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I was debating whether to wait a year to start English 2 because many say it gets hard and is advanced. I am not sure that doing it over 2 years would reap the benefits of the program. I have thoughts of doing First Language Lessons (I think that is the name of the other program Carrie offers) this year (my girls will be in 2nd grade) and then start R&S 2 when they are in 3rd. Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks, Amy

I don't really think R&S English 2 is all that hard. I would consider R&S English 5 advanced but not English 2. I think it earns that reputation from the fact that it would be considered advanced to transfer into from another english publisher. However, if you start out with R&S, it is very gentle in 2nd grade.

You can see samples of the TM (which includes a snapshot of the pupil book) at this site....

http://www.rodandstaff.info/samples/2/english/

Much of the 2nd grade year can be done orally or on a white board, making it even easier.

The problem isn't so much with R&S 2; it is with the higher level books. They get very deep in the later levels. I've been through the grammar from grade 2 through the grade 8 text with both my older kids. Ideally, imo, you want to be doing that level in high school. Starting the grade 2 text in 3rd grade is part of what makes that possible.

I think Carrie stretches the higher book (5th grade) over 2 years and adds in a writing program. If this is done also with the 6th grade book, then you should be doing the 7th and 8th grade book in High School. That sounds about right to me. I guess I think R&S English 2 is so gentle, I'd rather have the option of slowing down later when we hit harder material.

BUT I think it also depends on whether your child is reading well or not. If they are still doing a phonics program or not quite fluent, then I'd hold off on the R&S English 2.

You've gotten some great advice already here. I agree wholeheartedly with what's been said. R & S 2 is not hard to do, and I would start it instead of starting FLL to get going on the R & S path. You can slow it down in the upper guides at any point. HOD slows it down in CTC, doing half-speed schedules for a choice of R & S 4 or R & S 5 - wherever your dc are when they get to CTC. As Daisy wisely said, if your child is still focusing on phonics and needs to put a good deal of time there, you could wait to start R & S 2 the next year. Otherwise, I'd say full-speed ahead with R & S 2!

In Christ,
Julie

My dd just started 2nd grade, and we are using R&S 2nd grade English with Beyond (and ignoring the grammar lessons in Beyond). I let her do a lot of it orally since there's so much writing. I'll plan on slowing down in later grades if necessary, but so far it's going great.

Thank you so much for all replys. So great to have this forum to help with decisions. I believe I will forge ahead with R&S 2! Amy