I am pondering which to choose for a particular dc after I have decided to go with something all in one next year for all of the kids. This dc is a 7 yr old ds who does not write cursive yet and is not fluently reading yet. I had planned to just get all Abeka next year for each child, but upon further questions and reviewing Abeka's 2nd grade...I am debating choosing BJU for this child. I am wondering if anyone has used both BJU and Abeka in elementary and can shed some light on which would be better for ds. The downsides to Abeka 2nd grade right now are: 1. Cursive writing is expected. 2. Phonics is pretty much over in the first few months of 2nd grade. 3. Seems fluent reading is expected at the start of 2nd grade. The downsides to BJU 2nd grade right now are: 1. Cost ($200+ higher than Abeka) 2. I don't really know much about it besides the few samples I have seen online. I would really like some feedback from anyone who has done BJU in the lower elementary and what they thought of it and if possible can anyone compare BJU to Abeka in the elementary years.
We used Abeka from K-12. In my experience Abeka used Phonics past the grade that you stated and from K-2 students learned to read and from 3rd grade on, they read to learn. Abeka has a really good reading program with lots of Phonics reinforcement. Learning to read was really painless for my kids and they learned how to read easily and still LOVE to read. My vote, Abeka!
I really like BJU over Abeka. BJU has really updated over the years and has a lot of critical thinking. I also like the layout better. I think it is more developmentally appropriate at the various levels and goes far more in depth than Abeka in every area basically.
I think Abeka is one of those things where you really NEED to start in the beginning with them, else be prepared to spend the first year "catching up" because of the way the program is written and designed. If I were to switch to Abeka at 2nd grade I think I might buy a couple of the First grade classes (mainly Phonics and Handwriting though maybe math depending) and work through them before starting Second grade.
I did some abeka in 1st and 2nd, used a different phonics program. In 3rd grade we went all abeka and it was fine. My kids were mostly reading at this point (one easily, one with a little more difficulty). I really like abeka, I also like BJU. Next year my ds will be doing BJU history and Abeka language, math and Bible. We like both programs and I think that they are both good. I would read up on both and see what you think your child would enjoy the most. Best of luck.
He is doing ABeka math this year. I looked into the Abeka 1st phonics/reading plus handwriting and it would be $220 just for those subjects in 1st plus the cost of the 2nd grade. So that would make it equivalent in cost to BJU 2nd grade without me having to get 1st grade materials as well. This is what ds7 is doing for 1st grade this year and doing well in Phonics-MCP Plaid Phonics Level A and MCP Phonics is Fun Level 1 Reading-Reading Lesson and Hooked on Phonics 1st grade level 1 and 2 (the new editions) Math-ABeka All About Numbers 1 Handwriting-Handwriitng without tears My Printing Book Grammer-First Language Lessons 1 That is the 3 r's he is doing now. He is reading but won't have learned most of the special sounds and digraphs b/c MCP doesn't cover them in A but covers them in B. Just from looking at Abeka samples I would think that he would still need the 2nd half of 1st grade phonics/reading and a transitional manuscript to cursive for us to be able to jump into the 2nd grade "kit". I guess my biggest worry is that Abeka is much faster paced in reading instruction and phonics than what we have been using-MCP Plaid Phonics. My other dc are older and reading well and know cursive so it won't be as much of a transition for them to jump into Abeka. The samples for BJU 2nd grade reading and worktext looked more similar to what he has been doing in the MCP Plaid Phonics. He doesn't have the greatest fine motor skills/handwriting in the world either. We are still working on a lot of that type of instruction. They are both great curriculums. I have used both as a student back in the dark ages going to private school. Abeka was used at the private school that I went to in elementary and BJU at the private school that I went to for middle/jr. high years. I don't really have any knowledge of BJU on the elementary level and am basing my decisions on the samples on their site. I just think 2nd grade is a rough year to jump into Abeka with him doing a slower paced phonics program and not writing very well yet and not knowing how to write cursive much less read cursive.
