Let's Write

Language Arts: 
Grammar and Composition


ABeka Language/Grammar Workbooks  ...  


While we don't use the full ABeka Language/Reading Program, I have used the Language/Grammar Workbooks for most of our 19 years of homeschooling.  As a professional writer and writing instructor, I have seen the benefit of a very thorough Grammar program, and I have seen the consequences of homeschooled students that have not gotten a thorough Grammar program (when they have failed to pass the entrance test for the Community College).  There have been multiple times, though, that the ABeka Language/Grammar has been a little too intense and time-consuming for whatever our homeschooling "plan" happened to be for the year.  At those times, I have chosen to take 2 years to complete 1 ABeka Language/Grammar workbook.  Since Grammar is very repetitive, I have not felt that my children have missed too much by skipping a book, since the concepts taught will show up again later.  So, we might do the 3rd grade book, the 5th grade book, and the 7th grade book, taking 2 years for each book.


On the flip side, however, while the ABeka upper grade level books are called, "Grammar and Composition", I feel that they do a very abysmal job of teaching the composition side of things.  So, we have always used a separate writing program, in addition to the ABeka grammar program.


Writing / Composition:


For the younger crowd (K-4th) I have really liked the Just Write program.  While the books are "graded", I just start my children at Book 1 whenever they are ready for a formal writing program (after they can read pretty well).  So, I might have a Kindergartner doing Book 1, or I might have a 3rd grader doing Book 1.


Write Shop has recently come out with a writing program for the primary kids, and I am excited to incorporate some of their things into our schooling this year (in addition to our Sonlight work).  Their program is not workbook based, but, rather, activity based ... which I LOVE for these little ones.  While I haven't personally used this curriculum yet, I would highly recommend it, as I have looked at it closely, and have sold it at homeschool conventions.


For the "middle kids" (upper elementary) I have used a variety of things.  Nothing really jumps out at me as fantastic, but I've definitely liked some programs over others.  The best program for writing that I have used recently for these kids (grades 4-6) is The Paragraph Book.  


Now, for the older kids (grades 7-12) I have never seen anything that compares with the Write Shop program.  I discovered it about 4 years ago, and I recommend it for every homeschooled child in the upper grades.  I have used it for 3 of my children, and saw MUCH improvement in their writing.  And ... when each of them took the entrance test for the Community College (at ages 16 or 17), all 3 of them tested into higher level college composition (so they didn't have to take Comp. 100).  If you start Write Shop with a 7th or 8th grade student, you can use each book (Write Shop 1 and Write Shop 2) for 2 years.  If you start Write Shop with a 10th or 11th grader, than you can complete each book in 1 year.  The Teacher Guide even lays out the daily plan for a 1 year course or a 2 year course.


If, for some reason, you do not like the looks of Write Shop for your child, I would highly recommend  Wordsmith and Wordsmith Craftsman for your high school students.  These are the books that we used prior to our discovery of Write Shop.  They are inexpensive workbooks.  They are student friendly, and non-time-consuming for the teaching parent.  However ... I would still recommend Write Shop, if at all possible for your family.


Now ... what HASN'T worked for our family ...


Writing Strands:  while I had read many good reviews on this program, my children found it VERY dry and boring.  I think it worked for 1 child for 6 months before we tossed it.