placement and incorporation of grammar

[aoakes]

First, some background information. My children are 12 (6th grade) and 11 (5th grade) and are very new to a classical form of education. I would like to place them both in the same level as I have 5 children all together. I wanted to have them begin CW the end of January.

My hesitation in ordering a level stems from the fact that I was informed on a different forum that I could not start in Homer unless my children had already had instruction in parsing and diagramming. My children did not do diagramming in public school and when I started homeschooling them we were doing Easy Grammar. (Labeling) I had planned on switching to Analytical Grammar after the holidays but was informed that it would be difficult to incorporate it into CW lessons.

Since they have never done copywork, or narration should I start them in Aesop while they learn parsing and diagramming or can I go ahead and begin them in Homer? If I do use the Harvey's Grammar is it incorporated all the way through 12th grade or is there some point prior when they are done with grammar instruction? If I do choose to use Analytical Grammar would the CW lessons loose some of their effectiveness by not doing them in their entirety as written with Harvey's?

Thanks in advance for your response.

[razorbackmama]

I am so not an expert LOL, but I know someone who uses AG with CW, and she hasn't had any trouble at all. I myself have pondered using it, but I have to admit that having the grammar assignments already laid out in the CW manuals is what is luring me to the Harvey's side of things. I had also been considering using CLE, but I'm having trouble finding people who use CLE and CW together to see how well they jive.

[Lene Mahler Jaqua]

I would suggest starting with Aesop B, doing all of that book in one semester along with analytical grammar with the understanding that you have two priorities

1. getting the CW routine down that semester
2. honing grammar skills and doing Analytical Grammar to fit with CW.

This would be doable.

After that you can purpose to do Homer in 2 semesters, roughly, both A and B.

Lene

[siloam]

Dec 14, 2009 2:41:14 GMT -5 @aoakes said:

My hesitation in ordering a level stems from the fact that I was informed on a different forum that I could not start in Homer unless my children had already had instruction in parsing and diagramming. My children did not do diagramming in public school and when I started homeschooling them we were doing Easy Grammar. (Labeling) I had planned on switching to Analytical Grammar after the holidays but was informed that it would be difficult to incorporate it into CW lessons.

I am using CW Homer with Analytical Grammar (and I assume I am the person whom razorbackmama was referring to, "Hi!"). I can't yet give you a whole picture of how they fit because I haven't done Homer B yet, so I am not 100% sure how it works out practically. I can tell you how AG lines up with Harvey's grammar as outlined in CW.

Aesop actually doesn't have a lot of diagramming and what it does have is considered optional. Homer/Harvey's teaches both parsing and diagramming, so there should be no problem with your children not having done it before. If you do run into problems you can slow Homer down to give them time to absorb it.

The grammar covered in Home A is the same as what is covered in Analytical Grammar Season 1, just in a different order. The grammar covered in Homer B is the same as what is covered in Analytical Grammar Season 2, just in a different order. Thus you should be able to start AG and Homer A without problems.

The possible problem, later on, is that because the concepts are taught in a different you might need a skill in Homer B before you have covered it in AG season 2. Thus it might be a good idea to go ahead and do season 2 of AG before starting Homer B. That way I can guarantee you won't have any problems with the grammar and that is what I have had my oldest do.

Doing both season 1 and 2 of AG also shouldn't be that difficult (other than just being a lot for the child to absorb) as AG season 1 is 10 weeks long and AG season 2 is 7 weeks long for a total of 17 weeks of work where Homer A is a 20 week course. You would then just review grammar by way of Homer B alone, or choose to continue into AG season 3 while doing Homer B.

My dd needs to start Homer B in the next month, so very soon I will have to sit down and really look at the skills and how they line up, then I will have a better idea if you can wait to start AG season 2 with Homer B and still be OK, or what parts of Homer B would need to be modified because skills don't exactly line up. I will try to remember to come back here and post once I have.

Heather [/font][/size]