Wasn't even sure how to title this because it is a topic that confuses me! Overall, I feel pretty confident in my abilities to teach each subject area however, language arts is very confusing for me. Seems like there are so many areas to cover! I haven't a clue when each should be introduced! I realize if I follow the plans in HOD's manuals the LA is planned out but, I keep feeling the need to find a publisher that provides a complete LA program. One that includes phonics, reading, english, spelling, and handwriting all in one. I just feel insecure in this area and I wonder if I should go with a different publisher to fulfill those needs or trust that HOD can accomplish the same goals but, in a different manner. Just not sure if "choosing a reading/phonics program and a handwriting program of my choice" is enough to make me feel like we are covering it all. Is HOD light on LA or am I missing the big picture? Probably missing the big picture but, would like any insight.
Thank you,
Candice
LA confusion, insecurities
Candice,
I hope you get some replies from the other moms on this board as they will have good insight in this area. Below, I copied how I explain the area of Language Arts on our website under "A Look at Each Subject Area". This may help clarify how we see that area at Heart of Dakota.
"The Language Arts include the areas of oral language, handwriting, spelling, writing, grammar, mechanics, usage, and vocabulary. Many people place reading under the language arts umbrella as well. In homeschooling my own sons, I found that if I wasn?t careful the area of language arts could either become a workbook nightmare or end up requiring hours of my teaching time every school day. Either way, it took up a large portion of my precious school day.
To address these concerns, you will find that our programs use a systematic approach to language arts. By rotating the teaching time for each area, the time spent daily on language arts, is greatly reduced.
For oral language, students memorize and recite weekly Scripture verses. They also learn to narrate or tell back what they?ve heard or read. Choral reading rhymes or poetry each week focuses on another area of oral language practice. For handwriting, students work on copywork daily. For spelling, students focus on learning to spell a basic body of frequently used words. Next, they move on to studied dictation to cement their spelling skills.
As students become more confident spellers, they are guided to complete short, purposeful writing assignments. For the purpose of improving writing, students begin to receive a solid introduction to grammar, mechanics, and usage. Vocabulary study is addressed in our literature program and later along with our history and science topics."
This next portion I copied from the overview of the area of literature study or reading on our website, under "A Look at Each Subject Area":
"Once your child is able to read independently there is a temptation to do one of the following two things: A) Send them off to read endlessly on their own with little or no accountability. B) Add so many activities or questions to the study of literature that there is no room left to actually enjoy reading the book.
So, our programs are written with the overall goal of gaining an appreciation of different types of literature. Short lessons and assignments foster understanding of the basic story elements without dissecting the text too far. Story discussions encourage shared enthusiasm for the story?s plot. Narration practice solidifies understanding. And most importantly, weighing the character?s actions in light of the Bible guides children to learn to read with discernment.
I love literature and all of its variety. However, I carefully screen thousands of books before choosing the quality literature we recommend in our programs. I look for books that will inspire or entertain without bringing in questionable content. Whenever possible, I try to include books that emphasize Godly character traits or that bring a historical time period to life. As an added benefit, just in case you may not always agree with our literature selections, most of our programs allow you to select your own literature for use with our guides."
You, of course, are able to use anything you feel fits your family best and we realize there are many good choices in the Language Arts area out there. We just try to pass along some ways we've found to save time and planning in Language Arts, yet still cover all the needed skills.
Hope this helps!
Blessings,
Carrie
I hope you get some replies from the other moms on this board as they will have good insight in this area. Below, I copied how I explain the area of Language Arts on our website under "A Look at Each Subject Area". This may help clarify how we see that area at Heart of Dakota.
"The Language Arts include the areas of oral language, handwriting, spelling, writing, grammar, mechanics, usage, and vocabulary. Many people place reading under the language arts umbrella as well. In homeschooling my own sons, I found that if I wasn?t careful the area of language arts could either become a workbook nightmare or end up requiring hours of my teaching time every school day. Either way, it took up a large portion of my precious school day.