You know - you are looking at him NOW for next year - there is still a TON of time. 1. You can get handwriting books for him - even from currclick.com or something to help transition him over the summer - or even start now. Funny thing is my dd's handwriting is now better in cursive than it is in print and that's all we are doing for handwriting - copywork copywork copywork. 2. You can do the same with phonics. Work with starfall.com and things like that over the summer and he WILL get it. All because it doesn't come in the curriculum doesn't mean you can do extra stuff. With the $200 you would be saving with going with Abeka, I'm sure you could find a simple workbook for phonics and handwriting
Thanks everyone for the replies and suggestions. I am going to get BJU 2nd grade for him this next year. While it is true that I am ordering early, he is a slow and steady wins the race learner when it comes to reading. We have many failed programs and money wasted to show for that. He has done starfall, reading eggs, and several more. His fine motor skills also need some time to develop. It isn't really cheaper if you spend an extra $300 buying more things to alter or tweak it. I tried that route this year and wound up spending as much for the kids as I would have just buying the more expensive curriculum. That was a shocker when I added up all the receipts and it came to $1500 b/c I had to buy extras and this and that didn't work. He is doing copywork with First Language Lessons and making improvements, but he is no where near the level he would be expected to write in Abeka. I am not knocking Abeka. I grew up with it, but I don't think switching him in 2nd grade would be beneficial to him or me. I think it would put him at a frustration level of learning instead of instructional. If it were the girls at this level, then it wouldn't be an issue; but, he is a very different learner than the girls. Again, I appreciate all the replies and advise.
I have home educated for over 17 years and have used both Bob Jones and ABeka. I have always liked ABeka better. Didn't like Bob Jones Science at all. Their math is ok but still prefer ABeka. Plus as you said Bob Jones is way overpriced!! I still use a lot of ABeka but also do some other things for the past few years. If I was using straight curriculum though I would stick with ABeka. Here is what I have done for the past 7 or 8 years or so. Science: ABeka (plus I supplement with lots of real books) History: Kingfisher Encyclopedia for younger grades and Streams of Civilization for older ones. I have a long list of books that correspond with each chapter that they are to read. English: ABeka Math: Abeka Geography: Holling Studies for younger kids (Beautiful Feet) and I write my own for the older Spelling: Rod and Staff first choice, then ABeka Latin/Greek Root Word Studies: Critical Thinking Company Thinking Skills: Critical Thinking Company I also use Eyewitness books and others to make up an Intro/Integrated Physics/Chemistry course
I prefer A Beka over Bob Jones when it comes to Language Arts. We no longer use all A Beka but I still use some of their language curriculum because it has proven its weight in gold; for us. A Beka hits phonics hard until the end of 3rd grade. Still, they have special books and cards that you can use as a reference later down the line. We used Bob Jones for two years for English/Grammar and we went back to A Beka because it works for us. Bob Jones also worked but I thought that something was lacking. As for A Beka's cursive, you do not have to use the cursive unless you want to. We started cursive in K and it worked for us.
i vote for BJU we love thier english! I discovered the grade school BJU too late for my first two but my third loved it! Has really become a great little writter becuase he loves his english lessons now. We out grew it and so are now using Writing strands, daily grams and another book to meet his expectations! So cooL!
BJU has been completely rewritten over the last 6-7 yrs I think. So reviews older than that would not really apply. I do not like their old versions. But their newer stuff, which is all you can buy new now anyway, is wonderful. It starts off slower in presenting topics, but it is very thorough and wonderful with critical thinking and problem solving and explanations. It is laid out in a fashion that is very easy to understand and well organized. Abeka starts out faster, but by end of 6th grade, is behind BJU. I know of some private schools here that will start with Abeka but then switch to BJU for the older grades. I prefer BJU for all along as I see no reason to rush things. I do not like how Abeka introduces many topics early, but then just keeps reviewing and reviewing so it is not introducing anything new. Plus, their history and science is so short that when my son was in kinder, someone gave us Abeka history and science and my son read the history in 1 sitting. I see no reason to introduce cursive early. My children are all pretty much interested in careers in math and science. They need to know print because of this. But for careers where cursive would be important, like long papers, well, people type those now. Cursive is a little important, but not very. It can wait. Print helps a child learn more fine motor control. BJU does not use true manuscript but rather a modern one. But Abeka does cursive in the begining anyway, so neither teach print. BJU comes closer though. Abeka English is not heavy enough on the writing and you will likely need to suppliment there. I am not saying this based on my own experience, but rather the review from Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer.
