Three Cheers for Using Language Well !

Could you elaborate on how I can decide if I want my student (11yo, going into 6th grade) to have “in-depth grammar study” and therefore add AG into her plan for the coming year.

We are new to SCM and coming off of a work text approach that taught grammar in a spiral fashion. She’s been doing grammar and sentence diagramming for several years now.  I was leaning away from AG for the coming year to give us more time to focus on learning narration and dictation well (and plan to use SW and ULW).

Now I’m confused, as I don’t know if waiting on AG will just confuse things for her in the coming years. Yet, I’m trying to keep things simple as we transition and adding too many new materials may send us both over the edge. 😉 (considering I have many other children besides her to help through this transition year.)

My children have done First Language Lessons from PHP and can diagram sentences like nobody’s business, and clearly understand the parts of speech. I originally thought doing FLL was using a somewhat CM method or style. I needed to meet provincial learning outcomes so I took that path. I am happy for their success but it came with it’s struggles. I always felt this deep gut feeling that we were pushing grammar too early, but I needed to abide by the guidelines. So now, I breath a big sigh of relief that I can use ULW to both upkeep concepts learned and shed a fresh new light on the information. Like coming at it from a better, personal, and relational angle. Even though they are grammar versed, I think ULW will help them own the knowledge for themselves. I am looking forward to the blessings as they build language muscle. Isn’t it amazing how we can take curriculum and serve so many facets of learning needs?

Sonya, I have a question about whether to combine my kids or not. I will have a 3rd grader starting Spelling Wisdom this year, so naturally he will use ULW with it. In addition I have a 5th grader slowly progressing through SW book 1. She is not a natural speller, and we are alternating SW with AAS. She is presently on exercise 43 in SW I believe. Should I start her in ULW with her brother and skip the dictation since she has already done that, focusing on the grammar, or should I start her on the same lesson in ULW as SW?

artcmomto3, I would be inclined to keep the two students separate so each can go at his/her own pace and to avoid any comparison or potential bad feelings. Of course, you know your children best; maybe that wouldn’t be an issue. It seems like your older one might be able to make faster progress since she isn’t doing the dictation portions–possibly more than two per week–and catch up to exercise 43 quicker than if she went at the same pace as the younger student.

cedargirl, you haven’t missed anything; we do not have a release date for the remaining books yet.

Hi, Melissa. Good questions. Let me try to answer them below.

How does SCM go about field testing? I mean are there families who’ve used the program before it was released? What did you research to write the program? I’m not asking this in a negative way. I love SCM and everything they do for the CM community. It’s just that I really love to look at the big picture and talk to other families in the trenches to see how it’s working for them.

Some of our resources are based on what we used with our children, some are based on what we wish we had used with our children, and some grow out of new understanding of Charlotte’s methods as we continue our own learning. ULW falls in the latter two categories: what we wish would have been available for our children to use and based on a recently acquired better understanding of Charlotte’s methods. A CM graduate and a 20-year veteran CM mom went through the books with a fine-tooth-comb and gave feedback and corrections to me.

Since there are 5 Spelling Wisdom books, can we assume there will be 5 ULW books? If so, what is the time frame for completion of the program?

Yes, the plan is to have 5 ULW books, completed as schedule and life allow. We can’t give a definite time frame at this point.

Also, what is the full scope and sequence?

While all of the books will include English, grammar, and writing points, each will serve a specific role in the series. Here’s my vision for the books.

• Book 1 focuses on English Points, including capitalization and punctuation and makes the transition from transcription to dictation and from oral to beginning written narration.
• Book 2 begins the study of grammar by introducing the parts of speech. Constant progress in spelling through dictation and improvement in written narrations is continued.
• Book 3 will dig into the next step of grammar by introducing sentence analysis, including such things as direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nominatives, gerunds, infinities, participles. Progress in spelling and written narrations will be continued.
• Books 4 and 5 will turn the spotlight on composition and help the student put finishing touches on his writing skills through literary analysis and word studies, among other things.

It appears as though ULW along with SW is a complete language arts program including spelling, grammar, and composition. Is this an accurate description?

Yes and no. ULW will include spelling, grammar, and composition; but a truly complete language arts curriculum in a CM style must also include wide reading, narrating (both oral and written), poetry, Shakespeare, and all of the other rich components that nurture the skills of hearing and speaking, reading and writing. ULW will be a helpful resource in that full curriculum.

If there are 5 books planned and if starting UWL with him this year in 5th grade, at two years per book, he will not complete the full scope. I understand teaching the child, which is what I’ve been doing. However, I also wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to teach him some necessary skill simply for lack of time. Sonya, what are your thoughts on this?

Any English, grammar, or writing point mastered is a gain. So even if you don’t complete all 5 books, he will still be progressing in language arts skills. Now, having said that, I understand your point about accomplishing the necessary skills and here are my thoughts. In my mind, if a student can master the rubrics (used for evaluating written narrations) halfway through book 4, he will be writing quite well for college and for life — better than most others, I daresay. I envision book 5 as icing on the cake; something more for those who really love crafting sentences but not necessarily a requirement for every student.

Yes, that is correct, Melissa. Oral narration is explained and encouraged throughout Lessons 1–70. Written narration is introduced around Lesson 71 or so, giving the student some time to get used to getting his thoughts onto paper before the rubric expectations are added around Lesson 82.

All of that is in the teacher book; the student doesn’t see those suggested times. So if you want to introduce written narration or rubrics at a different time, you can easily do so.

Just so I can better understand how it all fits together. ULW uses SW for dictation, but what is included does not overwrite the lessons that need to be done in SW separately correct?

I have 2 boys in 5th and 6th grade.  They have not completed SW book 1.   Can you please advice me where to start with ULW ?  Does ULW match up with the beginning of SW book 1? Just confused what to use if in the middle of SW book 1.  Also, even if my 6th grader hasn’t complete SW bk 1, should I begin him in SW bk 2?  Thank you for your guidance