Logic of English

Hi Melissa,

I will not be able to explain much right now because of fuzzy thinking this morning but I do use Logic of English…sort of. I ended up putting together our own LA plan for this year with a focus on spelling using the Logic of English as our starting place and “guide”, so to speak. Workbooks have ALWAYS proven to be counterproductive for my dd 11 and so I am not using their already planned curriculum, however, I am utilizing their phonogragh learning app for all of my kids (yes, even the 11yr old! ) as part of the plan I put together for the year. I have watched most of her workshops for teachers as well and gone through her website more than once. It isn’t CM in nature, but after a lot of struggling, dh and I really thought we needed something more to help in this area and this seemed to be it. Using the basics if LoE I “CMed” things quite a bit and feel it should help a lot if used consistently. We used LoE VERY loosely last year, mostly focusing on phonographs, and it did seem to start to help, but it just wasn’t enough yet. I am looking forward to seeing how things work out this year.

Best wishes for your spelling plans!

-Miranda

Momof3,

If you would like I can pm you with more specifics of how I have planned to used LoE (really it was just the base) as well as how I tried to have it fit in with the rest of the planned LA for the year. It may not be today though.

-Miranda

Miranda, that would be great when you have time.  Nebby, did you use the flashcards along with any other curriculum?

I am using LOE with my 9 yo 4th grader. We actually started it last year when she was 8 and in 3rd and will be finished soon and moving to the advanced lists.  I love the program but I don’t use every part of it. I use it for spelling only. I wanted to use the Spalding method to teach spelling. The manual for teaching the Spalding Method is called The Writing Road to Reading.  I purchased both the 4th and the 6th editions and read each book from cover to cover but it was still difficult for me to wrap my head around the whole idea and even more difficult for me to apply it in our homeschool.  Many do use WRTR as is but I needed an open and go curriculum, something laid out for me to follow. After researching my options and asking for advice on various homeschool forums LOE seemed the closest to what I wanted and needed. So, if you are looking for something similar to WRTR or that uses the Spalding Method for spelling, LOE might work for you.

I find the program very easy to use and not time consuming at all. Each lesson is divided into 3 parts, phonograms, spelling dictation and analysis, and grammar (the grammar part includes grammar, vocabulary, dictation, and composition). We do about 15 minutes per day of the phonogram and spelling portions simply picking up the next day where we left off.  If an activity in the grammar section looks interesting or I think it might help to reinforce something my dd is learning elsewhere I will have her do a page or activity. I thought I might use all of LOE but I found I prefer other ways of teaching grammar, vocabulary, and composition. It’s a lot to pay for JUST the spelling portion but it works for us and I plan to use it with several more children.

The phonogram and spelling lessons are simple and easy to implement. I teach the phonograms in the order presented in the teacher’s manual, introducing new ones and reviewing those previously learned.  We go over them with flashcards or I dictate them to my dd and she writes them in the workbook. I introduce new spelling rules, review previously learned ones and, finally, I dictate the spelling words to her using the method outlined in the teacher’s manual. She marks the phonograms and indicates the corresponding spelling rules for each word. That’s about it.

The workbook is thick and cumbersome and filled with various exercises and some games but many of them are marked as optional reinforcement activities. They are there only if you need them. I think the spelling portions could be done using just a notebook and the phonogram and spelling rule cards just as WRTR does and I may use it that way with the rest of my children. Although, if your child needs the optional activites or you do the grammar portions, the workbook would be necessary.

As for comparing the program to AAS, I used AAS briefly before LOE. It was not a good fit me or my dd. It seemed to move at too slow a pace and all the tiles and the huge white board drove us crazy. I know many homeschoolers love it and I think it is a great program but it wasn’t for us.

I am also using LOE Foundations with my 1st grader to teach her to read. LOE Foundations begins with phonemic awareness then teaches the phonograms just like Essentials does using a Spalding-like method but at a beginning reader’s level and a slower pace. 

HTH!

Rachel – Yes, LOE has a section for spelling/phonics, grammar, and composition. You can see the scope and sequence on the LOE website.

Melissa – Yes, it lists a specific game suggestion to play in the lesson. I think LOE would be great for a 2nd grader!

My dd9, who really disliked doing Spell to Write and Read, loves the workbook pages in LoE even though she is doing similar things. 🙂 Something about the workbook.