beverly
- Reviewed on Thursday, May 06, 2010
- Grades Used: 6 & 7
- Dates used: 2007-2009
Winston Grammar was an answer to prayer!
Here is a little bit of background. We used Rod and Staff since 3rd grade. By the time we reached 6th grade, we were so confused with the intensity of diagramming in R & S. My son was falling so far behind and I was having a difficult time trying to figure out all of this diagramming.
I was at a convention and found Winston Grammar after relating my woes to a vendor. She showed me WG and she completely understood. She said that I was not the first to experience this (relief). She told me that it sounded like we needed some time to heal and use a gentle approach to labeling instead of diagramming. WOW! What my son didn't "get" in diagramming now came to light with labeling the sentence structure! We've NEVER gone back to anything else. We are die-hard labelers, even now-----2 years later. We no longer diagram, but label instead with curriculum like Winston Grammar, the advanced level of Winston Grammar and now we use Easy Grammar since we've moved beyond advanced WG.
A friend of mine has a husband that is a college English/Composition professor and they homeschooled their children without diagramming as well. They used the labeling method too. The professor says diagramming is not the ONLY way to take a sentence apart and that labeling is just as effective when done with curriculum like Winston Grammar.
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momlove7
- Reviewed on Thursday, October 29, 2009
- Grades Used: 5th, 6th-
- Dates used: 2009-
Basic Winston Grammar was created to be used when a child has reached the age of abstract thinking which is usually around age 10-11 so I guess about 5th grade. Winston is strictly grammar instruction. No composition or punctuation instructions are included but certain rules can be explained as you tackle certain sentences or content using an English Handbook such as Rod and Staff English Handbook or Writers Inc. or just using your writing program.
The Basic Winston Grammar set is a year long grammar course. Quizzes, pre and post tests, a student workbook, color coded cards and a teacher's manual along with an answer key are in the basic set. If you have more than one student, just order an extra student workbook set which will include a workbook and personal color coded cards. Some of the basic set content includes: nouns, verbs, adjectives, prepositional phrases, coordinating conjunctions, interjections, nouns of direct address, subjects, direct and indirect objects and appositives. If extra practice is needed, a supplemental workbook and key is provided for purchase also. There isn't formal diagramming of sentences although the identification of the parts of speech is learned through the parsing of sentences. If you prefer diagramming over parsing, you could always add The First Whole Book of Diagrams for practice if needed. There are 30 worksheets in the Basic program and 3-4 sentences are completed each day from a worksheet so the lessons take no more that 10-15 minutes and one worksheet is completed each week.
After the basic set, we will use Winston Word Works, a year long grammar course also. It's set up similar to the basic set. Word Works reinforced some content from the basic set and it tackles some common language usage problem areas such as subject-verb agreement, compound subjects, personal pronoun functions ex. I and me, she and her, they and them; interrogative pronouns like who and whom; comparatives and superlatives, and others words like sit/set, good/well, less/fewer, lie/lay, can/may, etc.
Advanced Winston Grammar set can be started after Word Works around 8th grade or beyond. The Advanced set reviews some content from the basic set and it is packed full of material so it can be taught over 2 years. Because of its content, this course can count as one year of high school English credit if taken during high school. Some of the Advanced set content consists of possessive adjectives, possessive pronouns and nouns, reflexives, interrogative pronouns, present and past participles, gerunds, correlative conjunctions, infinitives, relative pronouns, compound and complex sentences, and embedded noun clauses.
I also love the fact that Winston grammar is an incremental program which means that each concept is built upon another and the lessons are short...less than 10 minutes! That's always helpful when teaching multiple children as I am plus we have decided to add Rod and Staff English back into our homeschool and use Winston as a supplement since the lessons are so quick and easy plus the use of the manipulative have been helpful with reinforcing concepts. My children aren't excited about my going back to Rod and Staff but mom knows best. ;-)
I highly recommend this program especially if your child has difficulty learning grammar using the traditional textbook approach.
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LoriW.
- Reviewed on Monday, November 03, 2008
- Grades Used: 7th
- Dates used: 2008
I can't say enough, on how well my 12yod has done with Winston Grammar. We have tried everything and every grammar curriculum we passed by did not grab her attention. It felt like a lost with her until, someone recommended Winston. The grammar cards was a help for her as she started also.
If anyone had tried Winston Grammar Advanced set, please let me know if it was as good enough.
Yes, she finally understands GRAMMAR!! Praise the LORD!!!
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