Wanting to stay with Sonlight- Grammar & Writing Questions

[Loupelou]

Okay, I have had to think hard to phrase this so it's coherent!

We have been doing Sonlight for years, we love the history and the literature. I have enjoyed the writing assignments although I think there is sometimes a lack of clear instruction. We have supplemented the writing occasionally with Winston Grammar, and Explode the Code, Wordly Wise and now Vocabulary from Classical Roots.

As I have been reading WTM I am wondering if they are really getting the foundation they need in writing and grammar. Should I try a more intensive program especially with my high schooler?

Is there a program that would combine the two and I can still do the SL core?

Am I overreacting?:tongue_smilie:

[mims]

For grammar I think you would really like Analytical Grammar. It has 3 'sections' that are about 6-8 units (weeks) each. So you can cover one unit a year for a couple months and use it over 3 years or any other combination. I feel it really hits all you need in a straight forward way and will not overwhelm the part you do with Sonlight. I would say this could be used from 5th grade all the way through highschool.

I also have found that my kids just need a little more straight forward instruction than Sonlight but I don't want to miss out on some of the Sonlight assignments. So I have salted in IEW a few years here and there. I will then do part time IEW and part time Sonlight depending on which assignments I want. The perfect balance of IEW was the history based ones. They are inexpensive and straight forward to teach and I picked ones that coincided with what we were doing in Sonlight.

With these two additions I am feeling like my kids are getting a real good balance. I will probably include some more intensive essay writing one year in high school and my daughter has requested one year of creative writing using "A One Year Adventure Novel."

Hope that helps!

[Bird Girl]

We've added Michael Clay Thompson's language program to Sonlight and ditched the Sonlight Language Arts guide. It's more conceptual (at this age; approximately grade 3) and has less writing. But as the levels go up, the writing componant intensifies.

[homeschooltoone]

Michael Clay Thompson's language program
That's one I've never heard before. Now I'm off to research it.
thank you

[LindaOz]

I am beginning to use SL cores for history/literature but am using different LA/grammar programs and it is fine. My 7th and 8th graders have Abeka Grammar and Compostition 1 and Analytical Grammar respectively, and I like that they are having the solid grammar teaching along with the SL Core. They also use LLATL, but will be able to incorporate SL assignments as they become relevant.

HTH
Linda

[Loupelou]

Thanks for the suggestions ladies. I have purchased AG and am looking at IEW history based. I have decided to go a different direction with my oldest. My younger ones will use grade appropriate American history along with WWE & FLL.