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Appropriate age for Our Mother Tongue?
- This topic has 10 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 3 months ago by
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Could someone with experience using this resource tell me their opinion on if OMT would be appropriate for my dd? She is 11, will be going into yr6 of schooling and has had minimal/bare basics grammar instruction. I have looked at the description on Amazon as well as the summary on the SCM bookfinder (says it is for grades 5-12) but would like to hear from someone who has used this.
Also, is this resource something that is meant to be used for grammar study for a year and then be able to say that we have covered sufficient grammar and be done with it? Or would it go on for a few years of study? I would like us to be finished with actual grammar study by the time she starts HS so that we could then focus on simply applying the correct grammar to her HS writing.
-Miranda
My DD is also 11. I picked up OMT at a sale in the spring and have skimmed it a bit. I’m still trying to figure out whether to have her go through it on her own, or read the lessons myself and teach from there (possibly using material from her Spelling Wisdom lessons). The lessons start out with parts of speech and move toward more complicated grammar. It does look like a comprehensive program, which is what I was looking for. There is more grammar there then I ever learned in public school honors English!
I do think she’d get more out of it if you waited a bit and did some informal work this year. I think it COULD be used by an 11yo, but you might find retention to be not as good as later.
I don’t do another grammar COURSE after using OMT, but you will still be “doing grammar.” You will need to incorporate what she’s learned into her writing assignments. I also recommend two to three years’ study of Latin or another language. This will really help “nail down” what she’s learned.
Thanks Holly and Bookworm! I will admit to hoping that you would respond, Bookworm! ; ). Yay!
I was somewhat wary of trying to do this right away in grade 6 with her, actually. How long would you advise waiting? Until grade 8? My “plan” (tentative at this point) was to have her be through formal grammar study by high school and then, do as you said Bookworm, practice to consistently apply the grammar that was learned properly.
Also, how would you recommend studying grammar informally during the years before OMT? Is there something I should plan to do in order to work our way up to OMT?
I hope I am not asking too many dumb questions! I really just want to make sure I have a good handle on things to prepare her properly for her high school years. I don’t want it to be a shock for her.
Thanks so much for your advice!
-Miranda
Sorry to be a pest, but I thought I would just try once more to see if I could get a recommendation as to what age and for how long (1 yr?) OMT should be used.
Thanks so much!
Miranda
I start OMT in either 7th or 8th grade, whenever I feel the student is ready for the program (or when I have time to add it in LOL) I had one kid whiz through it in 1 year, but the other 2 have taken about a year and a half. I also stop periodically to review, add in some extra diagramming (as you may recall, I LOVE diagramming
) so I don’t really hurry or push it. I wouldn’t myself want to follow someone else’s “breakdown” because how would THEY know how long it is going to take my kid to understand verbals????? For informal work in the earlier years, age 10 or so and up but before beginning OMT, I introduce the parts of speech and we play games. We love those fill-in-the-blank stories. I also discuss a few things as we do dictation–I might show how that sentence has TWO subjects, and point out what kind of verb we use there. Or I might point out that something is in the subjunctive. Or show why they used a colon or a semicolon in the passage. Or something like that. And whatever blatant errors I see in their written narrations—well, those are SURE to go on my list of “try to cover soon.” I do not really like marking up an early-years written narration and doing it right then and there, but I will note that they made a usage or punctuation or grammar error and look for an opportunity to teach that in upcoming weeks. That’s all I mean. Simple and easy!
Alright, I think I have a good idea of how I should handle this now…I THINK! ; ). Thank you for giving me an idea of how this can work. It was also helpful to see how AO spread out the lessons as well, but I don’t think I will be using their schedule.
My dd has some anxiety/inappropriate stress responses that can be triggered rather easily so I think I am going to plan to take two full years to cover OMT in a more relaxed way. She has already covered many of the things that OMT covers in the beginning lessons (parts of speech, types of sentences, etc.) so I think she should be able to handle those well enough in grade 7 and then by the time she is in the more difficult (at least it looks a lot more difficult to ME) last half of the book she will be a year older and in grade 8. I feel a lot more comfortable now with the concept of informal grammar as well. I think I can do that. Except, I do not know how to properly use a semicolon! LOL! I will probably get a guide for grammar for myself to use during grade 6.
She has also just started using the word roots program from critical thinking company. I will probably be continuing with that through as many levels as possible as well. And I am still thinking, discussing and looking at how to handle the language (Latin, other, or both) lessons as well. No clue right! HA!
Thank you so much again, ladies. It really did help me out quite a bit.
-Miranda
On a side note, I just have to say that my DH laughed at me SO hard yesterday when I got excited over having Bookworm respond to my post! I think his words were, “while other people have favourites and heroes in music or acting, you have homeschooling heroes!). It was all in love and fun of course, but apparently my delight was rather obvious in a hysterical sort if way!
) so I don’t really hurry or push it. I wouldn’t myself want to follow someone else’s “breakdown” because how would THEY know how long it is going to take my kid to understand verbals????? Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
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