Literature readers (at least the last 4 or 5) or a set of Alice and Jerry books

 

I can come up with a pretty good spelling progression from the language toolkit with all the phonograms and rules listed and I think the readers are necessary. Kids need something to read! If allowed another book I would take either Natural Speller or The ABCs and All Their Tricks for word lists.

My reasons for Rod and Staff 5 are the same as above;) no teacher book required.

 

I agree on needing something to read.  Children's minds need to be kept engaged during stressful times.  It seems Rod and Staff 5 is loved here😁.  Phonogram cards are compact and an awesome choice!

[homemommy83]

15 hours ago, lulalu said:

Phonics Pathways for phonics and early spelling. 

Rod and Staff 4th or 5th for grammar. 

We have the same love for the same books.  We are officially curriculum forum buddies😁.  If you could pick readers what would you choose?  It looks like All about reading has made an appearance, giving me something I need to research😁.  I already owned too much (who has too much😂) curriculum from my older children when All About Reading came on the scene.  Dash into Reading has been calling my name to....they are soooo cute!  I have two little girls who "need them😁".  The CLE, Pathway, McGuffy, and Sonlight choices are just not enough😂.

[homemommy83]

13 hours ago, alysee said:

1. Fix It Grammar

2. HWT

3. Phonics Pathways

4. Growing Brave Writers

Those are all excellent choices and together cover all basic aspects of LA.  

[Malam]

On 1/7/2023 at 11:35 AM, mathmarm said:

3) SRA Reasoning and Writing C
4) SRA Reasoning and Writing D

The teacher's guide seem to be $495 per level; do you buy all of them or just some?

[mathmarm]

10 hours ago, Malam said:

The teacher's guide seem to be $495 per level; do you buy all of them or just some?

I purchase them used for steep discount--it takes a while but if you keep your eyes open they appear.

For each level, you need the Presentation Book and the student materials.
For Level C that's a workbook and textbook.
For Level D and above it's just a textbook.

You don't absolutely need the Teachers Guide or Answer Key--you'll know the correct answers from delivering the lesson to the student, and the Teachers Guide is a nice pacing schedule/over view but isn't used on the day-to-day at all.

[UHP]

@mathmarm explained to me how to collect all the confusing components of R&W here:

Confusing and a little expensive to assemble, but they are really wonderful!

[Momto6inIN]

For young students?

All About Reading/All About Spelling and Treasured Conversations (a guide to grammar and composition from @8filltheheart. If that was all we did other than read good books up til about 4th grade we'd probably be fine.

 

[Malam]

On 1/11/2023 at 7:51 PM, mathmarm said:

I purchase them used for steep discount--it takes a while but if you keep your eyes open they appear.

For each level, you need the Presentation Book and the student materials.
For Level C that's a workbook and textbook.
For Level D and above it's just a textbook.

You don't absolutely need the Teachers Guide or Answer Key--you'll know the correct answers from delivering the lesson to the student, and the Teachers Guide is a nice pacing schedule/over view but isn't used on the day-to-day at all.

A little off topic, by have you used SRA math as well?

[mathmarm]

32 minutes ago, Malam said:

A little off topic, by have you used SRA math as well?

No, but @UHP has used a few levels of SRA Connecting Math Concepts-- I think she has experience with levels D, E and F.

I've seen the student book for SRA Level C and was impressed with it.

[UHP]

6 hours ago, mathmarm said:

No, but @UHP has used a few levels of SRA Connecting Math Concepts-- I think she has experience with levels D, E and F.

We did E, then "Corrective Math Multiplication" and "Corrective Math Division" (two other SRA products), and then F. Before starting E, I saw and to some extent used some excerpts from D that impressed me a lot at this website:

http://conceptionofthegood.co.uk/?p=569

My good experience with that (I kept of a diary of it somewhere) and with Reasoning and Writing convinced me to buy the program, piecemeal from ebay. Started with Level E mainly because it was the first that came complete in the mail. We detoured through "Corrective Math" because perhaps in retrospect E was not the best place to start with a 6-year-old: she was doing very sophisticated stuff by the end, but very slowly. Through the 200 days we spent in Level E, she was still skip-counting to figure out 6x8 and 4x4: Levels E and F do not include any "facts practice."

[Malam]

On 1/14/2023 at 7:10 PM, UHP said:

We did E, then "Corrective Math Multiplication" and "Corrective Math Division" (two other SRA products), and then F. Before starting E, I saw and to some extent used some excerpts from D that impressed me a lot at this website:

http://conceptionofthegood.co.uk/?p=569

My good experience with that (I kept of a diary of it somewhere) and with Reasoning and Writing convinced me to buy the program, piecemeal from ebay. Started with Level E mainly because it was the first that came complete in the mail. We detoured through "Corrective Math" because perhaps in retrospect E was not the best place to start with a 6-year-old: she was doing very sophisticated stuff by the end, but very slowly. Through the 200 days we spent in Level E, she was still skip-counting to figure out 6x8 and 4x4: Levels E and F do not include any "facts practice."

Can I PM you some more questions? I don't want to derail this thread

Edited January 16, 2023 by Malam