Language Arts, for early elementary..

[Honey Bee]

I will have a 1st grader, k'er, and pre-k next year. I'm just wondering what your best combos are. I am thinking about these I listed, what do you think?

 

1. Phonics Road: I have been using this one with my will be 1st grader this year. I like the way it teaches the child to read (scared of moving away from this method from reading SWR Ahhhh!). Also teaches composition, reading, spelling, and grammar.

 

2. FLL, WWE, AAS or (SWR spelling): These seem to be popular. I don't know how we would benefit from using dictation, narration, etc vs Phonics Road, but I would like to use them if they would be better.

 

3. Use SWR with enrichments and add Rod & Staff English at 2nd Grade

 

What do you use? What is easy to use for you? How long do you do LA with your little ones? I usually go for about 30-45 min depending on "focus." Thanks for you time!

[Strawberry Queen]

I personally like FLL and WWE. They're both short and minimal work in gr 1 and 2. I don't know anything about phonics road, so can't comment. The bonus with FLL is that it's non-consumable and mostly oral until lesson 40 or so. My dd2 is having an easy time with the memory work as she listened in on her older sisters' lessons. FLL gives a really good foundation while being pretty gentle. My dd8 is doing FLL3 and is finding the slight jump in work to be manageable and within her skill set. It is so much easier for her having done FLL1 and 2. She already has all of the basic definitions covered and doesn't have to work hard to master her lessons. I think any child that has done FLL1&2 would be able to do as well.

 

I'm also using the WWE workbook and that is a huge blessing. All I have to do is pull out a page and get dd to do it. There's scripting for me if I need it and it is so convenient and easy to do. I do very little language arts prep for my dds using the programs that I do.:001_smile:

[Pongo]

We have VERY few staples in our homeschool, history, science, art and a few miscellaneous things change every couple of years. But my math and language art sequence has not:001_smile:. Oddly, that makes me really happy, some continuity although I am a BIG fan of change.

Our LA goes like this:

 

English-Shurley (I have used 1-5) In 4th grade we did Jr. Analytical Grammar I would not do it again.

Reading/Spelling/Phonics -SWR ( I have a love hate relationship, but it works and after 6 years of using it, I can do it with my eyes shut)

Writing-IEW ( This is a wonderful program!)

Handwriting- Cursive First ( All my kiddos write EVERYTHING in lovely cursive, a cheap and easy program to do)

[nukeswife]

We're using AAS and Bob Jones for my older (4th grade) and CLE Learn to read/LA with AAS very slowly for my 1st grader.

[Quad Shot Academy]

I use R&S and AAS.

[angela&4boys]

I have seen the fruits with WWE and FLL. I can't sing their praises highly enough.

[JudoMom]

Since you like Phonics Road, I would stick with it.

 

However, I cannot tell you how much I love WWE. I highly recommend this as a gentle introduction to writing. It lays a great foundation.

 

We use Rod & Staff English (although I don't think it's necessary until 3rd).

 

I've used Phonics Pathways by itself, Phonics Pathways with Explode the code, and now I'm using Phonics Pathways with Hooked on Phonics and Plaid Phonics workbooks. I think Phonics Pathways does a great job, but I've been using it almost non-stop for 6 years--that's why I've supplemented.

Edited March 26, 2009 by JudoMom

[TxMama]

Since you like Phonics Road, I would stick with it.

 

:iagree:

[Wendy in ME]

After a slow start and not knowing where to start, I settled on Phonics Pathways and Explode the Code with Bob Books for reading practice. We use a white board and do dictation everyday after completing a page of Phonics Pathways. We started with just sounds then words and now he is writing full sentences from dictation in kindergarden. He also loves to play the little games from the appendix. Explode the Code is really just something for him to do while I work with his older brothers and he loves the silly sentences. It is such a simple and inexpensive program and it has worked wonderfully. I am quite satisfied with my first run through K.

[Chris in VA]

We used PP, Spelling Workout, Adventures in Phonics (in 2nd grade), and threw in some Montessori games. We also used Rod and Staff and a little bit of FLL.

[Tree House Academy]

We are using LLATL Blue and Explode the Code. We will move on to LLATL Red and keep using ETC in the coming year. When we have finished ETC and LLATL Red, we will move on to CLE Language Arts 300. :)

Edited March 28, 2009 by Tree House Academy

[Lovedtodeath]

I voted for Phonics Road. From what I understand it is just as good as AAS or SWR. It includes all the LA you need in one package. It can smoothly transition to The Latin Road, which is recommended in TWTM. And... If it is working , then don't switch!!!

 

You aren't going to get many votes, because most people haven't used it due to the price. (That is why I haven't used it anyway.)

[ElizabethB]

I like PP and Webster's Speller! I also do more spelling by rules on my own, and we use mainly my own lessons and library books for grammar, but I do flip through FLL for ideas and to make sure I'm covering all the topics I need to.

