grammar,writing programs and vocab??

I’ll answer your other questions from the other post here if that’s ok!

I think what your doing with the vocab. words is fine;my only addition would be if theyt aren’t using a dictionary to look them up themselves, then have them do that and also on test day, have them use it in their own sentence.

I don’t have mine write vocab or do an end-of-week test English, but for their Hebrew vocab. I do.

For English, they do have to look up the meaning, spell it to me aloud and use it in their own sentence aloud; that practices their Dictionary skills and reinforces both the meanings and spelling of the words. I think there’s value in it, especially the way your doing it since it’s contextual.

I’ve not used Writing Strands of FLL; I know they are more Classically oriented. I do think 4th could be too early for diagramming for a child to really get an understanding from it. Even the 6th gr. could wait till next year. I think it has great value-just later. However, ILL and WS and FLL are quite different from each other. I plan on beginning OMT, which has diagramming, when mine are in 7th and 8th.

As you know from what I said in the other post, I think ILL and Grammarland for both of them is a great way to go, with SW for copywork and dictation (or use the dictation in ILL) for both and start with written narrations for the 6th grader. Since your 4th gr. is a reluctant writer, then just having him/her do all the written work in ILL, plus copywork and/or dictation (or no dictation till next year) w/an occasional use of Story Starters, if you like, would be fine. The 6th. one does all that plus begin written narrations. Does that make sense?

To be honest, I would wait on WwtB if you’re going to use ILL. ILL has a lot of lessons and you’ll not get through them if you keep interrupting them w/other written curriculums. ILL doesn’t need additional writing curriculums, but it can be improved w/additional grammar instruction, IMO. Also, it’s redundant. ILL has lessons where you copy other’s works; that’s where Story Starters is different from ILL and could be interspersed for variety periodically.

The reason I speak so strongly about ILL is especially due to English and using English as being secondary to you. ILL covers LA as a whole, the use of the language; not just writing a paper or poetry, so I think it has more breadth than WwtB. I think WwtB is a good follow-up to ILL.

Your 6th gr. would have to move through ILL more quickly than the 4th. You’ll be excluding the dictation exercises if you use SW instead as both copywork and dictation (I have mine copy it, then study for dictation).

ILL doesn’t have diagramming, if memory serves. I haven’t used Jr. AG or AG. I think they have diagramming, but don’t know id Jr. AG, does. I’m choosing OMT for 7th-9th, instead. No diagramming till then here. My children love language and I don’t want to mess that up.

HTH, these are just my opinions and I’m in a hurry…so forgive me if I’m repetitive or disconnected in presentation. I see 4th as the beginning of upping-the-ante (if you get my meanin’) in LA.

I know there are many who have used AG here who can help you and I’m sure others with WS experience. I’m sorry I can’t help there.

If you choose to not use WS and/or FLL, I’m sure you can resell them on the Classical forum-they seem to be popular over there.

ILL hardback can be found used cheaply to use for both and/or the worksheets that can be used with or instead of the hardback that Sheraz linked.

JAG does have quite a bit of diagramming in it, but it wasn’t too much for my 5th grader.  Ea. daily lesson only has 5 sentences. You first label them, then diagram them. Plus some short grammar qu. There are only 11 units, so you can get it done that quickly, or do labeling one week and diagramming the next and just take 22 weeks….lessons would be super short that way. 

They say it’s not necessary to do JAG first…the concepts are the same as the first 10 lessons of AG. But they are shorter and with easier sentences…I found it to be a helpful intro.  HTH some:) Gina

P.S. Oh, and I’ve also heard Writing Strands lableled as boring, but have never used it. I started Write with the Best w/my 7th grader last year and it was a great fit for her.

The link I gave is just the hardback student book colorized with writing lines added.  

ILL’s Teacher’s Guide is pretty cool.  It does give the lesson for each student within it, but it has tons of ideas on stretching the lessons out into other areas.  For example, when you do the picture study of Moses, it has you look up the meaning of Moses.  For an additional fun thing, it asks you to look up the meaning of your name and then has you write a brief thing about it. It also has other info that is most helpful as Rachel said. Here is a link to it: http://www.amazon.com/Intermediate-Language-Lessons-Teachers-Guide/dp/1890623342  From what we’ve used so far, they compliment each other well.

I used Grammarland and the worksheets, and found myself having to google some of the answers.  That part was really annoying to me.  I do like the storyline and love the worksheets, but WANT a teacher’s guide for those “I’m not really sure” moments.