Sonlight LA vs WWE & FLL

[Guest]

I have been considering using Sonlight next year and was looking at their language arts programs as well. We are currently using the WTM recommendations for LA. How do you think Sonlights LA compares to Writing with Ease and First Language Lessons? Is WWE and FLL better?

 

Thanks!

[Annie Laurie]

Better is pretty subjective. It depends on what you're looking for, they are very different approaches.

 

SL says their LA uses the "natural language approach". What they mean by that is that kids learn good writing from seeing good writing through reading, copywork, and dictation. They learn grammar from studying sentences and paragraphs for dictation. SL says their LA is based on Ruth Beechick's LA philosophy, and they did pay her to consult on their new LA, but I've read The Three Rs by Beechick numerous times and think that SL is still off base. I like the ideas behind SL LA, but it never worked for my kids. (I tried LA K, 1, 2 regular, and 6). The copywork and dictation is only once a week. They emphasize creative writing way too much, and I don't think some of what they require is developmentally appropriate. I think the LA tries to do too much, instead of focusing just on phonics and maybe some simple copywork in LA K and 1, they have concepts like using quotation marks in there too.

 

Writing with Ease builds in small increments, kids spend all of level 1 doing copywork and getting ready to move to dictation. SL LA moves to dictation a lot sooner, with less instruction, and no gradual shift for the child.

 

FLL is going to emphasize grammar much more than SL LA. FLL is also going to stress memory work, whereas SL LA has none.

 

There are samples of the SL LA on their website, and if you already own FLL and WWE, you might get an idea on how they compare that way.

[Sew happily ever after]

:iagree:

Well said. I like the idea of SL LA, but much prefer the structure to FLL. It takes the same amount of time to do and I actually feel like we are accomplishing something. With SL LA (tried K, 1, and 2) it was always like, well, maybe she knows it maybe she doesn't. I never knew for sure. It seemed kinda wishy washy. One thing my oldest liked was the creative writing assignments. She would dictate them to me me then I would write them down. They were easy and fun, but that's about all that I liked about SL LA.

[siloam]

I have been considering using Sonlight next year and was looking at their language arts programs as well. We are currently using the WTM recommendations for LA. How do you think Sonlights LA compares to Writing with Ease and First Language Lessons? Is WWE and FLL better?

 

Thanks!

 

They are different, have different focuses. FLL focus is on memorization of grammar terms, where SL is purposefully light on grammar. SL encourages narration, but doesn't schedule it per say where both FLL and WWE will have narration assignments-and consider that writing. SL focuses on creative writing, which I agree with SWB is more of a logic level ability. I just had a hard time finding the time to sit down and walk my dd through how to describe a piece of dirt. I would rather do a quick narration and call it good. (Translation narration gets done and SL writing doesn't in this house).

 

Both do dictation.

 

I use both. I use the old SL LA for K-2 and my 3rd grader is also doing FLL and WWE this year. Why? Well because I usually start narration in 2nd and I had a hard time teaching my 2nd dd how to summarize. WWE does that for me. Then Oregon requires testing at the end of 3rd grade, so I need her familiar with grammar terms that SL just doesn't cover. FLL is covering that gap so she will do better on the test.

 

I really don't know yet if I will continue with WWE 2 or not. It just depends on how well she is doing with narration when she is done with WWE 1. I know I won't continue with FLL 2 because I will use JAG instead. Because I no longer use SL history I also don't continue with SL LA beyond LA 2.

 

Heather

 

 

 

Edited February 4, 2009 by siloam

[angela&4boys]

:iagree: with Nicole and Heather.

 

I would also add that I like being able to tweak if needed. For example, if FLL isn't working and you love WWE, then you could look for another grammar program without having to drop the writing portion as well. Whereas with Sonlight, it's more of a complete program and I personally have trouble doing just portions of a program meant to work as a whole. (My personal hang-up, of course. ;))

 

We love FLL and WWE. One of the many reasons is that they reinforce each other so well. They meet my desire to mesh some Classical and CM elements. The bonus is that it's pick-up and go.

 

If it's cohesiveness with your SL study that you desire, you could have your dc narrate from the read-alouds, history, and or science... oral or written depending upon their abilities. We do this on notebook pages. My 11yo does the written narrations himself while my 8yo narrates to me, I write it down, and he copies it on his notebook page.

 

Hth,

[Guest]

Thank you all for your reply's. I apologize I didn't mean which one is better...but rather which one is liked better. We are currently using WWE and FLL and they are working well. I plan to stick with what is working for now. I just got my copy of Latin Centered Curriculum so I am looking at all the recommendations in there as well:D.

[DeeDeeMarie0]

We used SL-K and SL3/4 LA. The K LA seemed to be fine for my son, but I just couldn't keep it up. I am going back to FLL and WWE. We used FLL 1 with three of my four boys and they all loved it, and can still sing the jingles and say the poems. They had fun doing FLL and liked the fact that it was one short lessons per day. Also, it was so much easier for me to teach. Just pick up the book and do the next thing. After six years, I am realizing that as much as I would like to do the full plan, I just never carry it out. We finish everything that is ...just pick it up and do the next thing.