R & S English 2 for 2nd grade?

[John'smom]

It was my plan to have dd do R & S English 2 for second grade next year. We're currently finishing up Beyond and she's loving the gentle grammar lessons there and she'll be doing Bigger next year. I was just naturally going to do English 2 with her, but have read here on other threads that it's suggested for 3rd graders. If I shouldn't do it with her until 3rd grade I will hold off, but I didn't know if that would mess up the sequence in the guides. Also if it's too much for a 2nd grader, I don't want to have her in tears each day or anything like that. I'm willing to do what's best for her. Anyone have any input?

[pjdobro]

I don't think it is too much for a 2nd grader at all. Carrie schedules it in Bigger, and in the catalog it says Bigger is for 2nd and 3rd grade. I don't think she would have scheduled it with Bigger for 2nd grade if she felt it was too much. We used R&S2 for second grade and found it very gentle. You'll be right on track with the guides using it as written in Bigger.

[Larissa]

I am planning to do R&S English 2 next year with my 2nd grader as we go through the Beyond guide. I am adding it to Beyond because I already did the light grammar from Beyond this year while we went through the LHFHG guide. I have an older son too, so I always have the next guide up that I can use in addition to the guide we are doing if I need it.

So - I agree that it's not too much for a 2nd grader!

[my3sons]

We did R & S English 2 with Riley this year in second grade for Bigger Hearts, and it fit just fine. We also did it that way with Wyatt, and continued with the suggested pacing after that, and he's done very well (he is currently finishing 5th grade and R & S English 4 this year). I think if a child is ready for Bigger Hearts - especially the writing/reading skills of it - then that child will be ready for R & S English 2 as well. We did do the 2/3 orally/markerboard and 1/3 written method of instruction for R & S English, and it worked well. You can start off with it as it's written in the plans, and then always move to half-speed if it proves to be too much. We found R & S English 2 to be a solid yet not too difficult start to grammar, and a good follow-up to the 1 x a week grammar lesson in Beyond. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[John'smom]

Thanks so much, ladies. Your answers were a HUGE help to me. I'm so excited. I used to be in the camp that you do no formal grammar program until 3rd to 4th grade. I would just use ds' spelling words and talk about nouns, pronouns, verbs, etc. Well, according to his year end testing (last year-before HOD), that method was just not working. Ds and I both have enjoyed R & S this year and I know he's going to do much better on that test this year. He's retaining everything so well and it's not time consuming at all. Love HOD.

[BrooklynsMom03]

We are doing Beyond this year....for 2nd grade...and I wish I would have added the R & S 2 in this year...I for some reason thought it went with Bigger for 3rd grade..I think my daughter would have benefitted from it this year...since we didnt start homeschooling fully until January we are not quite 1/2 thru Beyond and I plan on homeschooling thru the summer...so I went ahead and just ordered R & S 2 so we can now add this in...I think Beyond is wonderful...I just have felt we needed something a bit more for English...and not sure why I didnt put this all together sooner to order the R & S and begin that! I cant help at times to feel we need to be in Bigger this year....not because she is even really ready to jump up...Beyond has been a good fit for her in the 2nd grade...I have just felt maybe it would have been good had we started it in the 1st grade..had we known!!! Maybe I am falling into the old ...comparing with others her age catagory! Beth in Idaho

[John'smom]

We are doing Beyond this year....for 2nd grade...and I wish I would have added the R & S 2 in this year...I for some reason thought it went with Bigger for 3rd grade..I think my daughter would have benefitted from it this year...since we didnt start homeschooling fully until January we are not quite 1/2 thru Beyond and I plan on homeschooling thru the summer...so I went ahead and just ordered R & S 2 so we can now add this in...I think Beyond is wonderful...I just have felt we needed something a bit more for English...and not sure why I didnt put this all together sooner to order the R & S and begin that! I cant help at times to feel we need to be in Bigger this year....not because she is even really ready to jump up...Beyond has been a good fit for her in the 2nd grade...I have just felt maybe it would have been good had we started it in the 1st grade..had we known!!! Maybe I am falling into the old ...comparing with others her age catagory! Beth in Idaho

Beth,
I sure hope my post hasn't made you feel bad in any way. My ds is in third this year and is currently doing R & S 2 this year. In a way, I feel on both sides of the fence about things. I feel bad when I think I'm going to have dd do something in 2nd that ds didn't do until 3rd. I think maybe I've somehow gotten him behind or somehow I'm rushing her. When I think this, I just have to lay the guilt aside. This too is our first year with HOD and I'm thankful in a way I used other things before coming to HOD, because now I truly know the gift I have in HOD. I'm so much happier and no longer stressed out. My ds did beautifully with R & S English 2 this year and so I am choosing to dwell on that.

It sounds like your dd is doing just fine and if she's behind, then my ds is, and I honestly don't feel he is. That would mean your dd isn't. (((HUGS))) to you.

[BrooklynsMom03]

Oh no Edwena not at all!!!! I have just been wrestling with this for a month or so....on my own!!! I just want to not mess my child up you know!! I feel like so much of the English she did in..1st grade in ps....and with only doing the actual English 1 day a week...I have felt that might not be enough...so I have been in this battle with myself over it! And the crazy part is...she really has difficulties...comprehending and *holding* information....as in processing it thru...so it is probably just right for her how it is in Beyond...but once again I find myself being the one with the problem!! Beth in Idaho