I have had several recommendations lately for Sonlight, and I've been considering using just their language arts 3instructor's guide. I would appreciate if anyone can tell me about their experiences with this program - are there similar programs that you would recommend over this one? On their website, it looks like all of the necessary student pages come in the instructor's guide - is that right? I'm not planning to purchase the reading books since I can get them from the library as needed. Is there a list of which books are used for each level?
I have not used the sonlight IG. I do know that if you look through their catalog that it lists each book with the levels. I go by the catalog and pick and choose to fit us. Basically I pull from so many places and make out our own. I am using some of the suggested reading with our history and literature this year. So, you can always request a catalog from them and go through it and use all or pick and choose to fit your family. I hope my ramblings helped.
I have the Sonlight IGs for Core 3 and 4 but we do not use the Lang Arts (so I don't have that part of the guide). We just use it for history/readers/readalouds. My IGs do not contain any student sheets so I don't know what the LA guide has. Mine just has the comprehension questions to ask with answers and other tips & teaching points. My understanding of SL's Lang Arts.....you either love it or you hate it (even the new revised version). I'm one to insist on strong grammar exercises so I knew that I wanted something different at least for now just by its general presentation online. The wonderful thing at Sonlight is their 180 day return policy if you aren't satisfied (be sure to read the particulars). We purchased the full Core 3 from SL. For Core 4, I bought the IG and several books but got at least half the books we plan to use from other sources. I do have friends who just use the book list from the catalog and add that their to whatever else they're using. I like having all the reading comp stuff in case I don't have to time to pre-read every book. With 3 to school, I don't always have to time :lol:
I didnt like Sonlights LA. I too want a strong grammar program and Sonlights was anything but. Look into Winter Promise. Their LA program uses a few different programs... more workbooky type stuff, which I happen to prefer. I'd love to try IEW for writing and Abeka for grammar. I just dont have the funds to buy IEW just yet.
We just got IEW and I can recommend it. We haven't gotten past lesson 2 because we're finishing up our current school year's other subjects....but I like what we've done so far!! Having used Abeka 4th grade this year....look at R & S too before you decide. Both are thorough but R & S has less "busywork" or at least that's the general consensus from my 2 girls who begged me to dump Abeka (not because of the material but because of all the endless exercises intended for classrm use). Or maybe it's that I can more easily decide what to "skip" in R & S. Abeka always intermixed topics and I had a hard time deciding what to "skip" to lighten her load a bit. Abeka is thorough though so we aren't switching because it doesn't do a good job...just for personal preference.
Grammar worksheets come with the IG with Sonlight English. We don't use the textbooks, just the worksheets. The notes on parts of speech are very comprehensive in the IG & as my child is a *whole picture* learner rather than sequential this works for us. The grammar at core 5 (where we came in) seems to be a pretty high standard. You can order extra worksheets if you need/want them.
Yes, SL tends to be a little high-level in all of their stuff. I've only used the history IGs, but if you're considering Sonlight you should also look at Winter Promise. It is very similar in setup, not quite so intensive but more hands-on, and I feel that the readers are much more age-appropriate. WP uses a literature based approach to Charlotte Mason philosophies, and is unabashadly Christian.
SL user here. . .and we do love it. ;-) I'm surprised that you're considering just the lang arts though. Many people find it the weaker part of the program. But yes, the lang. arts IG has everything you need to teach--work sheets, assignments etc. I would highly recommend that you spend some time reading some of the ideas that Ruth Beechick presents on how you do language arts. If it rings true with you, you'll like SL. If it doesn't. . .you won't. I hate to do grammar exercises; I tend to think that it's better learned elsewhere through writing or foreign language. (To each his own. . .I'm just letting you know where I'm coming from bc if you want sentence diagramming and stuff. . .you will not like SL). Basically they have the week set up as follows: Mon. is copywork Tues. is grammar. . .usually based on the copywork Wed. is usually a pre-writing assignmnet Thurs. is the writing assignment Fri. is usually some type of word game or something I add a writing assignment to Monday (a free journal) and Tuesday (usually a story starter) and I use Friday as an edit and polishing day as well as having my dd write stuff for her history scrapbook. HTH
Thank you everyone for the replies. I have ordered a catalog - so then I'll be able to see the lists of books recommended to go with the program. The primary reason that I am considering the LA program is for the book study/comprehension/vocabulary. (I already have a grammar program that works well for us.) For those who have used this aspect of Sonlight - do you feel that it is also well done? I had made a cursory look at Winterpromise for it's History materials and I was shocked at their prices! Do you have to purchase a whole set - or will they sell just an instructor guide?
