Has anyone used this? Or is anyone using it currently? I'm looking for opinions. I've read both good and bad. I'd be interested in the 5th or 6th grade level (purple or tan, I believe). Thanks,
I am planning to try this this summer with my dd. Did you know that you can teach math, science, and history using literature. My dh is working on his masters in education, and in the class that he is taking now, he is learning how to do this. Sounds great.
Is it a specific curriculum? I found a few books at our library available for checkout like, What every Kindergatener needs to know, Hooked on Phonics, etc. Maybe you could preview it that way.
Heidi, I've used/am using LLATL. We are currently using the orange set, 4th grade. Both my dd and I like it. I like that it covers all the LA areas in one book; while leaving us enough time to add here and there. We always enjoy the books and her reading comprehension is outstanding. I added another spelling program for her because she needed more work in spelling. I'm often surprised how much she retains. For us it was a much needed break from too many books, workbooks and such. The books that go along with the program are a welcomed break from those boring readers. All of us enjoy them. Some think it is not rigerous enough. We find it just enough to allow us the freedom to explore and enjoy other interest. After two years of using it my dd loves reading and LA. She used to ask for math first. Tammy
Tammy~ Thanks for the input. The break from all the different textbooks/workbooks sounds like a needed change around here too! My dd is wonderful at spelling, so I don't think I'd need to supplement with anything for spelling. I was thinking of maybe looking into something to supplement (occassionally) with reading comprehension, because she seems to be a bit lacking in that area. She will be in 6th this coming year, but I'd like to check out both the 5th and 6th grade before I buy. She had alot of trouble remembering parts of speech, sentence structure, etc. this year; so I'm thinking the more review the better. There are so many new things that I want to implement for next year that are going to take more time than we're spending this year. I don't think we necessarily need "rigorous" language arts if we're filling in with lots of writing, reading, etc.
Valerie, these ladies might be talking about something different, but what I know to be Learning_________ Through Literature is a series of books that you can use to teach Math, Science, Lanuage Arts, using kids' books. What I'm talking about is a single volume for each subject, by grade level. These volumes should be available at the library, and the books they call for should be easy to find, too.
I've used it with Rachael a while back. I liked the fact that it wasn't a lot of preparation. You could more or less sit down "cold" and do it. Also, I could do almost a whole week in one or two days!
No, Becky, I don't think so. "Learning Lanugage Art Through Literature" is a language curriculum put out by Common Sense Press. It is has a Christian perspective and is popular with those follow Charlotte Mason's methods. You start the week by giving a dictation, which the child then proof reads, and then the rest of the week is based on language lessons based on the dictation.
Yeah, what you guys are talking about is different. There is a series out there, though, with the same title. It sounded very similar, too, but the ones I'm referring to aren't Christian.
Funny you mentioned this, because I thought about using that this year to for our literature/reading. I do like the fact that its not textbook in approach. But I have heard the same thing as Tammy.... It does get criticism for not being real rigorous, but i guess most of us tweak anything we can get . I always like having a separate grammar text as well... I hoping to have time to review it at one of the upcoming conventions..
I picked up "Simply Grammar" from the library, and it's working out very well with my oldest. It's Karen Andreola's re-write of Charlotte Mason's book, so some of the language is a bit different. For example, an adjective is NOT a word that "describes a noun". Instead, it's a word that "BELONGS to a noun". I started with both girls together, but soon split them up. Rachael is going on by herself for the most part, and I'm (as Tina always puts it!) "tweaking" with Faythe. I plan on buying it from a friend for next year.
LLATL I use LLATL for my 3rd graders. It definitely is a tad "below grade level," but it is a very nice program nonethelss. I suggest using it, but supplementing with something. For me I supplement with "Easy Grammar." That seems to do the trick!
