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Serl'sInterm., Jr.Analytical,1stLang.Less.,LLAT or ?12&14
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My daughters haven’t had any grammar or english except for alot of reading. My 12yr.old reads, writes and spells well but she needs something more formal. The 14yr.old needs help alot. Will the LA handbook be enough with the Jr. Analytical?
I have the Serl Interm. Would that be enough? I want to make sure that it is sinking in and they know it well. I thought about them learning the skill and then applying in their spelling dictation or other writing of what they are reading.
What do you think of LLAT? I use to have it the old version but I have heard that it has been greatly improved.
Is there another source out there that people are using that is “very” CM?
Thanks
Cyndi
I have Simply Grammar. I’m going to use it this year with my 12 yr old daughter. It’s very CM. In fact I think Charlotte Mason wrote it originally. Karen Andreola (a big CMer) revised it a bit. It’s very gentle. I think we’re going to like it. From your other post it sounds like you haven’t done much formally, so this might fit more with what your family is used to. But I’ve never seen or used any other Grammar lessons except regular textbooks years ago with my oldest.
Hi Cyndi,
The use of PLL/ILL ends at age 12, so I wouldn’t start there. They are too gentle for where your children’s ages are, you need to start getting into the more nitty-gritty of language. These are my recommendations:
For grammar-Analytical Grammar (more workbooky, thorough, short lessons, more $) or Our Mother Tongue (more CM and thorough, less $, can be used over a 2 year period per Ambleside’s guide starting at Yr. 7 through HS)
Spelling/Dictation-Spelling Wisdom at whatever Book Level you deem appropriate
Writing-Meaningful Composition or Jump In by Apologia;
Narrations-Oral and written narrations (I also recommend Writer’s Inc. as a resource for you and ultimately for them to check their writing). I recommend doing oral for a while before embarking on written, perhaps this entire first year just concentrating on oral, since it is a skill that is so basic to comprehension.
Do you know how you’re going to teach oral narration?
Anything I didn’t cover? I know there are other options, but these are the ones I like as being closest to a CM way.
HTH,
Rachel
Cyndi, when you say “something more formal,” what do you mean exactly? For example, do you want help with punctuation and sentence structure and other mechanics like that? Or do you want to focus on the parts of speech and how they are put together in sentences? Letter writing? Poetry? Spelling? What resource(s) you choose depends on what skill(s) of Language Arts you want to emphasize.
I found a great resource for middle school and high school aged kids. I ordered Grammar for Middle School from Hewitt resources and they also offer one for High school. It takes the idea that grammar is best learned in context with great writing and is best understood when using whole, well written sentences. It may not be written for CM families but I bet she would have loved it. Using whole sentences from great literature (Lord of the Rings, etc) the authors teach grammar in the context of the whole sentence, rather than parsing it out. We haven’t started it yet, but its a small book and they have plans for one, two, or three year completion streams. I like it a lot more than AG or Jr. AG. Those grammars get the job done but have always left me wondering how much will be remembered and used. If we surround our kids with wonderful language and wonderful stories, a lot of grammar will come naturally. Ruth Beechick talks about studies just recently being finished that show most grammar learned in a workbook format does not make the transition to being used in writing, more times than not. She suggests a good ‘whole’ grammar at the middle school level and then yearly reviews with a good grammar guide book like Writers Inc or The Elements of Style. Makes sense to me.
Mechanics, parts of speech and how they are put together in sentences incorportating into their written narrations. I plan to get Spelling Wisdom. I need something that isn’t going to play around but “gently” get down to business per se if you know what I mean? Something that will progress nicely and gently.
I like what you said Heidi. I will check it out. My older daughters learned grammar through reading “good” literature…whole sentences as you said and so I know this works. AG or Jr. AG maybe the skills should be used in application through their writing to help them remember it? But I do believe that learning the skills should be learned at the same time as reviewing them in their own writing. I saw The Elements of Style I think is to advanced for them. Writers Inc. would be okay I think. I’m NOT a writer and I need something that will show me or them what to do…or how to incorporate the skills in their own writing. I will check into the resource you recommended.
Thanks so much.
Cyndi
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