MamaWit Haven: Homeschool Subject-by-Subject: What We're Using For Language Arts

It's Friday! And it's time for another review on curriculum we've been using this year. This collaboration is hosted by April at The Simple Rugged Path, Michelle at The Brave Homeschooling Mama, and Ashley at Joyful Noise Living. Each of these ladies have wonderful content on their channels about faith, mothering, homeschooling, and more. Be sure to check them out!

So far, we've talked about the curriculum we use for Science and History. Now, it's time to discuss Language Arts. As always, there will be a playlist at the end of this post. I'm looking forward to see what everyone else is using!

What We Use for Spelling

Spelling Power, by Beverly L. Adams-Gordon. I've been using this for years, as you can tell! The book started falling apart, so I have it in a 3-ring binder. Because of the reading you have to do to get started, many people don't like this program. But, seriously, the reading to learn how to do it, at least to me, is worth it! You only have to read it once, or at least until you get it.

The lists in Spelling Power are arranged according to phonetic rules, and then in increasing levels of difficulty.

How our actual lessons look like is this: test for 5 minutes or until the student gets 3 words wrong, whichever comes sooner; then, they study the words according to the procedure in to Spelling Power. With 3 words or less to study, this should take them about 5 minutes. Finally, they have to write sentences using each of the words they had to study.

Total time for spelling for each student should take roughly 15 minutes per day, once you get the procedure down. That's why I say, it's totally worth it to read and figure out how to do it! We do this 3 days per week, and then on Day 4, I follow the same procedure, but with all the words they've gotten wrong that week. This is laid out in Spelling Power, and it really helps reinforce those words.

What We Use for Grammar

For grammar lessons, we use the books put out by My Father's World, according to grade level. Language Lessons for Today are modified by My Father's World, based on Emma Serl's books, Primary Language Lessons and Intermediate Language Lessons. These books were originally published in 1911, and My Father's World obtained permission to update the lessons as needed. These lessons for the elementary and middle school years are simple. However, they are effective in teaching elementary grammar naturally through good literature, poetry, dictation, narration, picture study, and brief, informative lessons.

These lessons can also be done in about 10-15 minutes a day. Some require the student to write, but many can be done orally if you wish. We do these lessons 3 days a week, and one book lasts us for the year.

What We Use for Reading

At my kiddos' ages, 10 and 13, reading is done very simply. We will go through my book lists and together pick out a book for them to read for a few weeks. We check it out from the library. Then, each day, they spend 30 minutes reading in it. After the 30 minutes are up, they each tell me about what they read that day. Then, the book gets put away until the next day. If they are really into it, they are welcome to read further during their free time.

What We Use for Vocabulary

This year for vocabulary, we are studying Latin root words using English From the Roots Up, by Joegil K. Lundquist. Each week, we do 2 roots, making our own flashcards for each. On the flashcards, we include the definition of the root, plus common words that use that root and their definitions. With those common words, the kids have to write out sentences using them. At the end of the week, I give them an oral test on the meanings of the roots we learned that week, as well as all the past roots we have learned.

What We Use for Writing

Once again, we use books put out by My Father's World for our writing. In 3rd or 4th grade (depending on if they're ready), they start Writing Skills for Today. These books are based off of Writing Strands, by Master Books. My Father's World obtained permission from Master Books to modify the books for their homeschool families, in order to break down the lessons more simply.

The length of each lesson varies. Some are just preemptive reading, some require some research and writing drafts for papers. I would say, average, we spend 30 minutes per day. We only do writing from these books 2 days per week.

Changes are in the making

That's it for our Language Arts choices for this past year. I hope this post was helpful! I will throw out a teaser and say, as much as I've loved My Father's World and for as long as I have used it with my kids, there will be some changes coming for our next school year. Partially because I would be going back through the family cycle for the 3rd time, and partially because not all kids are the same, and I've been having to consider changes with my younger 2 that were not an issue with my oldest.

But that's for another post! Starting next month, I will be cohosting a collaboration where we share what curriculum choices we are making for our next school year. I am so excited to share with you the changes we will be making, so definitely stay tuned for that!