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How to Easily Add Language Arts to Homeschool Unit Studies (& Resources)

December 5, 2020 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

One hurdle for delight-directed learning is how to easily add language arts to homeschool unit studies.

The fear of missing something huge can keep some tied to a boxed curriculum. The beauty of unit studies is being able to study topics which ignite your child’s interests.

With that being said, language art skills need to be applied to bodies of knowledge instead of learning language arts skills in isolation. This approach to learning the components of language arts makes it meaningful.

How to Easily Add Language Arts to Homeschool Unit Studies (& Resources)

5 Ways to Add Language Arts to Unit Studies

Look at these 5 ways to easily add language arts to homeschool unit studies.

1. Pair a living book with your unit study.

Although you want to include plenty of living books, depending on the unit study topic you may be using more reference type books.

So if you want to include many elements of language arts, choose one well-written living book to accompany your unit study.

Choose the living book with these things in mind:

  • Aim for the middle to highest reading level of all your children.
  • Keep in mind that it’s easier to scale down for language art components than it is to scale up for your highest level reader. Choose a higher reading level if in doubt.
  • In addition, make sure you understand not only the literary elements like plot, setting, and characters, but the theme too. It’s important for a smooth transition for the theme of the one main living book to connect with the unit study topic. The easiest themes for us in the beginning were ones like good v. evil, courage, and persistence. For example, I chose Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss for our ocean unit study. Surviving on an island as a family if you got shipwrecked appealed as a theme to my kids and is a smooth tie-in to the ocean theme.
  • You can search for booklist ideas here on my site.

Choosing the right living book means the difference with themes which ignite expressive conversations in your house about your unit study theme and your unit study falling flat and being shallow.

Language Arts For Unit Studies

In addition, look at these other components of language arts which can naturally be pulled from a living book:

  • defining vocabulary words;
  • dictation;
  • narration;
  • copywork;
  • outlining;
  • reciting an oral speech;
  • reading; and
  • topics for writing or essays.

The bottom line is that a well-written living book can equal a powerful inclusive language arts component.

When the living book is tied to the unit study topic which has already piqued your child’s interest, you’ve set yourself up for success from the start.

That is why I also love using Literary Adventures for Kids.

You choose a book and your kids can do a self-paced online language art course. Doing an online self-paced course where your child chooses the book is a great tie-in for the language arts component.

Look at my post Online Homeschool High School Poetry (No Teaching Involved).

2. Use Quick Reference Materials Like BarCharts.

Next, I use quick study guides. Realizing how beautifully I could zero in on the exact skill my kids needed to work on, I use them frequently.

Because Quick Study Guides can put information in a nutshell and organize skill by grade level, I use them as general guides.

Look at a few tips on how to use these quick guides:

  • Keep language arts concise and straightforward by learning fewer elements.
  • With my guide in hand, I can pair the objectives on the quick study guide with our main living book to shore up my kids weak areas in language arts.
  • My kids put the guides in their notebooks to use as reference for their writing or grammar. I made copies and we used a single hole punch to add them to their notebook.
  • Also, I could use the guides as a way to orally test my kids or if I wanted to create written quizzes I had a guide.
  • Likewise as my children grew, they can independently review the guides as memorization tools.
How to Easily Add Language Arts to Homeschool Unit Studies (& Resources)

Because quick study guides focus on fewer elements of language arts, our language arts focus could be as complicated or as gentle as we need.

Besides, I’m not paying for a full language arts curriculum, but choosing exactly what my kids need to focus on. Did I mention they last years?

Also, look at this How to Put Together a Homeschooled High School Writer’s Notebook & Free Resources because we added them there. Along with adding free resources online creating a language arts notebooks works.

Add Language Arts to Homeschool Unit Studies

Too, if you live near a Barnes and Noble, I’ve collected several of their guides which are called Quamut. They seem to have more guides about hobbies, but I’ve been able to cull through the quamuts for help in language arts.

However, the SparkCharts are another line of handy references which I love also.

Don’t underestimate the power of the simple and uncomplicated to teach straightforward grammar, punctuation, and types of writing.

You’ll love filling up your bookshelves and notebooks with quick and handy references to get to the point while teaching language arts.