LOL That's a trick question. . .;-) I think it depends on what you're looking for. I feel it's well done but again, I hate doing gammar and useless reading comprehension questions. There is not a lot of literary analysis included. So if you're looking for something like a book and then a chapter by chapter analysis of what to teach--you'll likely be disappointed. If that's the case, I definitely recommend looking at their reading lists. . .I think that they're one of the best reading lists out there. For each chapter of a book you might get: geography if applicable some notes on historical significants. . .again if applicable some cultural notes for things that are mentioned in the book and one or two comprehension questions If you're looking for a lot more than that--this is not the program for you. The IG is mostly for the purpose of scheduling. I think it's helpful. . .but it's not a tool of great literary analysis. This is one of the chief complaints about SL from some people. I happen to follow a very Charlotte Mason/Beechick type approach and am very pleased with it. I think it's excellent but if that's not your style or philosophy, you likely won't love it. I have to say this though. . .my dd is 9 and about a year ago I thought I was failing in lang arts. Her writing wasn't brilliant, her penmanship was seriously atrocious and things were just not clicking like I wanted them to. ;-) She had a hard time writing anything more than a paragraph and frankly, behind what I saw her peers doing--she was behind. So I tried a few things, tweeked a bit and ended up right back with a CM/Beechick philosophy. Now at 9 she writes brilliantly. I did add more penmanship practice and of course she learned cursive this year. But things like vocabulary, sentence structure, etc. all came from reading great literature. If that doesn't describe something you're comfortable in doing (a 'natural' approach) you should look at Winter's Promise. ;-) LOL And maybe take out a second mortgage to afford it!!! (just kidding)
OK I just order the Sonlight 3+4 Core and then I find THIS!!!! As far as the LA question, I have a friend who really likes it, but we use Winston Grammar and I have avid writers, so I didn't get it even though she really was trying to sway me. I think I really wanted it (Sonlight) for the American History part of it... Ambelside Online is a great place for CM followers...it seems very advanced as far as the reading selections, but looks like a great program and it's free (except for the readers.)
Yeah. . .I like Ambleside online. . .but prefer SL. I use ambleside online when I need fillers. The history from SL is excellent IMO. I know some people prefer textbooks but I think reading historical fiction and non-fiction really helps put it into context. and yes, SL is pretty academically rigorous--but naturally so. ;-)
You'll like Core 3+4. We're doing Core 3 and then Core 4....stretching it out over 2-3 years because we're adding VA history, etc....and my oldest loves to read extra books....which is fine because she's not interested (nor am I) to do Core 5. So we'll do Core 6 and 7 for 7th and 8 the grades (or another world history....have to decide when we get there).
Veritas Press is another with excellent booklists. I am supplementing from there. My degree was in literature so notes & analysis I don't need but don't go with Sonlight if you want something like that because you won't find it. DD is just starting grade 8 & I don't require in depth analysis from her yet. She is a child who will really struggle to formalise her thoughts & responses but putting information in to her via reading works beautifully. Fishing that information out is another matter but I can tweak Sonlight better to suit her than most programs I looked at.
Hm.. LOL WP packages are cheaper than SL packages, aren't they?? The Core6 history I looked at was over $600, and WP's runs about $350. But yes, you can buy just the IG.
