K-8th, The flow of teaching Language Arts....

[Honey Bee]

I'm curious what curriculums, etc. you use from k-8 in the area of language arts and how much time you spend per day on LA. Some like them combined, some like to choose a la carte. What does your plan through the years look like. I am currently using Phonics Road Level One, which combines everything. I know a popular combo is FLL, WWE, and AAS. I also have and sometimes read through SWR and I like the enrichments.

 

I am struggling what do do. I don't quite understand how different doing narration, dictation, and copywork would be beneficial for us down the road vs doing Phonics Road, which does't do any of that (by the way PR is just a little different than SWR, but combines grammar and reading and comp till 4th grade).

 

Next year, tentatively I have planned for major subjects:

 

Phonics Road Level One (K'er & 1st different levels in this level)

Rightstart Math A & B (K & 1st respectively) w/ singapore workbooks

WP Animals (PreK, K'er, and 1st)

 

Thanks for your input, this is a great forum!

[Melissa B]

K - Hooked on Phonics, copywork/handwriting

1 - HOP, FLL, copywork/handwriting

2 - HOP, FLL, copywork/handwriting

3 - Sequential Spelling, M.C. Thompson's Grammar and poetry, copywork, cursive handwriting

4 - Sequential Spelling, M.C. Thompson's Grammar and poetry, Latin and vocab online

5 - Sequential Spelling, M.C. Thompson's Grammar and poetry, Latin and vocab online

6 - Sequential Spelling, M.C. Thompson's Grammar and poetry, Excellence in Literature, Latin and vocab online

7 - Sequential Spelling, M.C. Thompson's Grammar and poetry, Excellence in Literature, Latin online

8 - Sequential Spelling, M.C. Thompson's Grammar and poetry, Excellence in Literature, Latin online

 

For writing we have always used Classical Writing. But, I have found that this program, while a wonderful program, is not meeting my goals or needs. So we have recently switched to IEW. I don't have it listed because we use it in the content areas (history and science) therefore I don't consider it a language arts class. Spelling and M.C. Thompson's grammar and poetry are all classes that end after 8th grade.

 

We have a 2.5 hour block per day for language arts. K-3 only need 30 to 45 minutes per day but, by 4th or 5th grade all 2.5 hours are used daily.

 

HTH!

[Wildiris]

Language Arts is a broad subject. It includes phonics and basic reading and listening skills in kindergarten and first grade. It also includes the beginnings of grammar, narration, dictation, spelling, and hand writing.

 

The benefit of narration and dictation should not be underestimated. Narration is a comprehension tool, and dictation is a listening tool. Copy work enables a child to absorb correct and good writing habits while writing another person's words.

 

I'd be cautious of an all in one program. While some grammar programs include writing, the writing direction always needs some extra support from outside sources.

 

First Language Lessons provides an easy, gentle beginning in grammar. I'd encourage you to also look at Writing With Ease. Spelling Workout is solid spelling program. Plaid Phonics and Phonics Pathways are both solid phonics programs if used consistently. As you progress though the grades your students need will change, and as they change it is up to you to find the resources to meet their needs.

[Pongo]

K-SWR(phonics and spelling),Cursive First,Poetry Indruction

1-SWR,Cursive First( they finish neding it here)Shurley 1,IEW,Poetry (Harp and Laurel)

2-SWR,Shurley 2,IEW, Poetry (H & L)

3-SWR,Shurley 3,IEW, Poetry (H & L)

4-SWR,Wordly Wise Book 1(Vocab.),Shurley 4,Latina Christina 1(1/2 over 2 years, I just want an introduction), start teaching note taking (my system below),Start formal oral book reports,IEW, Poetry (H & L)

5-SWR ( 2 of my children tested out of SWR)Wordly Wise Bk.2,Shurley 5,Latina Christina 1,reinforce note taking( at the end of the year now my dd does it pretty much on her own),IEW, Grammar of Poetry

6-Wordly Wise Book 3,Shurley 6( done with english grammar, move to Latin studies)Latina Christina II,IEW,

7-Wordly Wise Book 4,Latin(outsorced),IEW,Effective Study Skills by Semones

8-Wordly Wise Book 5,Latin(outsorced),IEW...I havent finished the sequence because I want to actually get 12th grade done and work back for there. Butm this is the long and short of it:D

 

My note taking system from another post

[Katiebug_1976]

For K-2nd grade phonics: Adventures in Phonics A, B, & C from Christian Liberty Press

 

3rd-8th Grammar: R&S English Series

 

1st-8th Spelling: Building Spelling Skills 1-8 from Christian Libery Press

 

K-8th handwriting: Christian Liberty Handwriting Series

 

With 4 children, my total time spent daily on LA is about 1 1/2 hrs. However, my oldest 2 are getting more and more independent so will require less help from me.

