Galore park

[tmkclscroggins]

has anyone used the Galore Park materials - other than Latin Prep? Any history users or English?

thanks,
Melissa:o

[Laura Corin]

has anyone used the Galore Park materials - other than Latin Prep? Any history users or English?

thanks,
Melissa:o

I recommend the English highly (both Junior English and English Prep) but I'm not so enthusiastic about the maths. If you tell me what age range you are interested in, I can post a review for you.

There are history users on the Yahoo Galore Park group - if you'd like to join it and ask some questions, just email me on laurapublic at gmail dot com.

Best wishes

Laura

[Susie in CA]

We use Galore Park Junior English and love it. I am so excited we found it. It includes everything I was looking for in an English program. The boys also love the reading suggestions in it. That says a lot in my house.

Susie

[tmkclscroggins]

Laura,

They are 8 and 13

[Laura Corin]

Okay. For the 8yo you would need Junior English and for the 13yo English Prep (also known as So You Really Want to Learn English). The age ranges (roughly) are:

7-8 Junior English 1
8-9 Junior English 2
9-10 Junior English 3
10-11 English Prep 1
11-12 English Prep 2
12-13 English Prep 3

Here is a review of English Prep - I haven't written one for Junior English, but the pros and cons are similar. I can answer any specific questions you may have:

We have finished EP1 and are on chapter three of EP2.

EP is a secular language arts progamme designed for children aged 10
to 13/14. We use each book for about a year, taking around 45 minutes
a day. The layout is clean and not too busy. There are two or three
illustrations or cartoons per chapter.

Each book is divided into ten themed chapters. In book one each
chapter includes two prose passages; in book two there are two prose
passages and a poem. For example, one chapter in book one is about
elephants. The first passage is from The Elephant's Child, by Rudyard
Kipling; the second is a letter to The Times newspaper about keeping
elephants in zoos. In book two, one chapter is entitled 'Love' and
contains an extract from Silas Marner, a Shakespeare sonnet and a
description of the life of St. Valentine.

Following each passage are comprehension and vocabulary questions.
The second book also starts to introduce elements of the analysis of
poetry. There is one exercise made up of creative writing prompts -
we do several of these pieces from each chapter. Spelling,
vocabulary, grammar and punctuation follow - many of the examples are
drawn from the passages.

There's a speaking and listening section, which often includes
composing dialogues or speeches, or memorisation. There follows an
extensive list of related books to read. Lastly, there are suggestions
for extra activities (for brighter kids who finish fast in a classroom
setting).

Pros: it's an all-in-one program that does a good job of relating all
its elements. The reading passages are challenging, and there is a
range of suggested reading to cover all abilities. The passages and
poems that are chosen are of extremely high quality: these are not
those bland comprehension passages you come across in some school
texts. In the first two chapters of book 2, Calvin has read and
analysed passages by Mark Twain, Cecil Day Lewis (British Poet
Laureate), William Golding and Charles Causley (just missed being Poet
Laureate), as well as extracts from quality newspapers. Following the
end-of-chapter suggestions, he read Huckleberry Finn, The Day They
Came To Arrest The Book, Fahrenheit 451 and Robinson Crusoe.

Cons: this isn't a con for me, but compared to the US standard, UK
grammar requirements are light. You may well find EP grammar to be
very gentle review. Spelling and punctuation exercises may need to be
done orally if you want to adapt to US standards. Some of the
suggested reading is emotionally, as well as academically, demanding,
so you may need to do some pre-reading.

Potentially more important is the lack of specific writing
instruction. The writing prompts are just that: titles or ideas. If
the pupil is not yet writing fluently and you feel the need of help to
get to that stage, you will have to supplement with a more focused
writing progamme.

Recommendation: I love this programme (can you tell?). It's exactly
what I wanted to find. It's stimulating and challenging, but not
frightening for the pupil. Calvin delights in the passages: the look
on his face as he read Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech,
or dove into a poem by Wole Soyinka was unforgettable.