3. Use an Ungraded, Multi-Level Resource.

Then, one of my earliest purchases was one of my best purchases which has stood the test of time.

Kathryn Stout created a series of how-to or reference books for subjects which are basically guides for grades K to 12.

My first purchase was Comprehensive Composition and I used it extensively in my unit studies.

Like the author, Kathryn Stout stated on her site she wrote the Design-A-Study guides to provide both a framework of objectives and detailed methods for teaching basic subjects effectively.

Homeschool Language Arts

For example, having a scope and sequence for composition which can be applied to any unit study for all your kids at one time is sanity-saving.

Equally, despite the age differences between your kids reference guides which lays out objectives and goals keeps composition related to the topic.

What I learned from teaching my kids about composition until high school is that boredom springs from writing about meaningless topics.

An ungraded, multi-level resource gives you freedom to learn how to write well on topics which are meaningful to your family.

However, another useful feature of filling your shelves with resources like these is that you’re using them for years. Unlike curriculum where you’re constantly switching out, a multi-age resource is timeless.

Look at few more resources for multiple grades:

  • The Art of Poetry is another HUGELY successful multi-level tool with great background information for you the teacher and great details. I REALLY love this resource. Look at my post How to Easily Add Poetry to Your Homeschool Subjects where we used it and continue to refer to it.
  • How to Teach Children Shakespeare is another keeper because teaching Shakespeare doesn’t have to wait for high school. Look at my post How To Teach Your Homeschooled Children Shakespeare.

Also, another long time keeper in the homeschool world is the book If You’re Trying to Teach Kids How to Write . . . Revised Edition: You’ve Gotta Have This Book! which is from Preschool to 12.

Having books to give you the big picture along with details of how to implement language arts daily keeps unit studies fun. Plus you know you’re not really missing any big language arts gap.

Then, other newer versions of helps for multiple levels have come along like Everything You Need to Ace English Language Arts in One Big Fat Notebook.

4. Play games.

Also, playing games is another fun and easy way to add language arts to unit studies.

While playing games is a fun way to learn language arts, it’s not always a smooth tie-in to a unit study topic. However, I love having options.

I use games sometimes to keep language arts front and center if I don’t have an exact language art tie-in to our current unit study.

  • You’ll love Sheppard Software online language arts game.
  • Look at Listography. Preserve your story through your lists and stay inspired.
  • Rory’s Story Cubes is a great ways to learn about stories hands-on. Whether you bring a fun element to your homeschool or have a special needs child, rolling the cubes are fun.
  • Another favorite is Scrabble. Attempt to think of words used in your unit study and spell them. It helps with vocabulary too.
  • Mad Libs are timeless and fun play.

Don’t forget that I have the Ultimate Unit Study Planner. Having an eye for detail and creating many unit studies with multiple levels of kids, I know you’ll love it.

  • 1. Ultimate DIY Homeschool Unit Study Planner

    $5.99
    Add to cart

5. Free Curriculum Online.

Then of course nothing beats free – ever. However, I didn’t list free resources first because sometimes it’s harder to use free resources.

Not always related to your unit study curriculum, free curriculum can be hard to tie to your subject.

So what I’ve learned through the years is to cover the parts of language art which naturally fit into my current unit study.

Then, I can add in supplementary or free resources.

  • Here is my post Free Middle and High School Homeschool Language Arts.
  • Here is a fun way to cover grammar for the littles. It’s a grammar living book, Grammar Land from 1878. It’s in the public domain.
  • Holt Elements of Language. Here is an entire student handbook broken down into separate .pdfs. It looks high school level.
  • Free Daily Grammar online.
How to Easily Add Language Arts to Homeschool Unit Studies (& Resources)

Do not let fear of missing something make you miss out on delight-directed learning.

Fill your shelves with more how-to books so that you truly enjoy the freedom of homeschooling in the way that best fits your children.

Do you have any favorite multi-level teaching resources or ways you add language arts to your unit studies?

