What do you use? We've been using First Language Lessons and Writing with Ease but are not that impressed. I've happy with spelling and I don't need something formal for writing. What do you guys use for English?
I'm using Rod & Staff for English (grammar). We love it. They don't start English until 2nd, so if you want to start it now (regardless of grade level), you'll need to get the 2nd grade book. We really like it a lot. Shurley would be my 2nd choice (because it goes along with Latin for Children), but for now, we're sticking with R&S.
For 1st grade I am pretty informal. I did use Evan-Moore Grammar workbook with my older son and he enjoyed it. For 2nd grade I used Bob Jones English 3 which covers grammar and writing. I liked the grammar part, but not the writing so much. My younger son is starting first grade and we are going to use Mad Libs as well as informal activities. Literature has a big role in our language arts program.
I really love CLE. The first grade LA is more the advanced phonics, with a little grammar and punctuation. In first grade, you really don't need much more than period and question mark at the end of a sentence; capital letter on names and beginning of a sentence; what is a sentence/phrase; nouns (naming words) and verbs (action/doing words), maybe some adjectives (describing words). I also really like R&S English. The beginning of their program is second grade, which I find a bit more like first-and-a-half rather than second. Third and fourth I find about right for those grades, then in fifth they begin to step it up some so it's fifth-and-a-bit. Sixth, seventh, and eighth step it up considerably, such that eighth is most of what anybody would need for high school. Ninth and tenth would probably get you into a first or even second year college.
I REALLY wouldn't worry about formal grammar until a few years later. It is my observation that a lot of us (myself included) see ALL the information they need to learn and think it needs to be squeezed in at earlier and earlier ages. The amazing thing is even for children with NO formal academics until later (8 or 10), they can catch up to "grade level" very quickly. I do agree with the R&S evaluation about the older grades. I bought a copy of the 8th grade and found it to be too hard for my son. It seemed like more than I had learned in high school.
The thing about R&S is that you can start with the 3rd grade book at any time, finish the 6th grade book by the end of 8th grade, then do 7, 8, 9, 10 through four years of high school OR just finish 7 and 8 through four years of high school (depending on the student) and STILL have a good English education!
For that age , I like the freebie from Scott Foresman. I am not at home so I don't have my links...maybe someone can post it for me.
I'm using Explode the Code 4-5 and Growing with Grammar Grade 2. Both seem pretty quick and simple for my 2nd grade son, but it doesn't seem to hurt for him to get a little reinforcement.
