I need some help choosing language arts for pencil allergic 11yo son.

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  • March 6, 2013 at 11:13 pm
    1pageatatime
    Participant

    He is an avid reader (we use Sonlight and he loves the books) and a natural speller. Up to this point, he’s done mostly copywork and dictation.

    Since he was older this year, I tried to introduce a formal grammar & writing curriculum. He tried ABeka, one grade below and within two months he was shutting down, so I put it aside. I didn’t care for it much, either, as it was quite..sterile and disconnected from his other studies.

    I recently looked at using Learning Language Arts Through Lierature and it just seems too busy, too classroom-ish.

    We have Queen’s Language lessons sitting around, but it doesn’t seem like enough for his age (11.5).

    He doesn’t know basic parts of speech though he can construct a well written sentence,  and is just learning how to formulate paragraphs. However, he resists formal instruction of the how-to’s.

    He is very weak in narration, though handles dictation okay.

    Thanks for any help!

    Christy

    March 6, 2013 at 11:27 pm
    susie in ms
    Participant

    What about Grammar Land. You can find a free copy on googlebooks or buy a printed copy from Yesterday’s Classics. It is a chapterbook with a story and teaches the parts of speech along the way. Very interesting.

    For each of the chapters (something like 13) a mom has made a worksheet you can print out for free.

    http://dontneednoeducation.blogspot.com/2010/01/grammar-land-worksheets.html

    You can use them or not. But if you do there is very little pencil time needed.

     

    Just a side: I wish my classes at school looked like LLATL! LOL

    March 7, 2013 at 12:00 am
    ServingwithJoy
    Participant

    I have been using Jump In writing from Apologia, and my kids are loving it. I don’t think SCM would approve, since they teach writing from ‘the ground up’ and explain how to brainstorm, formulate paragraphs, etc…but it is well-presented and the kids are really loving it and writing well with it.

    If you are looking primarily for a ‘grammar’ book, you can look into Jr. Analytical grammar (which SCM recommends). We use the ‘Straight Forward’ series of books, starting with “Straight Forward, All In One Grammar” and then moving on to “Mechanics”, and “Diagramming”.

    Hope that gives you some ideas!

    March 7, 2013 at 1:07 am
    sheraz
    Participant

    Have you looked at Intermediate Language Lessons?  Most can be done orally if that is what you want.

    March 7, 2013 at 1:11 am
    susie in ms
    Participant

    Oh, ILL is a great suggestion! My dd is doing Primary Language Lessons and it is wonderful. Both PLL and ILL  cover all areas of language arts you may be concerned with.

    March 7, 2013 at 2:29 am
    petitemom
    Participant

    Thanks for the Grammar Land link, I might try that.

    I am also thinking to try Grammar Key, that might work w/you Christie, it is an on line program, no pencil!!

    March 7, 2013 at 3:37 am
    1pageatatime
    Participant

    Thank you so much for the suggestions!

    I will look into these. About ILL, I know that it was revised/reformatted by at least one publisher? Are these editions just as good as the original gold-colored book? My ds completed PLL and did very well. Silly me, I’d forgotten all about ILL!

     

    Christy

    March 7, 2013 at 4:15 am
    sheraz
    Participant

    I heard that they were not as good.  I found the hardback gold one for about $10 new a year or so ago. I also got the answer book which I have enjoyed – it comes with ideas on ways to extend lessons for fun (or extra lessons).  I do not use it for dictation, although we do read the passages and enjoy it.

    There is also a workbook version available, but since your son is pencil allergic, you may not want that one. 😉

     

    March 8, 2013 at 2:06 am
    4myboys
    Participant

    Servingwithjoy, how often do you use Jump In.  I have it here, but we haven’t started it yet.  I am think of Writing Strands for my soon to be 4th grader, and using Jump In for my soon to be 7th grader.  I would want to use it over 7th and 8th.

    March 8, 2013 at 2:16 pm
    art
    Participant

    Have you looked at Simply Grammar? Charlotte Mason wrote it originally, and it was revised by Karen Andreola. I just started it with my “pencil allergic” 10 yr old. He likes it. It’s oral, but if you wanted to have them write a little you could easily.

    Also, we have listened to Grammar Land on librivox, and my son loved that too. I would not expect them to have the parts of speech down after one reading though. The lady who reads it on librivox has a perfect voice for it–very enjoyable.

    Also, don’t lose heart. My 19 yr old was the same way, and he is an exceptional writer and knows more grammar than anyone I’ve ever met. Really!

    March 12, 2013 at 3:55 pm
    1pageatatime
    Participant

    Thank you for suggesting Grammar Land via Librivox. I had no idea of this resource. What a gem! Smile

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