You’ll love some of these other helps:

  • 7 Budget-Friendly Language Arts Curriculum to Pair with Unit Studies (with printable)
  • 24 Borderline Genius Ways To Relieve Language Arts Boredom 
  • 20 Ideas for Bringing Writing Alive through Unit Studies
  • What You Must Know to Teach High School Unit Studies
  • 3 Things To Remember When Homeschool Unit Studies Get Complicated
  • Diving into Homeschool Unit Studies : The Dos and Don’ts

Hugs and love ya,

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Do Unit Studies, Homeschool Multiple Ages of Children, Teach Homeschool Language Arts, Teach Unit Studies Tagged With: grammar, high school literature, homeschool grammar, homeschoolanguagearts, language arts, languagearts, middleschool, penmanship, phonics, teachingwriting, unit studies, writing

BEST Curriculum by Homeschoolers for Homeschoolers

August 1, 2018 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Homeschooling today is different than it was when I started. Today, it seems all types of educational companies are wanting to make a buck off of homeschoolers. Don’t get me wrong. I love all the choices, but when it comes to teaching our kids at home some homeschool curriculum is superior to others. One area of curriculum that I’m thrilled to see an explosion in is curriculum by homeschoolers for homeschoolers.

3 Reasons to Love Curriculum by Homeschoolers For Homeschoolers

If you don’t already appreciate why that is important, look at these three reasons why you’ll love curriculum by homeschoolers.

I love all the choices, but when it comes to teaching our kids at home some homeschool curriculum is superior to others. One area of curriculum that I'm thrilled to see an explosion in is curriculum by homeschoolers for homeschoolers. CLICK HERE!Then, you’ll love the round up of homeschool curriculum which makes our job of teaching at home a delight.

One/ Curriculum written by a homeschooler assumes we don’t have a teacher’s background in a subject. You have to love that part.

When I started teaching my first son at home, I remember that the math book which was written for a public school was hard for me to understand.

Like most of you, I’m fairly capable of teaching any subject or at least tackling it if I knew a bit of the background information.

Curriculum written by homeschoolers can take more time to explain the foundation or background of a subject. Giving me a foundation or direction as to what I’m teaching educates me too alongside my kids. It gives me the bigger picture of what I’m aiming for when I teach.

Two/Curriculum written by a homeschooler understands our need to teach multiple ages of children at one time.

I always respect copyright on curriculum; I follow the direction of whether or not I can use it to teach more than one child. Most curriculum I’ve used understands our need to have a teaching tip for a grade up or below the level of the just purchased curriculum. This is a great time-savings tip when teaching our kids together.

Public school curriculum is set out to teach a classroom and the tips are to use for teaching the masses.

Three/Curriculum written by a homeschooler is normally priced better.

Budget is something we have to talk about. I’m not always about free because it’s true you get what you pay for. Again, though, curriculum written by a homeschooler understands our need to stretch our curriculum budget. They try to give us not only great options for purchasing, but deliver it in different formats to save costs.

Curriculum that is unique and hard to find suited for our purpose at home is easier with all the unique finds we have available today.

My reasons for loving special and unique curriculum by homeschoolers could be more expansive, but I wanted to give you a few treasures I’ve enjoyed through the years.

Look at a few of the homeschooling families I’ve come to treasure because of how much they have helped to give my kids an excellent education.

Homeschool Curriculum from the Pak Homeschooling Family

I remember the first time I saw something created by Amy Pak because I absolutely knew her way of teaching history, hands-on and engaging fit my idea of how I thought history should be taught.

Not only have I used their beautiful curriculum with my kids, but I’ve used it in a co-op setting.

After all, hands-on history is so much more fun when you have somebody to make a mess with.

Look here at Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too) to see how we had fun with the Great Empires Activity Study,

You’ll love ALL of their hands-on projects and will have a hard time choosing which ones to do this year and which ones to do next year.

Homeschool Curriculum from the Bauer Homeschooling Family

I’ve used a lot of resources by Susan Wise Bauer because they’re timely, rigorous, and easy to use. Did I mention she is a lovely person in person too?

The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading, Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind, Writing with Ease and Writing with Skill are just a few of the really helpful and rigorous language arts program.

From elementary to high school, you’ll love how the Bauer family at Peacehill Press lays out their curriculum in a friendly way for the homeschool educator.

Look at her curriculum here on my elementary age language arts Amazon board here, my middle school language arts Amazon board here, and my high school language arts Amazon board here.