To address these concerns, you will find that our programs use a systematic approach to language arts. By rotating the teaching time for each area, the time spent daily on language arts, is greatly reduced.
For oral language, students memorize and recite weekly Scripture verses. They also learn to narrate or tell back what they?ve heard or read. Choral reading rhymes or poetry each week focuses on another area of oral language practice. For handwriting, students work on copywork daily. For spelling, students focus on learning to spell a basic body of frequently used words. Next, they move on to studied dictation to cement their spelling skills.
As students become more confident spellers, they are guided to complete short, purposeful writing assignments. For the purpose of improving writing, students begin to receive a solid introduction to grammar, mechanics, and usage. Vocabulary study is addressed in our literature program and later along with our history and science topics."
This next portion I copied from the overview of the area of literature study or reading on our website, under "A Look at Each Subject Area":
"Once your child is able to read independently there is a temptation to do one of the following two things: A) Send them off to read endlessly on their own with little or no accountability. B) Add so many activities or questions to the study of literature that there is no room left to actually enjoy reading the book.
So, our programs are written with the overall goal of gaining an appreciation of different types of literature. Short lessons and assignments foster understanding of the basic story elements without dissecting the text too far. Story discussions encourage shared enthusiasm for the story?s plot. Narration practice solidifies understanding. And most importantly, weighing the character?s actions in light of the Bible guides children to learn to read with discernment.
I love literature and all of its variety. However, I carefully screen thousands of books before choosing the quality literature we recommend in our programs. I look for books that will inspire or entertain without bringing in questionable content. Whenever possible, I try to include books that emphasize Godly character traits or that bring a historical time period to life. As an added benefit, just in case you may not always agree with our literature selections, most of our programs allow you to select your own literature for use with our guides."
You, of course, are able to use anything you feel fits your family best and we realize there are many good choices in the Language Arts area out there. We just try to pass along some ways we've found to save time and planning in Language Arts, yet still cover all the needed skills.
Hope this helps!
Blessings,
Carrie
Carrie,
Thank you, AGAIN! I read my post again, I hope I in no way sounded insulting. My concerns stem from ignorance in this subject area and I am simply hoping to be reassured as a first time homeschool mom. I appreciate your response and the information that was provided, it was very helpful. I have much confidence that your program will be more than enough to accomplish the goals I have for my children. I find great peace in my heart that HOD is the program that we are meant to follow and I believe that moving forward without a separate LA program with all the "bells and whistles" and the extra time needed to implement it, is probably the best course to follow. I think I need to trust and stop looking around for "that something else!" Thank you again for your explanations and support.
Candice
Thank you, AGAIN! I read my post again, I hope I in no way sounded insulting. My concerns stem from ignorance in this subject area and I am simply hoping to be reassured as a first time homeschool mom. I appreciate your response and the information that was provided, it was very helpful. I have much confidence that your program will be more than enough to accomplish the goals I have for my children. I find great peace in my heart that HOD is the program that we are meant to follow and I believe that moving forward without a separate LA program with all the "bells and whistles" and the extra time needed to implement it, is probably the best course to follow. I think I need to trust and stop looking around for "that something else!" Thank you again for your explanations and support.
Candice
Candice, You are most fortunate that you have found HOD very early on in your homeschool experience. Some of us are trying to play "catch-up" or "match-up" because of finding this wonderful curriculum a little later in the game. With your oldest being 3, you'll reap all the benefits of starting at the beginning! (I didn't start anything with mine until they were 5, and I'm not sure but what my ds could've stood another year of waiting.... 
)
I'm actually trying to play the "match-up" game with another curriculum I had already started before finding LHFHG for language arts. I'm also using it with some older kiddos, so trying to "match-up" has been a little tricky. I'm sure it will all come out in the wash, so to speak!
All this to say, if you stick with HOD and follow Carrie's recommendations for language arts, you'll be fine!
