Okay, well, for starters – take a deep breath. They’re not “struggling”, they’re exactly where they should be for CM 🙂
I’m going to copy the recommendations from Ambleside Online for language arts, which are based on Charlotte Mason’s own writings. I think you’ll find some comfort in them 😉
Ambleside Online Scope and Sequence for Language Arts
This may look a little different from the usual scope-and-sequences you will find, but it is based on the methods of Charlotte Mason, combined with the practical experience of Advisory members. No one should feel “locked in” to doing exactly what is in the scope and sequence. You may choose to use curricula not mentioned here to achieve the same goals. However, this scope and sequence provides an overview of the way language arts, as a whole, are covered in a Charlotte Mason education.
Grades 1-3
Phonics/Reading instruction plus Oral Narration (oral composition) of various subjects–literature, history, picture study, and so on: This is absolutely foundational to the entire Charlotte Mason method. Allow your student a year or two to develop into a fluent narrator, but do not neglect this part of language arts. Copywork: (This will expose children to the form of written sentences on a page, and be the beginning of learning to spell, as well as covering handwriting practice). You may choose to use a handwriting curriculum as well, but be careful not to burden young children with too much written work. Less is more, and children should write only as much as they can write perfectly.
Grades 4-6
Reading: Children should begin reading most of their schoolbooks for themselves during this time. Oral Narration of various subjects: This continues to be an important part of “composition.” Written Narration: begun around age 10-11. (Handwritten or typed narrations are fine) You should accept most written narrations without attempting to correct all the mistakes. Becoming proficient with written narration will take a couple of years. Begin with one written narration per week, and increase to 2, then 3, as your child is ready to do more writing. Once a month, perhaps, you may want to edit and correct one narration.) Beginning Grammar. (Once the child is writing, he has more use for grammar. You may choose to use a purchased curriculum, such as Simply Grammar, but it will also be sufficient during these years to teach more informally, limiting instruction to the eight or nine parts of speech, the four basic types of sentences (declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamative), and a couple of simple punctuation and capitalization rules.) Dictation: This exercise will improve a child’s spelling, but it does take time. You may choose to use a spelling curriculum, but many parents find that a child’s spelling improves dramatically after a year or two of dictation. Typing: A typing program such as Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing can prepare your child for written narration, and will remove the burden of handwriting from the process of composition. Charlotte Mason didn’t advocate this, but she never had the option. If a child learns to touch type–speed is not important–during the year that he is nine, he may find written narration much easier at age 10 or so.
So, what do you notice for grade 1-3? What is NOT listed? Writing and spelling. Why? Because CM did not teach these to children this age. It is perfectly acceptable for an 8 year old to be a poor speller. She did not do any written narrations, compositions etc… with 8 year old children. It was merely copywork and oral narration. That it’s. So I wouldn’t worry one iota about your 8 year old.
For grade 4-6, notice that she said begin written narrations around age 10 or 11. This means that it is perfectly fine for an 11 year old to be just beginning writing. The key word is: beginning. Do we expect a beginner to be an expert? No. It takes time, years of practice. Writing is no exception (notice they specifically state this). Also notice that when starting written narrations, she recommended starting with only one a week. So, again, with your 11 year old, that they are struggling with writing, really nothing to worry about at this point. Instead, look to their oral narrations? How are they? Are they well thought out and composed? Focus more on the oral compositions if you want to strengthen the written ones.
As for the spelling, by this stage you should be doing dictation, not just copywork. Are you doing dictation daily for spelling? If not, start. That may very well be your problem. Again – notice that they say it can take a couple years of dictation to notice improvements in spelling. So, before you rush out and buy a program – start your daily dictation, and give it a full year. If, after a year you’re not seeing any improvements, then look into a spelling program.
In all honesty, I highly doubt you need Brave Writer for either child, and you definitely don’t need spelling yet for your youngest, possibly not for your oldest (though again, another year will give you a better idea). More than anything, I think you just need to trust the process. Charlotte Mason followed a developmentally appropriate scope and sequence for learning, one that gives the child time to develop a skill, instead of trying to rush it. It’s a completely different approach to most homeschool and public school curriculums today. It feels odd, and it’s easy to worry when you get to comparing to the “box”, but trust it.