Homeschool Curriculum from the Berg Homeschooling Family

Also, from the Russel and Rea Berg homeschool family, you’ll fall in love with all of their products.

I’ve used many of them for years. Be sure you start early collecting their products because I feel at times there are not enough years to homeschool to use them all. I’ve sure tried.

Beautiful feet books is about combining living history with history, geography, or even science to make it meaningful. Look at a few of their beautiful products that you’ll go crazy over.

BEST Curriculum by Homeschoolers

You’ll want to browse all of them from K to High School.

Medieval History Adv. Int. & Jr. High Pack

Early American History Primary

History of Science.

Geography through Literature

Homeschool Curriculum From the Kautzer Homeschooling Family

I remember the first time I used WriteShop, I thought I was in cupcake heaven. Oh, maybe saying that was corny, but I felt like that teaching writing. It was as easy as baking cupcakes.

Many years, we used WriteShop because of all the teacher empowerment tips they give along with planning ideas. I attribute WriteShop with my first son’s love for writing.

WriteShopAdventure Builder StoryBuilders

Homeschool Curriculum From the Hogan Homeschooling Family

The Hogan family has created many helpful programs like their science programs and geography programs. You’ll want to look over the curriculum which just like the others is created to open and easily use.

I love their curriculum because I could get several of it in digital format so that as my sons got older they could keep it on their device.Geography BundleThen, I’ve really been excited about these next two homeschool families because they have filled a void I’ve had for a while when it comes to making literature studies interactive and finding electives.

Homeschool Curriculum From the McVey Homeschooling Family

Literary Adventures for Kids helps parents and students to dig deeper, go on rabbit trails, and add a little adventure all while enjoying great literature.

Facebook and Twitter

And I especially love the high school help.
Poetry and a Movie PIN

Oh I’m not finished yet.

Don’t you love knowing that there is curriculum written by homeschool families with an expert background in just about every subject?

Talking about every subject, we don’t want to leave out enrichment.

Homeschoool Curriculum From the Mayo Homeschooling Family

Anything Gena puts her hand to for enrichment only adds beauty to your homeschool.

You’ll love all of her programs. Below are just a few of them.

Be sure to look over all the courses.

https://learn.musicinourhomeschool.com/courses?affcode=50562_c5avrhro

A lot of easy formatted books like ebooks for science have been a life saver for me too both when we moved overseas and just when I was limited on storage. You’ll love some of these easy science finds too.

Did I mention it’s usually affordable when it’s in a digital format?

Homeschool Curriculum From the Goodwin Homeschooling Family

Not having a science background, I appreciate these families who have a strong science background. They make it easy for me to teach.

Not only do they appreciate I’m a homeschool mom who wants to be involved, but I like things easy for me too.

Hands-On Science Bundle

Homeschool Curriculum From the West Homeschooling Family

I’ve used Cindy’s science living books for multiple ages to save my mind. Easily downloadable and with activities for any season, you’re ready to go with minimal preparation.Look at a few links of how I used her curriculum:

Hands-On Nature Study: Bird Color Bar Graphing Activity, Hands-On Nature Study: Make a Fun Bird Nesting Bag, and Easy and Fun Nature Study: Beautiful Birds.

I love all the choices, but when it comes to teaching our kids at home some homeschool curriculum is superior to others. One area of curriculum that I'm thrilled to see an explosion in is curriculum by homeschoolers for homeschoolers. CLICK HERE!

Too, I want you to know that I believe in supporting families that support our homeschool lifestyle and always look to them first when choosing curriculum.

Not only is their homeschool curriculum easy to use, but it’s superior at times. Now you know the secret of how to easily homeschool.

You’ll love these other resources:

  • How to Build Middle School Curriculum Directly From Amazon
  • Digital Homeschool Curriculum – Big Ol’ List 
  • Big Ol’ List of All-In-One Homeschool Curriculum (a.k.a Boxed)

Hugs and love ya,

 

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Choose Curriculum Tagged With: boxedcurriculum, composition, curriculum, earthscience, grammar, history, homeschool grammar, homeschoolcurriculum, language arts, life science, multiple children, science, sciencecurriculum, teachingmultiplechildren

Faith-Neutral Homeschool Grammar and Writing Program

June 27, 2018 | 60 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I was given these products for free and I was compensated for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off or that a company will receive a glowing review. ALL opinions are my own and I will always tell you what is on my mind. When I do accept a product it’s because I’m giddy to tell you about it. Read my full disclosure here. Now on to the fun stuff!