[TxMama]

I'm curious what curriculums, etc. you use from k-8 in the area of language arts and how much time you spend per day on LA. Some like them combined, some like to choose a la carte. What does your plan through the years look like. I am currently using Phonics Road Level One, which combines everything. I know a popular combo is FLL, WWE, and AAS. I also have and sometimes read through SWR and I like the enrichments.

 

I am struggling what do do. I don't quite understand how different doing narration, dictation, and copywork would be beneficial for us down the road vs doing Phonics Road, which does't do any of that (by the way PR is just a little different than SWR, but combines grammar and reading and comp till 4th grade).

 

Next year, tentatively I have planned for major subjects:

 

Phonics Road Level One (K'er & 1st different levels in this level)

Rightstart Math A & B (K & 1st respectively) w/ singapore workbooks

WP Animals (PreK, K'er, and 1st)

 

Thanks for your input, this is a great forum!

 

If you like Phonics Road then you should just keep working through it.

 

If you want to incorporate narrations, dictation or copywork then just add them in for a while. Narrations could be easily added with your WP Animals. Dictation/copywork with your Phonics Road. My impressions from Phonics road is that dictation/copywork added to it would just be busy work.

 

Can you tell me more about Phonics Road? How much time per day do you spend? Is the weekly plan a 5 day schedule and can it be done on a 4 day schedule?

[Colleen in NS]

I am struggling what do do. I don't quite understand how different doing narration, dictation, and copywork would be beneficial for us down the road vs doing Phonics Road, which does't do any of that (by the way PR is just a little different than SWR, but combines grammar and reading and comp till 4th grade).

 

Next year, tentatively I have planned for major subjects:

 

Phonics Road Level One (K'er & 1st different levels in this level)

Rightstart Math A & B (K & 1st respectively) w/ singapore workbooks

WP Animals (PreK, K'er, and 1st)

 

Thanks for your input, this is a great forum!

 

1 Writing Road to Reading (Phonics Road looks similar to WRTR) to teach how to print, do cursive, read and spelling, FLL for grammar, WWE/WTM style writing, WTM style reading comp. (hist./sci./lit. narrations via WWE)

 

2 same as 1

3 WRTR, R&S for grammar, WWE for writing, WTM style reading comp.

4 same as 3

5 VfCR for vocab, R&S grammar and writing, WTM style writing (outlines, narrations), WTM style reading comp.

 

future plans:

6 same as 5

7 VfCR for vocab, R&S grammar and writing, WTM style writing (outlines, rewrites), WTM style reading comp.

8 same as 7

 

Right now my 5th grade ds spends an hour or more a day reading books, .5 to 1 hour or so writing, and 45 min. or so doing grammar and vocab. Dd in 2nd grade spends an hour or so reading books, and maybe 45 minutes on WWE, WRTR, and FLL combined.

 

Benefits down the road of doing narrations and copywork/dictation: If you have your kids practice these skills in 1st to 4th grade, then by the end of 4th (assuming WWE is being used), they should be able to read passages from history/science/lit. (maybe a chapter or so), figure out if they should write a narration about a storyline (lit.) or write about details (hist./sci.), figure out the important parts of the passage, put their thoughts about it into words, and get those words down on paper into a 3 or 4 sentence narration. This can be hard work for kids. But it sets the stage for starting to do outlines and longer narrations in 5th grade and up.

 

BTW, narration demonstrates reading comprehension.

 

For your 1st grader, I'd plan on teaching how to read, how to spell, (sounds like Phonics Road does this?) do a grammar program (like FLL, unless PR is thorough in teaching grammar), do a writing program (like WWE or by using narration and copywork/dictation on your own, in hist., sci., and lit. - reading comp. will be covered in this). Throw in math and lots of reading, and you're set. :)

 

hth

[rafiki]

.

[Honey Bee]

 

Can you tell me more about Phonics Road? How much time per day do you spend? Is the weekly plan a 5 day schedule and can it be done on a 4 day schedule?

 

Well, I spend about 30-45 minutes per day. I start with reviewing phonograms and spelling words previously taught (they are organized so we do a few each day and the ones he really knows we do less often). Then I teach him a few new words each day (Mon-Fri) along with any new rules, then we write our "final" words in on our sheet. I also have him write them onto a note card for our "review" box. This is about it right now. I have a Wiggly Willie and he can "space" a lot, so this may not sound like a lot but it takes us a long time. Next week we will be delving into the "silent E rule" and some other rules by way of what Barbara Beers calls Building Codes (section were specific spelling rules are reinforced or taught).