) I'm actually trying to play the "match-up" game with another curriculum I had already started before finding LHFHG for language arts. I'm also using it with some older kiddos, so trying to "match-up" has been a little tricky. I'm sure it will all come out in the wash, so to speak!
All this to say, if you stick with HOD and follow Carrie's recommendations for language arts, you'll be fine!
Using LHFHG with
ds - '00
dd - '00
dd - '02
ds - '00
dd - '00
dd - '02
Melanie,
Thanks so much for the confirmation. Just hearing the words "if you stick with HOD and follow Carrie's recommendations for language arts, you'll be fine", is very reassuring. I have this horrible habit of looking at other curricula and thinking well, maybe this will be a better route to take because of this and that and the list continues on and on. Sometimes I have to remind myself that that is a symptom of being a new homeschooler and I need to be thankful that I have really already found what is just right for our family. It's like I go on these "curriculum field trips" (on the computer) thinking what if, always returning to HOD in the end. So, thank you for your post, I appreciate it. I think I am going to retire from the computer for a while (except this board!) and focus on what we are doing now.
Candice
Thanks so much for the confirmation. Just hearing the words "if you stick with HOD and follow Carrie's recommendations for language arts, you'll be fine", is very reassuring. I have this horrible habit of looking at other curricula and thinking well, maybe this will be a better route to take because of this and that and the list continues on and on. Sometimes I have to remind myself that that is a symptom of being a new homeschooler and I need to be thankful that I have really already found what is just right for our family. It's like I go on these "curriculum field trips" (on the computer) thinking what if, always returning to HOD in the end. So, thank you for your post, I appreciate it. I think I am going to retire from the computer for a while (except this board!) and focus on what we are doing now.
Candice
Candice,
I am a confirmed curriculum explorer, and so I know where you are coming from. I love to research and research and research! Some of us are like that. As I search though, I can always find peace when God leads me back to something over and over.
I'm so glad that you are able to post what's on your mind on our board. This is the place to do it. We don't have all the answers, but the wonderful group of ladies here will uplift, support, and encourage you on the way. You are all a blessing to me too!
Blessings,
Carrie
I am a confirmed curriculum explorer, and so I know where you are coming from. I love to research and research and research! Some of us are like that. As I search though, I can always find peace when God leads me back to something over and over.
I'm so glad that you are able to post what's on your mind on our board. This is the place to do it. We don't have all the answers, but the wonderful group of ladies here will uplift, support, and encourage you on the way. You are all a blessing to me too!
Blessings,
Carrie
Candice,
I'm also new to homeschooling and am also overwhelmed with all the choices. We are doing LHTH this year with a K math added with our almost 5 yr son. He loves LHTH which in turn he loves school! Thus, it makes teaching SEEM really easy. Of course, then I start asking is it too easy? Is he learning enough?
After talking to some people, I decided he is right on track and I just thank God that I found a great program for him. We are going to use Little Hearts next year, but I keep looking at the phonics and math trying to find what is going to work best for HIM specifically. There are way too many choices out there.
So I guess what I'm saying is hang in there!! Trust God that He will lead you to what will work best for your family. Remember, you're not alone.
Laurie
I'm also new to homeschooling and am also overwhelmed with all the choices. We are doing LHTH this year with a K math added with our almost 5 yr son. He loves LHTH which in turn he loves school! Thus, it makes teaching SEEM really easy. Of course, then I start asking is it too easy? Is he learning enough?
After talking to some people, I decided he is right on track and I just thank God that I found a great program for him. We are going to use Little Hearts next year, but I keep looking at the phonics and math trying to find what is going to work best for HIM specifically. There are way too many choices out there.
So I guess what I'm saying is hang in there!! Trust God that He will lead you to what will work best for your family. Remember, you're not alone.