Although I had an engaging English teacher in eighth grade, my loathing for grammar and writing was already ingrained. It wasn’t because I didn’t like language arts, but grammar and writing seemed like a mist. Nothing was clear to me, or taught to me in a logical order. I seemed to take a self-guided writing tour in my elementary years. I was looking for a homeschool grammar and writing program which taught the process in steps, and took the struggle out of learning grammar and writing. So I was tickled to find Growing with Grammar and Winning with Writing by JacKris Publishing.

Before you read on, I want to be sure you get a heads up for the awesome giveaway below!

Writers – Born or Made?

This was not my first introduction to Growing with Grammar; however, it was my first look at Winning with Writing. We used Level 8 in both the grammar and the writing program. At this time, Level 8 is the highest level available and levels equate to grade levels.

Whether your kids are middle school or high school level, mastery of language arts is the foundation for all other subjects. Teaching the rules of grammar, and teaching an inexperienced writer how to articulate ideas through written words requires repetitive work. Small and simple changes are best, but again it takes time. Kids and even some adult authors get impatient with the process. Short and straight forward explanations with examples have always worked best for us.

You’ll love this faith-neutral homeschool language arts, Levels 1-8, if you’re looking for a grammar and writing program which teaches the process in steps and takes the struggle out of learning grammar and writing. Click here!

An Overview of Growing with Grammar
and Winning with Writing

As I mentioned, I returned to Growing with Grammar. There are several reasons:

  • lessons are only 3 times a week,
  • it includes diagramming and I like that because I have kids that are visual learners,
  • it’s based on a 36-week school year which is a standard school year,
  • it reminds us that grammar is achievable because there are not really a lot of rules,
  • it is a worktext (more on this in a minute), and
  • examples and explanations are used as models when applying grammar to the writing process.

Grammar is the rules of a language and I feel it’s best learned while writing; however, a separate short study of the rules of grammar helps any struggling writer to cement the rules in his mind. Teaching grammar only 3 times a week aligns with my experience in how grammar is best learned.

Learning rules separately from writing or oral speaking has limited value. Application of rules makes the most sense while learning to write or while speaking in public. Grammar is valued then as a practical life skill.

Although writing is a progressive skill, it doesn’t have be tedious. Look here at how the writing process is laid out in Winning with Writing:

  • lessons are daily meaning it follows a 5 day week,
  • lessons are short,
  • it’s based on a 36-week school year,
  • it’s a worktext which means it teaches by example, models, and illustrations,
  • it takes a two part approach which are the outlining process and the drafting process,
  • it has incremental review which writers need, and
  • once you learn the the straightforward process it works for a single paragraph or book.

Too, I know you want to know what the writing program contains because that is the hardest part for me in judging whether this level or another level will work for your struggling writer. I hope you find this look at the table of contents helpful.

Level 8 Winning with Writing First Semester Topics

Lesson 1 Main Topic, Details, and Staying on Topic
Lesson 2 The Writing Process
Lesson 3 Sequence of Events and Time Order Words
Lesson 4 Personal Narrative
Lesson 5 Personal Narrative
Lesson 6 Review of Lessons 1-5
Lesson 7 Spatial Organization, Comparing Objects, and Comparing Characters
Lesson 8 Similes, Metaphors, Analogies, Personification, and Sarcasm
Lesson 9 Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, Hyperbole, Oxymoron, and Pun
Lesson 10 Descriptive Writing
Lesson 11 Descriptive Writing
Lesson 12 Review of Lessons 7-11
Lesson 13 Parts of a Creative Story
Lesson 14 Quotations, Dialogue, Point of View and Voice
Lesson 15 Creative Writing
Lesson 16 Creative Writing
Lesson 17 Creative Writing
Lesson 18 Review of Lessons 13-17

