7th grade ds using R&S English 5

[gotpeace91]

I would like to hear some ideas on how I can get my son up to speed in English. He is so excited every time he sees that Write With the Best is scheduled in his LA box instead of English that I haven't had the heart to tell him that I want him to do English everyday. I would like him to finish Level 6 at the end of grade 8 but I know that CTC and RTR schedule half the guide each year. Any ideas?

[inHistiming]

We also just began English 5 with my ds in 7th grade. Because we came to R&S 'late' and I know the 'plan' in HOD is to complete through level 6 by the end of 8th grade, we are planning to just go through level 5 this year and level 6 next year. My son does a lesson each day. It is fairly easy to just create a schedule for your dc...I did this and attached it to the inside of his English book so he knows what comes next. There are 125 (or so) lessons per book...so you may be able to schedule it out in such a way that he has one day 'off' from English each week....or maybe if he just does it day by day he'll finish early and can take a few weeks off at the end of the year. That's probably what will happen with my son...HTH

[my3sons]

I'd do it daily once he's in the routine of CTC. If you keep a large portion of it oral, his lessons should clip along more quickly. You could let him know you are doing it daily in lieu of him doing it on Fridays and during breaks. My ds has grown into liking R & S English much more as he's done it longer. It still is not his all-time favorite subject (which I wouldn't expect it to be when it's up against HOD's history and science ), but he can see it positively effects his writing. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[gotpeace91]

Ok ladies, thank you. I will try to figure out a way to break the news to him gently. I should clarify that he has stated that he likes this English better than the other one we were using (abeka). He just isn't an English kind of guy. Also, as you stated, Julie, it's hard for it to hold a candle against HOD's History and Science. I will tell him that it will be better to be doing level 5 and 6 daily than level 7 and 8 later on.

[Carrie]

Right! These are good ideas. Last year when my oldest son was doing English 6, I gave him the choice of going half-speed during the school year and then finishing it by doing it daily all summer (as his only subject until he finished), OR doing it daily during the school year and taking the summer off. Sometimes older kiddos can get on board more if they have an choice. Just a thought.

Blessings,
Carrie