I recommend it for any child of 11 and up, especially one who is
interested in language. A younger pupil can use it, but watch out for
maturity issues. A child who cannot already put together a written
piece in a variety of genres will need some support.

Laura

[Patricia in WA]

I find them all very well laid out and thought out.

Currently the 11 yr old is using

So You Really Want to Learn Spanish BK 1
French Prep Bk 1
Latin Prep Bk 2
the Greek book that is not published by them but distributed by them until their Greek Prep program is published...???Beginning Greek???


The 9 yr old is using
Latin Prep Bk 1

Both will start using the Study Skills book tomorrow. I am excited.

The 6 yr old is using

Junior History Bk 1

He is enjoying it very much. I am waiting a little bit longer to post a review as we just started it this past Monday.

I plan on getting Junior English Bk 3 or Bk 1 of the older series for my 9 yr old soon but I just can't decide which to go with. He doesn't particularly like fiction (prefers non fiction) but works way ahead grade level.

HTHs,

[Jenny in Atl]

I have LP, Junior History (and number of other history bks they carry), Science, and Study Skills. So far we love them all and wish the was a US equivalent.

[Mama Lynx]

Besides the Latin, we are using SYRWTL Spanish. We also have Junior History 1, but have not yet started it. I love the way History Prep looks (I like to go heavy on British history), and can't wait to order it.

[Lorna]

We are using English Prep 1 and 2, Latin Prep 1, SYRWTL French 1 (as an introduction to the French written language for children with good conversational skills) and SYRWTL History 1 (just at the beginning of Chapter 2).
Our daughter has used English Prep for two years now and it is ideal for her. The literature selections are excellent, the writing and speaking and listening sections are relished by our two. I love the 'Have you read?' section because it helps me keep up a supply of reading for my voracious reader. I like how it is a complete programme and that I can then supplement with books to suit the child (we also use Spelling Workout) without overwhelming them.
The French is excellent because it has a great variety of activities and there is plenty of speaking involved. It gives scenarios for speech and makes learning active. The cd is a very important feature of this course (even if you have excellent spoken French).
Our daughter is really enjoying Latin Prep. We have tried other courses but this is the one I have found most logical. I studied Latin at school using Cambridge and then Ecce Romani (when I changed schools). I struggled to even use Ecce Romani because it seemed to presume a long class preamble and launch into things previously unexplained.
Our daughter has also begun History Prep 1. I like it so far because it is consolidating the facts in her mind. She loves history and we have used an entirely literature based approach so far but I wanted her to learn how to analyse and recall with facts. I also wanted her to learn how to write well about history. The book is just what I was looking for. I am continuing using corresponding literature however to keep it real for her.
I hope this helps,
Regards,
Lorna

[8FillTheHeart]

I purchased a lot of GP materials. I really enjoy the English, but I don't believe it is a very thorough English program. We are having fun with it, but we do much more than is in the text.

I have currently dropped French. I really like the course. It definitely isn't its fault. I have no French background and it was moving too fast for me to keep up with the teaching expectations. I switched to Memoria Press's French and it is a better fit for me right now. Once I hit overlap between the two, I will add it back.

I have dropped the science. It is way too surface oriented for us. It does give a nice overview. But we have spent all our yrs up to now reading entire books on specific topics. The surface skimming of ideas was driving us crazy b/c we want to understand topics more deeply than the simple introduction type material in these books. Also, there is a page in the biology section that is way more graphic on copulation than my comfort level for 12 yr olds. :o

Overall, I wish I hadn't spent the $$ on the 2 for 1 exchange. While the French and English are nice, I think you can find something fairly equivalent without the expense. The Latin.....that I can't comment on since we have been focusing on French and the Latin is on my shelf.

[Jenny in Atl]

I forgot our Spanish and French too! LOL
I have way too many bks :eek: