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Meredith
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| Posted: June 28 2005 at 2:32pm | IP Logged
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I know there is probably an on-going discussion on this so I appologize for the repeat post.
What do you all do to plan for each child in the Language Arts department. I have acquired some nice materials for this year and am wondering what approach you use and what materials you have found most helpful/successful for each child?
So far I will be using a combination of:
Language of God workbook A (ds-6.5)
Catholic Speller A (ds-6.5)
Simply Grammar (dd-9)
Intermediate Language Lessons (dd-9)
Stories With A View (dd-9)
Catholic Speller D (dd-9)
I am also interested in the Bravewriter concepts for teaching writing maybe filling in some gaps.
Would love to hear repsonses on how others *do* LA with their kids. I still really want to keep it very CM in method and approach if I can and limit the workbooky method, but they do seem to be helpful for review and basic concepts.
TIA and God Bless.
__________________
Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
Sweetness and Light
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ALmom
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| Posted: June 28 2005 at 5:44pm | IP Logged
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I have the workbooks around and the children tend to gravitate to those when they don't have any other inspirations or when they have a great lego project or other activity that is calling them - one son did the entire LOG and MCP math workbook in no time at all (about 1 week).
I basicly look at the concepts presented in LOG and, if they have already done the pages, - any areas where he tended to make mistakes in the workbook. Otherwise, we base it on what the dc has already done in other written assignments based on the concepts in the LOG workbook. The workbooks help me not to expect too much at the younger ages. We pick one or two concepts to work with on his real writing. If the dc has not done the workbook page for this concept then we might introduce the concept using the workbook. Then when I am looking at his real writing, I look at it in comparison to concepts taught in the LOG workbook and try to make a mental note (I should make a written note for myself) of what areas need to be addressed. You could do this with Simply Grammar as well - gentle first presentation that takes very little time and then reference book for mom to assess writing and help them edit.
We talk about the workbook concept(s) that we plan to tackle first and let the child know I expect to see this done in written work they do. I am planning to use Stories with a View to encourage writing this year, so my idea is to use the written work done for Stories with a View as the area to practice the LOG skills as it will be a natural part of editing which is an essential part of any writing. I have the child begin to correct the written work on that concept until the mistakes disappear from their other written work. A clue will be when you no longer see it in stories, letters, etc. that they are not necessarily doing for "school". Then we take up the next one or two concepts at an easy pace.
I don't think I can be much help with the spelling. We have used CHC spellers with our children and generally don't get very far with them because dc get tired of waiting for mom to give the spelling "test". Also I find them either spelling the word correctly on the practice test and missing it on the final or making 100 on spelling tests and never spelling the words correctly in their written work. I'm probably going to combine my 8 and 11 yo in the Writing Road to Reading spelling portion as it helped my others with vision problems. I do have the workbooks and they are in the dc work area, but I don't really worry about if and when they do the work in it. Some of mine love workbooks - maybe its that "it sure makes mom relaxed when I have this done" type thing  . I'll be looking at what others contribute here as part of me dreads the intensity of the Writing Road to Reading (it's very mom time demanding and intense, but it did work with dd very well).
We live in a state that requires attendance and a church school cover, so we have to have 3 academic subjects or 3 hours to count as a school day. With a bunch of children, I don't always know on a given day what real learning has taken place in their free time, especially for the younger set, who, due to some vision problems have eye-hand delays that make written work slower to develop and not something they gravitate to doing without some encouragement. Ie I sadly have to admit that I am sometimes clueless and uncertain what to fill in on our attendance book.
In order to fulfill the 3 subjects criteria, the children have also learned that it takes only a second to do the workbook page in LOG, their math, we discuss religion/do CHC activity and in a very short time they have fulfilled the requirements for a school day and mom relaxes and they can pursue all kinds of things they want to do. As they get older, they record for me what they have read in science and history etc. I hope to encourage them to do more written/art to document some of this learning once the eye skills are all in place.
I don't know if it's my particular quirk or I just have some boys that love workbooks - it makes them feel independent and they don't have to wait around for me. Our ds that is 8 yo now began grabbing workbooks laying around the house and doing them from about 6 yo. They were not assigned. I even had a workbook for history which the 11 yo did (it was in a stack of school books that were in his desk). I didn't really assign it, it was just laying around and he did it because he could never remember all the stuff he was reading in American History and it was faster and easier than sitting with me and trying to tell me what he did so I could fill it in on the lesson plan. It was a typically dull workbook and not the meat of his history, but, looking back, it did help that ds to pull together or connect all the real books he'd read. I think he did do it mostly as a quick and easy means of documenting that he did do history. I felt it was a good handwriting exercise and wouldn't do it year after year.
I probably sound very flighty - and in truth, it is hard for me to concentrate on more than one thing at a time so with 6 children, I tend to focus on the one learning to read and write at least once I have to be reporting(in our state that is age 7)and reading aloud. Hopefully, we'll do a little more dictation using the memory gems from CHC (I cut them out of the lesson plans and laminated them and put them in a basket so everyone can use the whole array). Workbooks have become a quick and easy means of making sure I don't get in trouble with the state as I at least have some written evidence of a "subject" for the 3 subject requirement. Since the children like to do them, it works for us.
I'm looking forward to seeing other ideas on this post.
Janet
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momwise
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| Posted: June 28 2005 at 8:36pm | IP Logged
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Hi Meredith,
We tend to do our "freewriting" (Brave Writer)as a group with grades 9, 7, and 3 last year. My 5 year old had to do everything right along with everyone else. Gr. 9&7 had to do dictation, re-writes, and edit a flawed copy that I would type up each week and this included correcting spelling. 3rd gr. worked in CHC speller sometimes, sometimes not. He had to narrate all his history reading for his Book of Centuries. This year he will be narrating Bible History. Around gr.5 or 6 I go through Simply Grammar with them.
