mamato3 all-boy boys Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 We've been using GWG4 this year. I like it, but I think I have a case of "the grass is greener" because people often say that grammar just sticks when their kids use R&S. One of the reasons I choose GWG was because it was *not* parent intensive (5-7 min. to make sure he understands the concept, and not everyday at that), and I needed that this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 It doesn't need to be parent intensive at all. The oral lessons in the TM are completely optional. Everything the dc need to know is in the textbook. You should skim through the lesson ahead of time just so you know what's there and decide which exercises your dc should do, and you should make corrections ASAP, but the lessons are designed to be done independently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy in ME Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 We are finishing up our 2nd year of R&S English. I spend only 15 minutes with each boy doing this and I actually read the lesson with them and complete the oral excercises before they start the written work. They then spend about another 15 minutes completing the written work. The lesson really does explain each concept clearly and could be done independently if your dc work well alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamato3 all-boy boys Posted May 10, 2009 Author Share Posted May 10, 2009 Thank you ladies. R&S looks like a viable option then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 (edited) The oral and written exercises are pretty close to the same thing. My kids started getting frustrated with that. Soooo, I'd go over the lesson with them, and do the oral questions. If they got those without any problem, we would just stop there and go on with the next lesson the next day. If they needed more work to get it down, I'd assign the written work. Sometimes they just did odd or even. I only used the worksheets if they had a specific area they needed extra work on. Otherwise, it was just all overkill. Too much repetition that they didn't need. But when we did it the way we did it, they advanced well, understood it well, and enjoyed it! That would take us 10 -15 minutes a day, tops. I'm always surprised when people say they stopped R&S Grammar because it took WAY too long! There are ways to fit it to your schedule, by all means, and still learn the concepts very well! Last year my ds used the Level 6 book, and did most of it on his own. This year he did all of Level 7 on his own. I just administered the tests and graded them. One note: We call them levels. There are 8 levels, plus levels 9&10 that are really different from the first 8 levels! So, to be on level 7 of 8 levels sounds better than saying they're in grade 9 in school (which my ds was) but "only" using the grade 7 book! R&S is advanced, many people use the level 7 & level 8 books for highschool English. We've used "levels" instead of "grade" since we started homeschooling, so my kids are used to it. They don't have a problem using a lower level book if that's what they need to understand the concept they're trying to learn! I'm saying all that to say this--if you get level 5 and your child struggles, Don't toss it! Get level 4 and try it! We did that with dd in 5th grade. She just wasn't ready for the concepts in the level 5 book, but when she did level 4 it worked beautifully and she really liked it! Edited May 11, 2009 by Brindee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamato3 all-boy boys Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 I'm saying all that to say this--if you get level 5 and your child struggles, Don't toss it! Get level 4 and try it! We did that with dd in 5th grade. She just wasn't ready for the concepts in the level 5 book, but when she did level 4 it worked beautifully and she really liked it! I'm searching right now for a s&s for grammar ...I suspect there are no placement tests, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 (edited) I'm searching right now for a s&s for grammar ...I suspect there are no placement tests, right?As far as I know there are no placement tests. However, it DOES have a good resale value here on the For Sale section! :001_smile: So, you could get level 4 and even go through it quickly to catch the possible trouble spots. If there are things that may cause problems, it's best to have the lower level, because it explains it better, without assuming you already know that new concept. Am I making sense? I have a migraine today, so my writing sounds disjointed to me.:001_huh: Edited May 11, 2009 by Brindee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I'm searching right now for a s&s for grammar ...I suspect there are no placement tests, right? No placement test, but the general rule of thumb is use grade level up to level 5. After that, start with 5th grade level, even if you are starting a 9th grader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamato3 all-boy boys Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 Good information, Lolly. Thanks for popping in. That helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 No placement test, but the general rule of thumb is use grade level up to level 5. After that, start with 5th grade level, even if you are starting a 9th grader.Hi Lolly!!!:001_smile: Yes, BUT, some that are struggling a bit may need lower---as did my dd. So, just wanted to mention that as a possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mesa Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I went with a grade level lower than my sons grade level. I'm glad I did, because this curriculum is advanced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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