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My oldest two did R&S 2 last year. My oldest is in lesson 20 something in R&S 3. We just did capitalization this week. Guaranteed you could ask her what a sentence starts with and she's tell you a capital. She wrote to her new pen pal today for the first time and didn't use one capital in the entire page long letter! IDK if it's her or R&S or what, but I'm a little disappointed. How can I get her to write properly?

I'm eagerly awaiting some answers to this question!

Ladies,

Carrying over into written work what a child learns in the areas of grammar, punctuation, capitalization, usage, and expression takes time, as it is a habit that has to be formed. In the area of written work especially, you will always notice a lapse after a child has been away from school for a period of time. This is because using in one's written work all that a child has learned within the area of English is a habit, and when practice and formation of a habit has paused for awhile, you can expect quite a chunk of time before the habit will emerge again.

If the child is a young child, than it is likely that the habit had not even been formed yet before the "break". So, then instead you are working on forming the habit for the first time, which is an even longer process. This is why we stick with Rod and Staff year after year and are sure to keep the pace steadily moving forward, even into the high school years.

English encompasses so many, many areas. It is not a body of knowledge that can be applied consistently and habitually after only a year's time. While some would say you could learn all that is needed information-wise in English in one year, I find that to be consistently recalled and applied, steady progress over a large number of years is needed instead. This keeps the information fresh and in front of the child's mind daily, drawing attention to it consistently resulting in the formation of the habit of correctly written work.

So, I want to encourage you that English is something that you will need to do for years and years before the habit of writing correctly and proofreading will be formed. Some kiddos are more natural in this area than others, but even those who are naturals, will lapse a bit after a break. Plan for the study of English to be a long run, rather than a short sprint. Slow and steady progress wins the race.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thank you Carrie. That was very encouraging.

Mumkins wrote:My oldest two did R&S 2 last year. My oldest is in lesson 20 something in R&S 3. We just did capitalization this week. Guaranteed you could ask her what a sentence starts with and she's tell you a capital. She wrote to her new pen pal today for the first time and didn't use one capital in the entire page long letter! IDK if it's her or R&S or what, but I'm a little disappointed. How can I get her to write properly?

I find there's a big gap between knowing what to do in the language book and actually doing it when just writing for fun.

Yes, I agree. I find the same issue with my sons. Hmm....

My oldest is in 5th grade and I'll just say we are still forming that very habit. She can now edit her own work though, so I know R&S is doing its job! She used to need me to point out those mistakes, but after using 2 years of R&S, she can find them herself meaning....she is getting it and retaining it! We've only completed up to level 3 and are starting 4 this year, so I think time and repetition and gentle reminders are your friend.

I just wanted to update this. I put the kids in school (who are now home again:)) I was so worried, but she placed in 5-6th plus in all English areas when the tested her before she started. She really was retaining it!

Mumkins wrote:I just wanted to update this. I put the kids in school (who are now home again:)) I was so worried, but she placed in 5-6th plus in all English areas when the tested her before she started. She really was retaining it!

That's great news! Congrats! I know that makes a mama feel wonderful!
We saw more and more retention too, just not seeing the carryover in punctuation/capitals yet for my rising 6th grader, but that is her quirky personality. I can assure you with R&S that the deep learning is really and truly occuring and I was SHOCKED by the retention I started seeing through the oral review questions as we get ready to start level 5. I thought she wasn't really retaining anything beyond the basics, and then she came out of nowhere with all this info stored away coming to surface. I look forward to seeing it in her writing (I see the content with better word usage already for sure!). We are now starting my rising 3rd grader in R&S 3 and I look forward to seeing how he takes to it.

Thank you so much for this update, Mumkins! It seemed like it was the last half of R & S English 4, and then for sure R & S English 5 where it all started to become more cemented for Wyatt. Every now and then I make an index card for things he's having a harder time with (i.e. the different types of pronouns), but overall, he is remembering it well. R & S English is so advanced. Your update here is sure to encourage so many others! Sometimes ps looms over us like it must be so much more, when in reality, it's not. Thanks for sharing your experience here - this is a blessing that came out of ps - confirmation you are doing a super job of teaching your dc, Mumkins! And now you've encouraged us too - thanks!

In Christ,
Julie

Mumkins,

Thanks so much for the update! I LOVE updates. Our kiddos are often retaining more than we think, praise the Lord.

Rod and Staff English is such a good, solid program. It makes so much sense, and I really did NOT want to go a more textbook/traditional route for grammar. However, it has been one of the best things we've ever done at our hosue. I've seen tremendous carryover with my boys from their English lessons into their written work, even though it takes some time to show up. I can't say enough good about Rod and Staff English.

Blessings,
Carrie