Level 8 Winning with Writing Second Semester Topics

Lesson 19 Facts and Opinions, Emotional Appeals, and Advertising
Lesson 20 Thesis Statement and Transitional Sentences
Lesson 21 Compare and Contrast Essay
Lesson 22 Persuasive Writing
Lesson 23 Persuasive Writing
Lesson 24 Review of Lessons 19-23
Lesson 25 Documenting Sources
Lesson 26 Biographical Essay (Part 1)
Lesson 27 Biographical Essay (Part 2)
Lesson 28 Explanatory Essay Cause and Effect (Part 1)
Lesson 29 Explanatory Essay Cause and Effect (Part 2)
Lesson 30 Review of Lessons 25-29
Lesson 31 Bias, Reliable Sources, and Taking Notes
Lesson 32 Informative Essay Problem and Solution (Part 1)
Lesson 33 Informative Essay Problem and Solution (Part 2)
Lesson 34 Informative Essay Research Report (Part 1)
Lesson 35 Informative Essay Research Report (Part 2)
Lesson 36 Review of Lessons 31-35

Do you see any writing topics that your middle school kid struggles with?

Writing at the higher grades tend to focus solely on the essay. While that is a normal progression, all writers benefit at looking at the basic process from sentence writing to paragraph to essay. This takes time to teach without making it monotonous. Again, Winning with Writing aligns with my experience in that it takes 5 days of short lessons.

My Reasons for Returning to Growing with Grammar
and Winning with Writing

Earlier I mentioned about the worktext.

You may or may not know the differences between workbooks and worktext, but I appreciate the subtle differences the longer I’ve homeschooled. A worktext not only has a place for your student to record his work, but gives explanations, samples, and even background information right in the book. It’s like writing in a textbook. I have one kid that really likes that concept.

Promoting independence at the middle and high school levels is smoother when a student has everything to learn a new concept within one book. You will notice that Answer Keys are provided, so a comprehensive teacher’s manual is not needed. All of the explanations, plus a space to record your student’s answers are kept together.

Although this was a far-fetched idea to me, I learned that Tiny is not as motivated to learn a new concept while using a teacher’s manual as he is when it’s in the student text. It’s a learning practice he set up for himself; he is motivated when material is laid out. For me, it was a huge revelation and significant as I wanted to foster independence in my writer.

Besides material being presented in a way beneficial to my flourishing, but novice writer, mastery of concepts was equally important. Remembering I felt alone while learning the elements of writing in my elementary years, I’m delighted that Growing with Grammar and Winning with Writing break concepts down into cycles — 3 day cycles and 5 day cycles respectively.

You noticed on the table of contents that review was added incrementally. This makes a full circle back to what is fundamentally important for any level of writer — repetition and review.

Additionally, JacKris Publishers is faith-neutral whether you want to add your Bible content or keep it secular. That is an important feature when you want more control over when and how to teach your worldview.

Growing with Grammar and Winning with Writing may be a good fit for your family:

  • If you want a straightforward no-thrills and frills approach
  • If you want short lessons
  • If you want planned short days
  • If your writer craves independence
  • If your writer needs review and repetition
  • If your writer needs clear and concise directions
  • If your writer prefers to keep all of his work in one place
  • If your writer needs to learn the outline and draft processes
  • If your writer is not organized

While my son is certainly at the level where he can write independently, the worktexts are easy enough for you to use to guide a struggling writer.

The whole array of language arts products by JacKris Publishing are thorough, easy to use, and student friendly.

How to Purchase It.

►Product Name: Growing with Grammar and Winning with Writing
►Website: JacKris Publishing
►What they want you to know: Although they love all of their products, their Starting Line Stories are new and they’re excited for you to use it. From the site: Each Starting Line Stories book contains 70 story starters and 30 writing prompts.  Unlike a formal writing program, these activities are designed simply for students to express themselves through creative writing. 
►Grade Levels: Levels 1 – 8; Levels equate to grade level. Click here to see a scope and sequence to determine writing levels.
►Type of product: These is a physical product and you can click on the product to see a SAMPLE lesson.
►Prices: Vary by product.

