Queen's Language Lessons vs. English for the Thoughtful Child

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  • January 29, 2011 at 3:48 pm
    MamaSnow
    Participant

    Can anyone give me a comparison of Queen’s Lanugage Lessons for the Very Young and English for the Thoughtful Child? (Other than Queen’s is more expensive than English for the Thoughtful Child!)  Or if you have used either of them, what did you like/dislike about them?

    I know the Curriculum Guide doesn’t recommend starting Grammar until Gr. 2, but is there any reason NOT to start with a first grader who is reading and writing well? 

    Thanks,

    Jen

    January 29, 2011 at 6:49 pm
    thepinkballerina
    Participant

    I think the curriculum guide suggests EFTTC as a gentle intro to grammar. I bought it dirt cheap at a used book sale, hoping it would be great to use for dds. 😉  I use it for my 2nd grader and plan to use EFTTC VOL 2 for her in 3rd grade.

    I would like to see a comparison of QLL as well! 

    Tara

    January 30, 2011 at 3:28 am
    MamaWebb
    Participant

    We just started using Queen’s LL for a K, 3rd, and 7th grader.  We love them.  NO one complains ever about doing it, except for my 3rd grader who hates copywork.  Do be aware, however, that there is only a small spattering of grammar.  it’s narration, poetry, picture study, copy work, and grammar.  For the youngest set, the firs three books, it’s a phonics instruction, not grammar per se.  I feel it’s just right, but my oldest could prob use a BIT more grammar instruction, but we do more of it in her writing.  We love these books!  simple, sweet, gentle!

    January 30, 2011 at 12:41 pm
    jeaninpa
    Participant

    The books are quite similar.  The Queen’s book has color in their picture study and the EFTC is black and white.  Queen’s may also contain a bit more in terms of copywork and exercises.  Queen’s also has several levels to choose from so it may be easier to find a fit. 

    I’ve used them both and liked both of them ok.  We’re using Queen’s right now and one complaint I have with it is that they only give single lines for copywork in the ‘Very Young” books.  My 7 yo is still struggling to form letters correctly when she doesn’t have that middle and top line for comparison.  I’m also not really wild about their copywork selections — some of them are pretty obscure and difficult to understand.  At this point I’d prefer my children to be focusing on penmanship/cursive and correct sentence structure, so I would like simpler more meaningful things for them to copy (such as Scripture). 

    We also don’t use the picture study very much.  We do picture study all together focusing on one artist at a time.  Having the picture study in their LA book (especially with children in several levels)  is redundant and time-consuming. 

    So, to wrap it up.  We like both of them, but you’re paying for the copywork and picture study and we don’t end up using it much. 

    Jean

    January 30, 2011 at 1:07 pm
    MamaSnow
    Participant

    Thanks ladies!  Sounds like Queen’s might be a better fit for those who don’t want to do our picture study, copywork, etc separately, but that EFFTC might be better if we prefer to do our own selections for copywork and picture study.  Has anyone found the narration “exercises” helpful for a child who is just learning to narrate?  (I’m considering using these with my daughter when she starts first grade next year – she is making very good progress with the mechanics of reading and writing this year, but I think she may need a little bit of help when we start doing narration next year as she is a very concrete thinker and a bit of a perfectionist – meaning she won’t try things at all if she thinks she can’t do them well.)

    Appreciate the help.  I’m not needing to decide right away – just looking ahead and trying to make some decisions about what we will use next year – so if anyone else has anything in particular to say for or against either of these programs I’d love to hear it. =)

    Jen

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