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How do I determine placement in R&S English? We will be using CTC with a 6th and 5th grader. We are currently using part 2 of Intermediate Language Lessons. My 6th grader is 3/4 done with part 2. My 5th grader is in the first 1/3 of the book. We have never done diagramming but dabbled in Shurley English for a year (but we only finished 1/2 the book bc my kids had a lot of trouble with the methodology). English is their least favorite subject .

Also, how long does a R&S English lesson last? What is a typical lesson like? Are there additional instructions for the lessons in the CTC guide? Does (or can) the student write in the text book?

Thank you for your help! I get to place my order tomorrow so I'm trying to get my cart nice and full .

R&S 4 would probably be a really good place to start as the diagramming is still fairly straight forward and just starts with the basics of diagramming the simple subject and the simple predicate. With R&S, we do most of it orally and a little written. When diagramming, we will often just air paint. Is quite interesting, still gives them the feeling of writing it, but it doesn't take up any room.

I would google Rod and Staff English samples and look at examples from 4th and 5th grade books. If it looks like they could handle the 5th, I would do that. If the fourth looks like a better fit, use that. I would not start them in the 6th grade book. (Plus, it's not scheduled in CTC anyway!)

I echo the idea of starting in R&S English 4. R&S may look quaint but it is good solid teaching. Especially where diagramming and understanding how grammar parts work together. you can not be hung up on the fact that there is a 4 or 5 on the cover. It is about getting them a firm foundation. My DD11 has not liked English until recently and SHE equates it to understanding more from her R&S book. So maybe your children will be blessed in this manner with it as well. Look at 4 or 5, but yes hold off on 6. The program itself is well known for being more advanced than what they do in school. Often children using it get higher grade credit in English because the R&S content is higher than the core standards or learning outcomes.
We do a bit of Charlotte Mason spin on the lessons too. I teach the lesson, do some of the oral drill and assign part of the written so that the lesson hits about 20 minutes total. They have to give me focus for that 20 minutes or they get the blessing of doing the WHOLE thing, every question . It works for us and I am VERy pleased with their work and grasp.

I would say start in 4. That's what my oldest is doing... it's still pretty basic with the diagramming, but it's not "shallow" on the grammar either.

We do 99% of it orally. There are the random times I'll have them write some of it, first of all to make sure they know what it looks like written, and second of all to have some written grammar work in their notebooks. You could have them write in the book. I don't because I have five who will all be using the books.

My kids don't really like English... they don't hate it, but it's definitely not the favorite subject. R&S doesn't take us more than 15 minutes total to do a lesson. And that's on a day where I have them write. When we do lessons orally it takes R&S4 about 10 minutes and R&S2 about 5 minutes.

Thank you all so much!! We ordered level 4.