Language Arts Questions

It has amazed me how “seemingly” painless learning can be when one is immersed in a useful or real-life activity. Our children no longer resist the writing assignments I give them to do. We have gone from our oldest being just about “workbooked- to- death” in the early years, to a teenager who is progressively taking  the educational reins as I hand them over more and more to him. I think he’s starting to get that this is really going to be his “gig” for his whole life. Our next oldest, having even fewer workbookish experiences, is following suit even sooner in these areas as his predecessor did.(BTW, I am not necessarily even totally  anti-workbook, although they have pretty much gotten squeezed out as we have seen the fruit of CM! Her way is also just too practical and fun to go back to the other methods.) My point is, I can’t tell you enough to not underestimate the “seemingly” simple practices of reading/being read to/buddy reading, copywork, dictation (if they are old enough),  oral narration, drawing narration, (which incidently, has given our children wonderful drawing ability, as has its use in nature study), and written narration (if they are old enough). Our two oldest joyfully work out of Karen Andreola’s Storystarters book for creative writing, as well. Also, last year, we began doing a little research and report kind of thing on Fridays, where they could learn about anything of their choosing, and write a little summary about it to share with the rest of us. This began with me reminding and reinforcing, but since it was kind of an extra, it would come and go in and out of the schedule. Recently, of their own accord, both children have begun this activity again. Yesterday, our oldest initiated an assignment for this activity from something he ran across in his daily reading. I say these things not to boast in my superior teaching abilities. Truth be told, most days you will find me humbly face down before the Lord begging for mercy and help in being a godly mother, in teaching, and in managing our home properly. (Ps. 32:8 has long been my heart’s cry!)I say these things because, like so many, it has taken time for me to get the value of the “seemingly” simple. I have noticed the value of slowing down enough to awaken abilities which could not take root in a hurried, fast-paced, activity-filled existence. Have I arrived yet? I wish! I learn DAILY. I used to feel kind of dippy about such a “seemingly” fragile existence. But then I think of the educational goal of being a lifelong lover of learning, being self-educated, and I realize that I’m just basically doing what I’m asking them to do. I’ve just been doing it for a longer time! I just wanted to encourage you after I read your posts, as the Lord has used the words of so many here to minister to me and encourage me. Blessings to you!

Sincerely,

Nancy

My son, who turned 8 in Oct, also seems to be more of an auditory learner.  He did not want to learn the phonics rules, and when I tried he just got frustrated.  He would say “just tell me this time how I should say the sound”, when it came to certain words (vowel sounds within words).  Then he remembered it (and how to spell it) for that word.  So I stopped teaching him the phonics rules.  When he is reading aloud if he comes to a word he doesn’t know, he will try to sound it out at first.  But if he doesn’t get it then he just asks me.  I tell him how to pronouce it, and he remembers.  Does not ask again for that word.  He’s doing really well with reading.  He reads Boxcar Children and on a page will need help with maybe one or two words. 

I’m not going to introduce a spelling program until next fall, then it will be Spelling Wisdom.  But if he doesn’t seem ready for it once started I will put it away and wait a few months, or even until the next year.  He’s only in 2nd grade this year.  I think that he will really catch on to how words are spelled through his copy work for now. 

My other son, who just turned 7, is definately a kinesthetic learner.  I’m still figuring out how to teach him to read!  With him we are still working on letter sounds and names.  We do use 100 EZ lessons.  A close friend recently reminded me to just play games with flashcards.  So we’ve been spreading them out all over the floor and I give him sounds or names and he searches for them.  He is loving that.  I have to get used to the fact that he constantly needs to be in motion, doesn’t sit still really at all.   So I need to find inventive ways to teach him how to read, spell and such!

Wow, sounds like a great plan, Amanda!  I know what you mean about Queen’s LL.  While we are truly enjoying it and will use it for a while, I think I would like to do more copywork; daily.  Are you using the Literature suggestions from the SCM guide for your copywork?  How are you choosing what and how much to do?

Amanda,

Great idea to get the copywork from different sources during the week.  I would have just done one literature book for the month — boring!  We are reading fairy tales and the complete works of Beatrix Potter from another source along with Module 1 and 106 DOC.  If I would just get creative and organized, I would print out a copy of what we were reading that week for copywork.  Hmm… I think I just gave myself an idea.

Maybe in a month or so when we are used to a “schedule.”  We just started a structured day schedule last week.  It’s going well for me and my oldest.  We are thoroughly enjoying Module 1.  My youngest, however, is going through sister withdrawals.  She told me today that her sister was her favorite, bestest friend and she missed her!  She crawls up in my lap for all the read alouds and her sister’s lap for Pathway Readers, even though her favorite question is: “Are we all done school?”  Oh, I love how homeschooling brings siblings together!  I wouldn’t trade this for anything!

For my active learner, in warm weather I use sidewalk chalk out in the driveway.