Laurie
dd's 22, 17
ds 9 - Bigger
dd 5 - LHFHG
ds 9 - Bigger
dd 5 - LHFHG
Laurie,
Thank you so much for your reply and words of encouragement, I truly appreciate it! We are doing Little Hands as well and really enjoying it. I know my daughter is really learning and gaining from this program. It amazes me that whenever I ask her to pick a book for story time she always seems to pick her children's bible that we use with Little Hands! And she has this wonderful ability to remember the stories with such detail. She reminds me of names and events if I have forgotten! I am so blessed that a seed has been planted and I have to give Little Hands much of the credit. We are blessed to find this program and this board to share our experiences. Thank you again Laurie.
Candice
Thank you so much for your reply and words of encouragement, I truly appreciate it! We are doing Little Hands as well and really enjoying it. I know my daughter is really learning and gaining from this program. It amazes me that whenever I ask her to pick a book for story time she always seems to pick her children's bible that we use with Little Hands! And she has this wonderful ability to remember the stories with such detail. She reminds me of names and events if I have forgotten! I am so blessed that a seed has been planted and I have to give Little Hands much of the credit. We are blessed to find this program and this board to share our experiences. Thank you again Laurie.
Candice
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water2wine
- Posts: 2743
- Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2007 7:24 pm
- Location: GA
Candice,
I just wanted to encourage you that you can have it any way you want. One of the thing that I love about HOD programs is you can have LA anyway you want plus it addresses some of the LA issues that are often neglected by other "complete" LA programs, like good literature and writing. My older kids are beyond the HOD program age wise as it stands now in age but they use Rod and Staff (I am presently using first, second, and fourth grade R&S LA, the entire program) and we use it all of because like you LA is not my strong area. They love it and they are really learning grammar etc. We also use DITHR here and there because of the wonderful literary teaching that I've not seen with anything else.
My youngest two are doing HOD for the long haul because we love it. But they also will do R&S and most likely we will do the entire thing even the reading. The reason why is the reading there is biblically based so it has value for us. My kids are really learning chronology of the Bible from it. I don't think that it actually teaches the comprehension and thinking that DITHR does but it has other value to us in the Bible story teaching. But just want to say that to do the reading portion of R&S with HOD for a lot of people would be over kill because obviously HOD has reading covered very well.
To me math and LA is just one of those things that really is different family to family what they prefer. I like actually that HOD leaves it up to you to pick. Tome that is actually a strength. And if you do not like R&S you can literally use anything you want and still have the unit study with the biblical and literary bent that HOD has, how could you go wrong
HTH!
I just wanted to encourage you that you can have it any way you want. One of the thing that I love about HOD programs is you can have LA anyway you want plus it addresses some of the LA issues that are often neglected by other "complete" LA programs, like good literature and writing. My older kids are beyond the HOD program age wise as it stands now in age but they use Rod and Staff (I am presently using first, second, and fourth grade R&S LA, the entire program) and we use it all of because like you LA is not my strong area. They love it and they are really learning grammar etc. We also use DITHR here and there because of the wonderful literary teaching that I've not seen with anything else.
My youngest two are doing HOD for the long haul because we love it. But they also will do R&S and most likely we will do the entire thing even the reading. The reason why is the reading there is biblically based so it has value for us. My kids are really learning chronology of the Bible from it. I don't think that it actually teaches the comprehension and thinking that DITHR does but it has other value to us in the Bible story teaching. But just want to say that to do the reading portion of R&S with HOD for a lot of people would be over kill because obviously HOD has reading covered very well.
To me math and LA is just one of those things that really is different family to family what they prefer. I like actually that HOD leaves it up to you to pick. Tome that is actually a strength. And if you do not like R&S you can literally use anything you want and still have the unit study with the biblical and literary bent that HOD has, how could you go wrong
HTH!
Hi Candice!
I've been meaning to respond to your post for awhile and am just getting to it - sorry! I remember being very worried about teaching my first child to read and write. It seemed like a monumental decision, and I wondered if I'd be able to pull it off!
