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Curriculum for Language Arts
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Ok, please tell me I’m doing enough!??
I have a second grader who does copywork, oral narration and some writing (on any subject) on a daily basis. We don’t use any LA curriculum, basically because I read in some CM books that I don’t have to.
I’ve been skimming through some LA curriculum today (2nd grade) and started wondering when my child will ever learn some of the skills taught in those books, if I don’t use any curriculum with him. I know he’s learning a lot the way he’s being educated right now, but I can’t help but wonder when he will learn those other skills. Will I forget to teach him something? Will he learn these things by himself from good literature?
I’ve seen that a lot of you CM’ers are using FLL and Queen’s Language Lessons. Is this needed, or is narration and copywork enough?
One way of handling skills like that is to address them when they show up in the student’s writings or copywork. Then it is taught in connection with actual writing and may make more sense than just having a lesson and working with abstract exercises.
Queens covers those. And the lessons take about 15 min a day
If he is really young Simply Grammar is great
Will those things be learned through just copywork and narration without adding in an additional curriculum?
I’m using Queens for the first time this year and only with my 1st and 2nd grader (who work on the same level) not with my 6th grader or my younger kids. The entire reason – it is short, simple, and something they can do even when life is interrupted by my 7th child’s medical appointments. Last fall he had 5 ‘surprise’ brain surgeries on top of the many medical appointments. I needed at least one thing they could do no matter where I was as there were many times I was at the hospital and they didnt’ see me for days. It incorporates narration, picture study, copywork, and super simple grammar/punctuation lessons spread between that. Works for us for our situation.
Hidden Jewel queens covers all the grammar along with copy work etc. no need for anything else.
I do use their penmanship when the little ones are learning cursive. And if the older ones do not have a copywork in the days lessons they pick a quote out of Queens copywork books ( they are reusable for everyone!). They are perfect for diction. We have enjoyed the quotes from American leaders this year
I was just reiterating the OP’s question of whether it can be learned without using a LA curriculum such as Queen’s.
Yes, I think everything will be learned without a LA curriculum in the elementary years. My oldest is just now beginning a formal grammar program (and we could have put it off another year until 7th). She’s doing Analytical Grammar which you do for a few weeks at a time (10, 7, 17) over 3 years. Then grammar will be done.
I think it may depend on your situation. Tristan’s situation is a bit different than mine; I can see why she would like something she can count on and not have to think about it (I hope it’s okay to say that). I have a 7yom and although we have a Queens lang. arts workbook for his age, I rarely use it. I thought I would but it just hasn’t been necessary. It does have a lot built in but then we do many of those subjects together as a family that I don’t care to spend the time on it.
I do have First Lang. Lessons, too, from Susan Wise Bauer and that is my least favorite. I’d probably use Emma Serle’s (sp) if I used anything formal w/ him right now. So instead, we do lots of copywork w/ pre-printed pages and have begun to use the 2nd Pathway reader. I point out certain things like: periods, capitalization, by just saying, “Don’t forget the period,” or “Don’t forget to capitalize the first letter in their name.” Things like that. When he practices reading and something doesn’t quite make sense I’ll remind him that there is a period or comma so you have to pause, then it will make sense. He rereads it and says, “Oh, ya.” Or that the question mark is there because the sentence is a question so it should sound like…
My oldest enjoys the copywork books from Queens in print and cursive. He’s copied many of the phrases into his Book of Mottoes.
I enjoy having a simple curricullum that they are responsible for doing on their own. Along with learning grammar, which they can pick up without the program, they are learning to be self disciplined and to work diligently without me goading
I would love, love, love to find a multi-age LA program that I could use in the same way a SCM history/Bible/ geo program can be used. Why oh why do I need to teach homonyms to my 2nd grader, haiku to my 6th grader, and adverbs to my 8th grader? Wouldn’t it be great just to have one program where you could all be doing the same thing, but at each child’s level?
Sorry, I think I’m hijacking this thread!
To answer the op question…. There are some things that you probably do need to teach that won’t get covered by just doing copywork, narration and dictation. Sometimes I think of those things, such as noticing and teaching about a homonym that I see in the copywork, but to make sure all of my kids know those things it is nice to have some type of a LA program to remind me of them. I’m still searching for one that I love though.
I think that is why CM had students eventually do formal grammar (around 10, right?) after years of copywork, literature, narration, etc., So it doesn’t mean that we never teach formal grammar, just at a certain time. I hope I’m right.
I could’ve waited w/ my 10yo ds and he would’ve been sooo ready right now. We are using EFTTC and Study Island so we are hitting grammar but at our pace. But, we could’ve waited and just did word games and such. Luckily he enjoys grammar and hasn’t fought w/ me over it. Now with my 7yo, I plan to wait until he’s about 9/10. He is NOT a workbook person, so it would have to be oral anyway, so we might as well play games and use the time he will sit for copywork and reading practice, LOL.
I think SCM’s Hearing, Reading, Telling, and Writing (I think I messed that title up!) gives a breakdown of a CM lang. arts program, but I realize that in some families sticking strictly to a CM program isn’t always an option. Meaning, either the state has requirements or whatever.
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