Also, you’ll love these other tips:

  • 24 Borderline Genius Ways To Relieve Language Arts Boredom 
  • Why It Is Hard to Teach Homeschooled Kids Writing But Not Impossible 
  • Homeschool Tips for Teaching a Young Writer to Take his Ideas from a Trickle to a Waterfall

YIPPEE! HAPPY DANCE! !

GIVEAWAY

Terms: Over 18. U.S. residents only

Please don’t think you’ll not win! I have to give this sweet giveaway to somebody! Go ahead and enter below.

May the Force Be With You! ha 
3 Winners to Choose ONE product (any level) from JacKris Publishing

 

You’ll love this faith-neutral homeschool language arts, Levels 1-8, if you’re looking for a grammar and writing program which teaches the process in steps and takes the struggle out of learning grammar and writing. Click here!

60 CommentsFiled Under: Giveaways, Homeschool Curriculum Review, Product Review, Sponsored Posts Tagged With: composition, grammar, homeschool curriculum, homeschool grammar, language arts, languagearts, middleschool, teachingwriting, writing, writing prompts

10 Tips When Teaching Grammar to Your Homeschooled Child

March 21, 2016 | 6 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

10 Tips When Teaching Grammar to Your Homeschooled Child @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

When should you start teaching grammar? How much grammar is enough or too much? What is the purpose of grammar?

When I started homeschooling, I had more questions about grammar than I got answers for when I was in school. And though I would not call myself a total grammarian, like Kelley, who feels like all writing is the beginning of a treasure hunt to unearth errors (oh the sheer delight), I do love me some grammar.

Look at these 10 tips when teaching grammar to your homeschooled child because I hope to lighten your load about the stress of teaching grammar and give you some helpful insight.

1. Grammar is not too late when you start later.


Although I started teaching grammar in third grade, quickly I learned that teaching grammar could have waited until fifth or sixth grade because it’s easier then to grasp complex issues of grammar rules.

It does not mean that the mechanics of writing like spelling and capitalization should not be immediately corrected. Modeling correct grammar is a good teacher.

2. Grammar is not really about improving ideas for writing.


Yes, I know this may sound far-fetched. You can, however, have a child that is an advanced writer but lags behind in grammar structure. A child or an adult may clearly communicate his thoughts but may not be aware of proper tenses.

Too, roles can be flipped. For example, I know people with a linguistic background who can make my writing shine in no time. Their eye to detail is unmatched and I love that about them.

However, they would also be the first one to admit that knowing technical details doesn’t always mean that you can write well or with confidence.

Creating worthy and valuable writing content is a learned skill.

I often wonder if people with a strong English background fear writing less or more than somebody that does not have a strong grammar background? It still intrigues me.

3. It is important to learn the vocabulary of grammar.


The vocabulary of grammar was something I did not learn in school. And like any language, English too has beginning vocabulary terms like is what a basic tense and advanced vocabulary terms like conditional tenses.

This brings me to my next point.

4. Advanced grammar helps with learning foreign languages.


When teaching Latin to my first son, I realized that if I had not used Memoria Press, which guided us with basic grammar tips and then connected basic information to advanced, I would have struggled notably with helping my son study a foreign language.

What I am saying is that it is hard to compare a foreign language with your native tongue if you don’t have a full scope of advanced English terms.

The beauty of learning grammar is clearly shown when you start teaching and learning a foreign language.

In helping my son study a foreign language, I learned more details about my native English language than I did in just studying it each year.

5. Writing classes can improve grammar.


Writing classes should focus primarily on content, creativity of ideas and clarity.

Applying grammar to troubled areas like their vs they’re and our vs are makes grammar a crucial part of writing. But this doesn’t mean that writing curriculum should stifle the creative writing process or overshadow it with many rules.

Is this why so many kids hate writing? Again, grammar should enhance writing and help a budding writer choose words more carefully.

6. A well-written grammar course can be completed by 10th grade or so.


Using Rod and Staff English in high school helped me to understand that studying grammar as a separate subject didn’t have to span all four years of high school.

Of course, stopping a formal study of grammar would depend on how much previous grammar instruction your child had in school.

Grammar is Alright (oh, oh, scratch that, I meant) All Right

Too, I learned that if I chose an advanced grammar course in the beginning high school years, then the next few years could be focused on helping my student find his writing voice while applying grammar as a priceless tool.