[LadyAberlin]

I voted FLL WWE and AAS because that is what we are going to be using, but there is nothing wrong with Phonics road and I say if it isn't broken don't fix it. So for your situation I'd stick with what is working.

[Honey Bee]

Thanks for sharing with me your plans. I like (love would be too strong right now) phonics road, the videos can be overkill. Just wish it was in front of me on paper. I also struggle with the idea of how narration, dictation, etc. really helps a child. I have pre-ordered and now just waiting for my WTM copy to come in from Amazon. And I will be buying "the charlotte mason companion" on my next amazon order which will be pretty soon. I think reading both of these will help me prepare better for next year also. Thanks again, you have been so helpful to me!

[Lovedtodeath]

Writing Without Fear (audio at Peacehillpress.com) and Writing With Ease instructor's book would both help you with understanding copywork, narration, dictation.

 

I would cancel your amazon order and get TWTM from peacehillpress.com, then you could order one of the above. The audio is very inexpensive.

[Kim in Appalachia]

Your child will only be in 1st grade. Wait for 2nd grade for Rod and Staff 2.

 

I would do SWR, and lots of reading. You read to your child, your child reads to you.

[kristinatucker]

we dont really combine. Right now we are using McRuffy but will be switching to Christian light for the fall.

 

kristina

[siloam]

Thanks for sharing with me your plans. I like (love would be too strong right now) phonics road, the videos can be overkill. Just wish it was in front of me on paper. I also struggle with the idea of how narration, dictation, etc. really helps a child. I have pre-ordered and now just waiting for my WTM copy to come in from Amazon. And I will be buying "the charlotte mason companion" on my next amazon order which will be pretty soon. I think reading both of these will help me prepare better for next year also. Thanks again, you have been so helpful to me!

 

Melissa,

 

Oh! If I may try to answer this one because I love dictation.

 

Dictation works on so many great skills in one exercise. It is spelling, handwriting, training the ear to hear, and the mind to remember and it can also be used in teaching sentences, paragraphs and simple grammar. There just aren't too many exercises you can do that give you so much in one.

 

Narration is pre-writing. Writing really is the ability to put your thoughts on a topic in written form. The child has to be able to think abstractly (logic level skill, 5th and up), physically write, be able to formulate ideas and put them on paper at the same time. What most program do is ask a child to think abstractly at grade 1. IMO it is a waste of time. The first assignment my oldest tried to do in 1st grade was, "Describe a piece of dirt." I had to sit there and ask here questions, "What does it feel like? What does it smell like?" ect.. in order to get anything out of her. Then I had to help her take her answers on put them into sentence form, and even then I still did all the writing for her. It was painful. What WTM suggests you do is have a child retell a story. That takes away the need to think abstractly. Until about 4th grade you write for them, treating the act of writing and the act of retelling of stories as separate skills that need to be mastered individually before being combined. Then in 4th you have the child bring the skills together, so they write their own narrations and they spend the whole year learning to be able to think and write at the same time. Then in 5th they begin to move into abstract thinking, developing their own stories, arguments, descriptions, ect...

 

Make sense?

 

Heather

 

 

[Lovedtodeath]

I also struggle with the idea of how narration, dictation, etc. really helps a child.

 

Chapter 3 — Why Writing Fails

Chapter 4 — The Three Stages

Chapter 8 — Year 1, Weeks 1–3

 

Sample pages of Writing With Ease will answer those questions!

[DinoMom]

I'm using ETC but thinking of combining with AAS and then later when DD needs more challenge, SWR may be.

We are at ETC1, but already getting boring with the repetition in every lesson. ={

[Honey Bee]

I just knew that dictation, narration, and copy work were important! Thank you for your encouragement and explanations. I am about to sit down and read Carmens links to WWE also. I am determined to solve this! So should I be worried if my son is not reading yet (he likes to space out a lot or what does Cathy Duffy call that Wiggly Willy)? He is 6 year 3 months.

[siloam]

I just knew that dictation, narration, and copy work were important! Thank you for your encouragement and explanations. I am about to sit down and read Carmens links to WWE also. I am determined to solve this! So should I be worried if my son is not reading yet (he likes to space out a lot or what does Cathy Duffy call that Wiggly Willy)? He is 6 year 3 months.

 

Nope, no need to worry yet. My 6yo boy isn't reading either.

 

Heather

 

[Narrow Gate Academy]

We use PP, SWO, and a modified version of FLL before starting R&S English. For handwriting we stick to copywork and dictation.

[mommyrooch]

I use Easy Grammar and Sequential Spelling. I also incorporate writing assignments that usually coinside with what the kids are covering in history and science. For example, when we covered Jamestown, my son had to write a speech portraying himself as John Smith and my daughter had to write a speech portraying herself as Pocahontas. This gave them practice in writing as well as gave them motivation to really "learn" the material.