First Language Lessons is an easy-to-use, scripted guide to grammar and composition that makes successful teaching simple for parents. The series uses the classical techniques of memorization, copywork, dictation, and narration to develop your child's language ability in the formative first years of study.
First Language Lessons Levels 1 and 2
This one book is all you need to teach grammar and writing for first and second grade. The lessons are short but effective; each one takes 5-15 minutes. The first 40 lessons are oral, since most first graders are not ready to do a lot of pencil-work. (There are enrichment exercises for those children who write easily.)
This book teaches grammar concepts in a gentle, yet thorough, way. In just minutes a day, two to three times per week, your child will learn eight parts of speech, the basic rules of capitalization and punctuation, the four types of sentences, and beginning storytelling and narration skills. For a detailed list of the topics covered in first and second grade, click here. To purchase the book (spiral-bound and hardback editions are on sale: $20.95!), click here.
You can also purchase the audio companion to Levels 1 and 2 (click here for info). This CD is an excellent memory aid; it contains all the poems to be memorized, as well as chanted and sung versions of the all the lists of the parts of speech. The audio companion also contains dramatic readings of all the stories in the book (so it is perfect for rest time, too).
First Language Lessons Level 3
See Sample Lessons of the Teacher's Guide and the Student Workbook.
Level 3 reinforces the grammar and writing concepts introduced in the previous levels. It also introduces new material, including sentence diagramming. Level 3 has two parts: the instructor book and the student workbook. The instructor book has the same simple-to-use, scripted format as the previous levels. The accompanying student workbook makes it easier for busy parents to spend more time teaching, and less time preparing (you don't have to hand-draw any diagram frames!).
First Language Lessons Level 3 is designed to follow Levels 1 and 2, but can be used as a first grammar text for older students. The optional end-units on writing letters, dictionary skills, and oral usage allow you to tailor the instruction to the needs of your child.
For a detailed list of the topics covered in Level 3, click here.
Topics Covered in First Language Lessons, Levels 1, 2, and 3
Topics Covered in Level 1
- Common nouns (persons, places, things, and ideas)
- Proper nouns
- First names
- Family names
- Middle names
- Cities and states
- Days of week
- Months of the year
- Holidays
- Personal pronouns
- Action Verbs
- Seasons
- Initials
- Addresses
- Titles of Respect
- Dates
- Sentences
- Statements
- Commands
- Questions
- Exclamations
- Capitalization
- The pronouns
- Proper nouns
- Titles of works
- In poetry
- 6 Poem Memorizations
- 8 Story Narrations
- 4 Picture Narrations
Topics Covered in Level 2
Common and proper noun review- Writing thank-you notes
- Writing postcards
- Writing a friendly letter
- Addressing an envelope
Topics Covered in Level 3
Items in blue are new to this level.
- Parts of a book
- Common and Proper Nouns
- Forming plural nouns
- Pronouns
- Action verbs
- Helping verbs
- State of being verbs
- Linking verbs
- Sentences
- Statements
- Commands
- Questions
- Exclamations
- Adjectives
- Possessive nouns (a.k.a. adjectives that tell "whose")
- Articles
- Adverbs (including adverbs that tell "to what extent")
- Direct objects
- Simple and complete subjects and predicates
- Predicate nominatives
- Predicate adjectives
- Prepositions
- Prepositional phrases
- Object of the preposition
- Initials
- Titles of Respect
- Months of the year (with abbreviations)
- Days of week (with abbreviations)
- Conjunctions
- Commas in a series
- Commas in Direct Address
- Contractions
- Direct quotations
- Indirect quotations
- Compound subjects
- Compound verbs
- Comparative and superlative adjectives
- Interjections
- Diagramming of
- Subjects (including compound subjects)
- Verbs and verb phrases (including compound predicates)
- Adjectives modifying subjects, direct objects, and predicate nominatives
- Adverbs modifying verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs
- Direct objects
- Predicate nominatives
- Predicate adjectives
- Command sentences (the "you" understood subject)
- Question sentences (rearranging word order)
- Conjunctions (in compound subjects, compound verbs, and direct objects)
- Interjections
- Contractions
- 6 Nonfiction Narration Exercises
- 6 Poem Memorizations
- Optional End-Units
- Writing Letters
- Writing dates
- Writing a thank-you letter
- Addressing the envelope
- Writing a friendly letter
- Dictionary Skills
- Alphabetizing by first, second, and third letter
- Looking up words in the dictionary
- Parts of the entry
- Syllables and phonetic spelling
- Words with more than one meaning and/or pronunciation
- Synonyms and antonyms (using a thesaurus)
- Oral Usage
- Common irregular verbs
- Sit and set
- Lay and lie
- Subject and object pronouns
- Avoiding double negatives
- Writing Letters
Using the Classical Techniques
The Four Strand ApproachStrand 1: Memorization
In First Language Lessons, the student memorizes grammar rules and definitions as well as poetry. Young students are highly retentive and enjoy memorizing!
Memorizing Poetry
The rewards of memorizing poetry are two-fold. First, poems store beautiful language in the student's mind. Second, memorizing poetry gives the student confidence that he can indeed retain material. This confidence will extend to other school subjects, and he will memorize material from history, science, and literature.
Memorizing Rules and Definitions
The child memorizes the definitions of the parts of speech and the list of helping verbs and prepositions. The rules and definitions may not be completely understood when they are committed to memory, but they will be a resource for the child as he continues to exercise his growing language skills.
Strand 2: Copywork and Dictation
Copywork
This early training in writing uses correct models to shape the child's writing skills. It also allows children to practice proper writing techniques without forcing them to come up with original ideas. This classical technique is particularly useful in the early grades, while children are still learning the mode of written language. Copying allows the student to store in his mind (and muscle memory) the look and feel of properly written language.