7. Attack grammar with the same powers of observations used in science.


I vividly remember a tip shared many years ago by an intuitive homeschool mom. She said studying grammar should be like a scientist examining something under a microscope.

By magnifying a feather, salt or sand, a scientist brings items up for a closer look. Zooming in on them gives them a different perspective and shows how the pieces fit the whole.

Attack the parts of grammar with the same enthusiasm that a scientist scrutinizes infinitesimal pieces under a high powered lens until you get comfortable teaching grammar.

8. Basic grammar is vital to an excellent education.


Don’t get caught up in all the hype of advanced grammar that you don’t teach your child the essentials of grammar.

Teaching concepts like the parts of speech and effective sentences and paragraphs are mainstays of grammar. From there, a child can build on it in later years.

Fearing that I would make a mistake in each sentence I wrote, I overly stressed about writing. That mindset trickled down to teaching grammar.

9. Don’t make grammar boring and blah.


When grammar is learned through games and with a group, it can be fun.

I did treasures hunts in my home for the parts of speech when the boys were little.

We still do mad libs when we have had enough of formal grammar and I buy copious amounts of grammar games at conventions when I can find them.

10. Practice good grammar every day.


Don’t let the fear of grammar hold you back from letting your writing ideas overflow or trickle. Practicing good grammar each day makes it easier to pen your thoughts to paper or to share what you know with others.

I still struggle with grammar but the basic human need to communicate is a powerful motivator to learning complex grammar concepts. Find the joy in teaching grammar because it should be exhilarating and not exhausting.

What has been your experience with teaching grammar?

Hugs and love ya,

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6 CommentsFiled Under: Teach Homeschool Language Arts, Teach/Which Subjects to Teach/Cover EVERYTHING Tagged With: homeschool grammar, homeschoolanguagearts, language arts, languagearts

Narration – Telling Back or Testing? Books that Make Teaching Narration Easy Peazy.

August 27, 2015 | 10 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Gauging homeschool progress is only natural. Besides, we do need to know what our children are retaining.

Narration not only works for filling a child’s mind with useful facts, but it is a gentle way of measuring progress.

Narration Telling Back or Testing. Books That MakeTeaching Narration Easy @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool PlusInstead of administering a test, try narration.

What is narration? It is simply telling back what they have read or what you have read to them. It is telling back what a child knows.

A child doesn’t really own the information until he or she can tell it back.

Gentle Art of Narration – Equals Meaningful Progress

This is a Charlotte Mason technique that has produced positive results in children of all ages and learning styles.

In addition, it can be a useful tool to use when you have recently taken your child out of public school and has test burnout.

True, it can be used a lot of times with younger children, but for children that are having trouble comprehending, it is a great tool.

Start off small with a few lines from one paragraph, move to one paragraph to two short paragraphs, to a page and eventually the whole story.

I used the The Classic Treasury of Aesop’s Fables for longer stories and then for funand to fill my boys’ mind with beautiful thoughts, I used a A Child’s Garden of Verses.When they were real young, I used a higher elementary age book like American Tall Tales and A Child’s History of the World, which was a nifty way of adding history to the day too.
Instead of dumbing down the answers by making a child choose a multiple choice question for a story, have them tell you all the details or facts.

In time, as the child grows, help them to learn techniques like summarization. For now, narration is a very useful tool to find out exactly what the child knows.

They can delight in the love of being read to or enjoy good literature without the fear of reducing it to a worksheet that is dull and boring.

The next time you are wondering if your child is understanding what you are teaching them, ask them to tell back the story to you or to a friend.

Start off small and by letting them narrate to you, they can give the whole scope of their understanding instead of being limited by a few multiple choice questions.

Have you tried narration?

Hugs and love ya,

Also, look at:

Instant Credit, Instant Baby food – Why NOT Instant Homeschool?
Controlling the Time Spent on Homeschool Subjects or Running a Homeschool Boot Camp
Biggest Challenges to Homeschooling

10 CommentsFiled Under: Gauge Homeschool Progress, Teach Narration Tagged With: homeschool grammar, homeschoolanguagearts, language arts, middleschool, narration

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