Prior to homeschooling and before HOD's curriculums were available, I'd used some more all inclusive curriculums in teaching/tutoring situations with other children. I would say be careful about choosing one program that promises to teach phonics, reading, english, spelling, and handwriting "all in one". When all of these things are taught from books children are reading (or "all in one"), the children unfortunately often begin to dislike the books. Imagine if you were reading a good book and had to keep stopping to spell words from that book, learn grammar from that book, do handwriting of words from that book... etc. AHHHH! Wouldn't you just about be sick of that book by the time you finally finished it? That is the result I often saw with those types of programs.
In contrast, HOD allows you to pick your own phonics program, has great various read-alouds with short discussion questions, and has several handwriting choices. It also adds in spelling, grammar, dictation, copywork, and oral narration at the appropriate ages.
My kids have thrived on having variety in these areas, and I'm happy to say my second child is beginning to read and write now too, just as well as his older brother did, back when I was so worried about it all that I lost sleep over it at night. (My oldest son was about 2 months premature and had speech trouble, so that compounded my stress level about teaching him to read.)
Anyway, feel confident in HOD's language arts. It is a solid component of their curriculums, and best of all, children learn to love and enjoy good books - year after year, after year. I'm so excited for you to teach your first child to read! Short of hearing my child give his heart to the Lord, hearing him read for the first time was just about the best thing ever! Just like faith in God though, reading just doesn't happen overnight. All of a sudden something just clicks (usually right about when you are ready to pull your hair out), and you often don't even know what it was. Oh how you'll enjoy those happy memories to come!
I've been meaning to respond to your post for awhile and am just getting to it - sorry! I remember being very worried about teaching my first child to read and write. It seemed like a monumental decision, and I wondered if I'd be able to pull it off!
Prior to homeschooling and before HOD's curriculums were available, I'd used some more all inclusive curriculums in teaching/tutoring situations with other children. I would say be careful about choosing one program that promises to teach phonics, reading, english, spelling, and handwriting "all in one". When all of these things are taught from books children are reading (or "all in one"), the children unfortunately often begin to dislike the books. Imagine if you were reading a good book and had to keep stopping to spell words from that book, learn grammar from that book, do handwriting of words from that book... etc. AHHHH! Wouldn't you just about be sick of that book by the time you finally finished it? That is the result I often saw with those types of programs.
In contrast, HOD allows you to pick your own phonics program, has great various read-alouds with short discussion questions, and has several handwriting choices. It also adds in spelling, grammar, dictation, copywork, and oral narration at the appropriate ages.
My kids have thrived on having variety in these areas, and I'm happy to say my second child is beginning to read and write now too, just as well as his older brother did, back when I was so worried about it all that I lost sleep over it at night. (My oldest son was about 2 months premature and had speech trouble, so that compounded my stress level about teaching him to read.)
Anyway, feel confident in HOD's language arts. It is a solid component of their curriculums, and best of all, children learn to love and enjoy good books - year after year, after year. I'm so excited for you to teach your first child to read! Short of hearing my child give his heart to the Lord, hearing him read for the first time was just about the best thing ever! Just like faith in God though, reading just doesn't happen overnight. All of a sudden something just clicks (usually right about when you are ready to pull your hair out), and you often don't even know what it was. Oh how you'll enjoy those happy memories to come!
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
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6timeboymom
- Posts: 417
- Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:59 pm
- Location: Iowa
oh my!! I'm glad I'm not the only person who takes "curriculum field trips"!! 
I constantly look at other things and think, "well! wouldn't that be perfect??" then I realize I'm already using what's perfect for my boys!
I love the read and learn style of language arts learning, too.
I constantly look at other things and think, "well! wouldn't that be perfect??" then I realize I'm already using what's perfect for my boys!I love the read and learn style of language arts learning, too.
Darci
mom to 6 great boys-"they've got me surrounded!!"
using: as much HOD as possible!
mom to 6 great boys-"they've got me surrounded!!"
using: as much HOD as possible!