We subscribed to Brave Writer's Arrow, so we had literary elements each month. Now we get the Slingshot which gives us poetry class each month.
I am planning to do online classes for the 2 oldest this coming year or next. Either Brave Writer or Write Guide. Hope that helps!
__________________
Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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momwise
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| Posted: June 28 2005 at 8:44pm | IP Logged
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Oh, I forgot to mention....9th gr. dd did quite a bit of editorial writing in response to letters and editorials in the newspaper that she disagreed with. Most of the time, she'd see something in the morning that she'd want to challenge and I'd let her spend most of the day on it. It's hard work! Great lessons in logic, Catholic social teachings, grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and tightening up the essay.
__________________
Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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materdei7
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| Posted: June 29 2005 at 12:14am | IP Logged
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Hi Meredith,
We also like the LOG workbook, supplement with Harp and Laurel, (Poetry), lots of copywork from various sources,
Spelling words from their reading assignments,writing
narrations into their copybooks, and other various
writing opportunities. I find that when we start a lapbook, or memory book (like the wonderful ideas from
Alice) that I can cover many Language areas and subjects,(like religion and history), and make it fun and easy for Mom.  Plus it can cover many ages with one sweep!
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Kathleen, mother of five on earth, three in heaven.
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TracyQ
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| Posted: July 25 2005 at 1:06pm | IP Logged
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This year, we're going to use a variety of resources (as we usually end up doing anyway).
For 10th grade son (sheesh! I can't believe I even have to TYPE that!  ):
World Literature- Seton
SAT Preparation book
grammar workbook
Bravewriter
copywork, narration, dictation from various resources
For 8th grade son:
Lessons from Lord of the Rings
Hayes grammar workbook for 8th grade
Sequential Spelling
Bravewriter
copywork, narration, dictation from various resources
For 5th grade daughter:
Language of God workbook D (partly done already, she'll
finish it)
Hayes Grammar workbook for 5th grade
Sequential Spelling
Bravewriter
copywork, narration, dictation from various resources
This is the basic plan! 
__________________
Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
 homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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Donna
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I found some great thematic copywork lesson books this year at NACHE. They are from Queen Homeschool Supply. Queen Homeschool Supply. They each have 180 daily lessons and range in length from a sentence or two....to a paragraph.
__________________
Donna
DH, Keven
Jason, Stevie, Marie, Jackson, Clara, and Aaron
Jacob, Sam, and Regina with God
Grandbabies Leigha and Elsie
Moments Like These
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juliecinci
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| Posted: July 25 2005 at 2:38pm | IP Logged
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momwise wrote:
Oh, I forgot to mention....9th gr. dd did quite a bit of editorial writing in response to letters and editorials in the newspaper that she disagreed with. Most of the time, she'd see something in the morning that she'd want to challenge and I'd let her spend most of the day on it. It's hard work! Great lessons in logic, Catholic social teachings, grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and tightening up the essay.
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Gwen this is so cool. I'd love to read one that she's written. Maybe we can feature this idea in a BW blog entry. It is hard work to write letters to the editor - and talk about real world feedback!
Julie
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Julie
Homeschooling five for fourteen years
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mom3aut1not
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| Posted: July 25 2005 at 2:53pm | IP Logged
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This year the plan is as follows:
For my autistic 10th/11th grader
Analytical Grammar
WriteGuiide
The Harp and the Laurel Wreath poetry study
and I am considering the Inspirations software as well
For my autistic kindergartener
Speech and Language therapy
Sing, Spell, Read, and Write
Handwriting Wihtout Tears
daily poetry
daily picture books
In Christ,
Deborah
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mom3aut1not
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| Posted: July 25 2005 at 3:32pm | IP Logged
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This year the plan is as follows:
For my autistic 10th/11th grader
Analytical Grammar
WriteGuiide
The Harp and the Laurel Wreath poetry study
and I am considering the Inspirations software as well
For my autistic kindergartener
Speech and Language therapy
Sing, Spell, Read, and Write
Handwriting Wihtout Tears
daily poetry
daily picture books
In Christ,
Deborah
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momwise
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| Posted: July 26 2005 at 7:56am | IP Logged
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juliecinci wrote:
| It is hard work to write letters to the editor - and talk about real world feedback! |
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That's the idea; to write for a *real* purpose, to express and defend their beliefs, etc. You *have* to be accurate and logical, otherwise someone will come back and cream you in front of a few hundred thousand readers  !
Another *real life* LA activity is writing for contests. She's grown out of the middle school pro-life essay contests but I'd love to find others. That's a great motivator. Ds, who hates to write or even hold a pencil wants to win a Lego contest that involves a 200 word or less essay. So he's willing to do it .
I'll start a thread one of these days for writing contests.
__________________
Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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Willa
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mom3aut1not wrote:
and I am considering the Inspirations software as well
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Deborah,
I've been eying this for a long time. If you get it, I'd love to hear your opinion.
__________________
AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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mom3aut1not
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| Posted: July 29 2005 at 5:27pm | IP Logged
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Willa,
Ok. Joseph's SLP may get it for us cheap!!
In Christ,
Deborah
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juliecinci
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| Posted: July 29 2005 at 6:13pm | IP Logged
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Hey Gwen, I am unveiling writing contests for all ages on the Brave Writer blog on Monday. :) They will run through the month of August. Love that you are encouraging your daughter to participate in writing contests.
You also might want to check of Children's Writer's Market for possible publishing venues for her.
Julie
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Julie
Homeschooling five for fourteen years
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4Real Forums : Language Arts Come Alive
Topic: Planning Language Arts for Each Child
