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My ds will be starting 3rd grade this fall. Coming from Abeka LA 2, I thought that ds would not be prepared to enter Rod and Staff's 3rd grade book. After purchasing Rod and Staff 2nd grade English and looking at samples from the third grade book Beginning Wisely I am beginning to think I made a mistake. I think my ds would do fine transitioning from Abeka LA 2nd grade which he finished to Rod and Staff's 3rd grade book. Did any of you transition from Abeka to Rod and Staff without any trouble and without having to move down a grade level? Only problem now is that I now have the wrong books for English.

Well, I'm of the opinion that R&S English 3 is doable with no previous grammar experience.

My two caveats are that

1) We loved R&S English 2 and thought it worthwhile to do on grade level as it provides a gentle introduction.
2) If someone with no previous grammar experience begins with R&S English 3, they may find they have to slow down here and there to cement a concept that R&S won't spend enough time on.

Coming from Abeka should be no problem.

Higher grades of R&S English is when it becomes more difficult to just jump in at grade level.

On the other hand, it will not hurt to work R&S a year behind grade level if you want a light grammar year. You may find you enjoy it.

We used Abeka's LA for 2nd grade, and then did R&S 2 last year for 3rd grade. I thought there were quite a few things in R&S that we didn't hit on with Abeka for 2nd grade. I didn't think anything was really difficult for my son, but we were pleased doing it this way. So, I did exactly what you already have.

We're going to be using R&S 3 this coming year for 4th grade.

I think you'll be fine either way you decide. I felt like what we did was perfect within the balance of the whole HOD day. (There is plenty of writing and other LA skills included in the actual plans in other subject areas, too. Plus we were using DITHOR. So, I didn't feel the need to push into grammar that was more difficult, I guess.)

Kathleen

Thanks ladies for your sharing your insights with me. I do see some things like you did ,Kathleen, that Abeka did not touch on that Rod and Staff English 2 covers, but those few things seems to be reviewed in Rod and Staff 3. Because I chose to combine my children in PHFHG and he is on the younger side of it, maybe it would be better to go with Preparing to Build so that my ds could relax a bit when it comes to English. Thanks again!