Dictation
When you dictate a sentence to the student, he must write it without looking at a written model. Dictation teaches the student to picture a sentence in his mind before putting it down on paper. Dictation should be a precursor to any original writing, since it allows the young writer to practice mechanics without also struggling to produce original content.
Strand 3: Narration
The student practices producing original content orally. Narration develops the child's ability to focus on one point and express his ideas in complete sentences. First Language Lessons uses two types of narration.
Picture Narration
The child examines a picture and then answers questions about the picture. This trains the child in attention, observation, and expression. The technique is used in the first two levels of this series.
Story Narration
Story narration is simply the student retelling a passage that he has read or heard, putting it in his own words. Narration helps the student to listen with attention, to grasp the main point of a work, to think through a sequence of events, and to reproduce the events in his own words in proper, logical order. In the first two levels, the child narrates stories. In the third level, the child narrates from nonfiction passages from history and science.
Strand 4: Grammar
This book teaches advanced grammar concepts to young students in a pleasant way. Grammar is taught in dialog with the child; he is actively engaged with you and the material. The concepts and skills are reinforced with the classical techniques of memorization, copywork, and dictation.
About the Authors
Jessie Wise, a former elementary school teacher and principal, is an educational consultant, speaker, and writer. She is the co-author of The Well-Trained Mind, A Guide to Classical Education at Home and The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. She is also the author of Levels 1 and 2 of the First Language Lessons series.
Sara Buffington is a writer and children's book editor with teaching experience of her own. She is the co-author of The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need a separate writing program?
First Language Lessons is primarily a grammar program, but you can't teach grammar in isolation. Proper grammar is evidenced in writing. First Language Lessons uses the classical techniques of copywork, dictation, and narration. These are the same techniques the child uses to develop his writing ability in the early grades. First Language Lessons teaches you how to do copywork, dictation, and narration, but in order give your child adequate instruction in writing, he needs to practice these skills outside of the grammar lesson as well. You can select sentences for him to copy from his history, literature, and science books. You can have him narrate from short passages in his other subjects as well. At this level, the narrations should be guided (you ask the child questions after you read the passage to make sure he understood the material). Here is a list of what you should be doing in each grade:
First Grade:
Copywork 2 days/week
Narration 2 days/week
Second Grade
Copywork 1 day/week
Dictation 1 day/week
Narration 2 days/week
Third Grade
Dictation 2 days/week
Narration 2 days/week
This list represents the total amount of copywork, narration, and dictation that a child should be doing each week. If the second-grade child does dictation as part of his grammar lesson, do not make him do dictation in another subject that week (unless he wants to).
Q: What other resources do I need to round out language arts study?
Language arts includes reading, writing, spelling, and grammar. First Language Lessons is your grammar. For writing, see the above question. For reading, you need to teach the child how read phonetically. (We wrote a reading book, The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. Go to www.ordinaryparents.com to learn more about that book.) The child also needs to read literature (or be read aloud to). If you are using The Story of the World series, and your child is reading some of the books on the supplemental literature list, you are fulfilling that requirement. For spelling, you can go back through your phonics book and use it as a spelling primer, or you can use a separate spelling program such as Spelling Workout or Spelling Power. The student also needs a penmanship program, such as Zaner-Bloser or Handwriting Without Tears. Once the child is forming letters easily, see the question above to develop his writing.
Q: Is Level 3 the new Well-Trained Mind recommendation for third grade grammar?
Yes. First Language Lessons Level 3 is Susan and Jessie's top choice for third grade grammar, over Rod and Staff and Voyages in English. A student who has completed Level 3 should have no problem transitioning to the 4th grade level of either of those programs.
Q: How closely should I follow the lesson scripting?
That is up to you. Some parents like to open the book and read the scripting verbatim. Others like to use the scripting as a jumping-off point, substituting their own phrasing or modifying an exercise so it is more meaningful and effective for their particular child.
Q: I scanned the first lessons in Level 1 and the child says the definition of a noun so many times. Is all that repetition really necessary?
Yes. The goal of memorizing short grammar rules and definitions is not for the child to remember a definition for ten minutes, or even for ten days. The goal is for the child to remember it for the rest of her life. The rules and lists are an invaluable resource that the child will draw upon in later years. You may find it boring and tedious to repeat a definition three times a day, but your young child does not. She delights in showing off her mastery of the material, and she benefits from all the repetition. Do your best to hide your boredom and pleasantly drill the rules and lists. This takes a few minutes per day, and the rewards will last your child's lifetime.
Q: Why teach diagramming?
Level 3 introduces the sentence diagram. This is essentially a picture of a sentence; a diagram shows how all of the sentence parts operate. At this level, a diagram is a visual reinforcement of the function of each part of speech and clearly displays the complete subject and predicate. Plus, most students find it very fun. (The diagram of "Cooks mixed sugar, milk, flour, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, apples, and raisins," looks like a giant spider!)
Level 3 is a gentle introduction to diagramming. Future levels in this series will continue to work on this skill. It is not only a benefit to grammar study; a student who knows how to diagram can improve his writing. If he writes an unclear, poorly-constructed sentence that simply sounds wrong, he can find and fix the error by attempting to diagram the sentence. The diagram will quickly reveal the error (you can spot a misplaced modifier in an instant). The student can then rewrite his sentence. He is learning to edit his own work: he can find his own error, tell you why it is wrong, and fix it himself.
Q: Are there any plans for future books in this series?
Yes. We are currently working on Level 4 (no release date yet).
If you have any other questions, you can email them to info@peacehillpress.com.