 

I have mixed feelings about phonics road, I think most of that comes from my son not yet reading. Here are my pros and cons list:

 

PROS

 

 

• includes everything (reading, spelling, grammar, composition, handwriting), done seemingly well--the scope and sequence if very thorough and organized

• Phonics Based, I like that they learn all the sounds first.

• Prepares them for The Latin Road (grammar and latin program)

 

 

CONS

 

 

• I don't like watching the videos. I want it in front of me so I can pick it up and go.

• It seems to take us a long time and is teacher intensive. I don't think this changes as they get older either, from what I have read.

• While Mrs. Beers teaches the material in the videos, there is no help for "teaching them how to read" maybe we haven't gotten to that point though. I am comparing it to SWR, which seems to make reading aloud to children and other enrichments important. Phonics Road seems to do the spelling and spelling rules and move on--no enrichments for the words. This bother's me, I like the enrichments SWR uses for their spelling words, I think that would help him to understand, relate, and read English faster. The spelling lists are different though, but I still am thinking of using some of SWR's ideas anyway.

• While we do dictate the spelling words, there is no narration or copywork that I have found in Level One (K/1st)

• It's expensive to the tune of at least $199 per level and there are four levels

• Another thing is--I can't seem to find any reviews in the upper levels. And I am talking about people using the material, not just looking over it. The Yahoo group is pretty quiet, which could be a good thing, but just not a very popular sort of curriculum to get feedback on for the future years.

 

 

These are just my personal experiences with Phonics Road and please take into consideration I am still new to this. This year has had its ups and downs. Since I am pregnant with my 5th and was sick early on so we took about a 2 month break during the holidays. This did not help, but honestly, my son could not have done the spelling anyway. I taught the phonograms, then began teaching the consonant and vowel teams. At the later point he seemed to getting overwhelmed even with constant review, I started spelling with him, but that did't get very far. I wrote Barbara Beers (author) and decided to put it down till after the holidays, he just wasn't ready. I started talking to him in the mean time about words and asking "what sound does that start with?" etc. This seemed to help along with reading back through SWR, which I have on my shelves and was too overwhelmed to use at first. Well, now he is doing a few words a day and we are starting to get some words under our belt and I always pull out a book and we "read" it together, so I think we are getting there with reading. Honestly, this is my first child and I feel like I am walking though a maze when it comes to language arts. We are doing great with all other subjects though! I used to be a public school teacher--Art teacher that is--so I just feel lost with language arts right now. In a way I feel like if I move away from the "Spaulding method" my children will be scarred for life, crazy I know! But I am determined to solve this and do this well. I am not really into changing curriculums, I am trying to stick it out until I have a better plan and know that it will benefit my DS. I am thinking that maybe Phonics Road might be a great program, just not a good fit for my son and myself as hsing mom. Sorry my post was so long. Hope this helps and their website is very helpful too. http://www.thephonicsroad.com/

[TxMama]

Melissa,

 

Thanks so much for answering my questions!

 

My 6yo and your 6yo need to get together. They sound like twins.:lol:

 

I just knew that Phonics Road wouldn't be a good fit for him or me so thanks for confirming! I prefer open and go resources and he needs less writing and more doing resources.

[Honey Bee]

 

For your 1st grader, I'd plan on teaching how to read, how to spell, (sounds like Phonics Road does this?) do a grammar program (like FLL, unless PR is thorough in teaching grammar), do a writing program (like WWE or by using narration and copywork/dictation on your own, in hist., sci., and lit. - reading comp. will be covered in this). Throw in math and lots of reading, and you're set. :)

 

hth

 

Thanks! You are reading my mind! As I am processing all of this, this seems to sum up what I am moving towards! Thanks so much Everyone!

[LanaTron]

I messed around with various curricula, and slacked on writing, with my elder two. Here's my plan for my 3rd grader and 1st grader. I've listed the curricula in order that we use them, but each child moves to the next level depending on their readiness (sorta like one_1_michelle).

 

Reading:

Phonics Pathways, Bob Books

Pathway Readers through grade 3

Literature of their choosing and lit from SOTW activity guides

Progeny Press lit guides in middle school

 

Handwriting/Writing:

HWOT printing (haven't decided when to do cursive)

WWE

Writing Strands (starting with level 3 ~ 5th grade)

 

Spelling:

ETC 1-8

Megawords starting ~ 5th grade

 

Grammar:

FLL 1/2

Growing With Grammar starting in level 3 (just trying this now, so it may change to something else)