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"Language Arts" questions
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Another post got me thinking… If you are already doing poetry, copywork, picture study, dictation, etc… where would you just get the grammar part for the 2-3 grader or older if you wait on grammar? EFTTC, Queen’s, LL all incorporate those things as well. I feel like we would/are over doing things. I don’t want “busy” work and I don’t think Miss Mason would want it either 🙂 How do I avoid that? Is there a CM friendly resource that just does grammar younger than JAG?
My 2nd grader is doing English for the Thoughtful Child, Book 1. It is on the Curriculum Guide for 2nd grade. She is doing pretty well with it, and anything she doesn’t understand, we go over again. So far, that’s been one thing. 🙂
My 2nd grader is using EFTTC as well. I have it scheduled for 2x week so we can fit in everything else. Last year we spent so much time on ‘textbook’ type work that we didn’t have time for the ‘arts’, so I’m glad that we have adjusted that. He does get ‘grammar’ out of copywork, reading, read-alouds, etc., so I’m not worried about him not getting enough:)
He enjoys the grammar book and all that I have chosen for him for his Lang. Arts package. I have gone almost specifically by the curriculum guide (some tweaking here and there) and we’re very happy.
Blessings.
Some of it depends on how you define “grammar.” If you’re talking about learning proper use of the English language, then the children will pick that up from all the other language arts learning they are doing; i.e., the subjects you listed.
If you’re talking about parts of speech, Charlotte didn’t teach that until the child had a solid background in hearing and speaking good English; she delayed parts of speech until the child was about ten years old. So you wouldn’t need that type of curriculum until about 4th grade.
Thanks for chiming in there, Sonya. I think that’s what I was trying to say in my post…my 8yo will not do ‘parts of speech’ for a couple of more years. I can tell that he will not be ready for that type of study until then…until then we are focused on ‘proper use of the English lang’.
I guess that’s how we fit it all in….
Didn’t mean to hijack thread:)
Well, looking at EFTTC they have the poetry, picture study, etc. So I just feel like I would be doing more than necessary. If I do all the other things as stand alone (meaning w/o the EFTTC or other books mentioned) w/o parts of speech is that ok til later?
I guess what I am tryin to ask is… if I am doing poetry, picture study, copywork/dictation, etc… then is EFTTC necessary with a 2-3 grader? Or is that just to make us feel better about not doing so much official grammar work?
Sorry for the confusing post 🙁
I noticed you mention dictation. If your little one is only at the 2-3 grade mark, then he/she is not ready for dictation. That’s not till 3rd-4th, preferably 4th.
Personanlly we use PLL/ILL, starting in the ‘2nd-3rd grade’ range. The poetry stuff is valuable and it helps to gently learn the structure of poetry, but sometimes it’s just memorization-I skip those. The picture study ones can be skipped as well, unless you think it offers something that your regualr PS doesn’t offer. I skip the dictation parts because they are too young at that point using PLL. What’s left is a wonderfully gentle approach to learning the structure of language; we do 75% orally because I don’t believe in a lot of writing at this age.
Now you could skip PLL (or an equivalent program) at her age now and just stick with copywork, pic. study, poetry w/narration and your literature; if you add in the Ruth Heller World of Language books (which my dd at 8 loved), probably available at your library, then you’d have a complete program right now. Then go straight to ILL, a 2 yr. program (or equivalent program you like) in “4th grade”. The timing would be right for beginning grammar within LA, being that ILL is recommended for 4th gr. and up.
That would be simple and inexpensive,
Rachel
Nina, my own personal experience is that it’s just made me feel better about not doing an official grammar/language program. I was so excited to get Sonya’s Hearing and Reading, Telling and Writing: A Charlotte Mason Language Arts Handbook
I haven’t finished reading it yet, but what I have read so far has helped me to see that narration, reading, poetry, copywork, etc. that we are already incorporating into our day IS language arts and I don’t feel like I need to duplicate that with a ‘language lesson’ book.
Rachel, that is what I was thinking as far as skipping the other things. But I hate feeling like I wasted $$ on something. I already have TWTM’s First Language Lessons. I am wondering if I could use that and it would be about the same?
mj, I have that e-book. I just need to read it 🙁 I havent’ found the time yet. Hopefully soon!
Thank you to everyone for your help 🙂
Nina,
I understand you don’t want to waste. Do you have a used bookstore you could make consignment with?
Other than that, since I haven’t looked at TWTM’s Lessons, I could make a guess on a couple of uses for you. One, you could just wait till next year to use it since I think the material may be just right come 8 or 9?
Otherwise, you could try to use most of it orally, if possible, and skip the diagramming on paper, just discuss and identify and move on. Definitely keep the writing to a minimum, ask her questions from the lesson and have her answer orally. I don’t know if it’s set up as fill in the blank, but if it’s fill in the blank, she could read the sentence aloud and then choose the correct word to fill in for the proper sentence structure. Shouldn’t take long to implement, maybe 5, 10 min. max. done orally.
Just a guess…get creative in application, sell it, trade it or hold it for later.
Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful, Rachel
Thanks Rachel. I have book 1/2. So all of it is oral. I also have book 3 but that is all writing and diagramming heavy. I definetly wouldn’t do that one. I just thought maybe the 1/2 book would be ok. It has poetry and picture study as well. So I thought maybe I could make it work 🙂
Thanks for clarifying, Nina. I’d say give it a try if you can’t get rid of it and benefit financially. Like I said above, I started mine on PLL around age 8, doing it mostly oral and short lessons; I still had them do copywork and did the picture study and poetry selectively. They do not have an adverse attitude towards LA and I’m glad I started them then.
I’m sure you could find a way to make it work!
Rachel
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