There are so many tools to use: here are the simple few that work well for us.
The components of language arts are listening, reading, speaking, writing, viewing and visual representing. These are scattered throughout all instruction.
Fluency includes appropriate speed, accuracy, and proper expression. Fluency is reading as well as we speak. When fluent we make sense of the text without having to pause to decode each word. The best ways to improve fluency is through reading out loud and repeated reading.
We practice reading word lists, phrases, or a passage three times in a row with focus on speed, accuracy, and expression.
Every January we participate in the Read Aloud Revival 31 day challenge. We continue to read aloud as it is a good way to develop fluency. They each have a basket of books at their independent reading level to choose from.
Phonics is the relationship between a phoneme (sound) and grapheme (the letter(s) that represent the sound) in written language.
Flashcards: (explicit instruction) My flashcards are from The Good and The Beautiful that have the isolated sound and spelling and also example words to reinforce them in context. We also practice high-frequency words, root words, and word lists.
Building Words: (Hands on manipulatives) I use the Bananagrams to build words with prompts like: "Change the "t" to "b" and what new word do you have?"
I have a game called Words from Words in which we take a word like "planetarium" and build as many words as we can from the letters. Word Play has will generate a similar list of words from any word you type in. This is flexible for all levels; it reviews, practices and introduces sounds and patterns. "Planetarium" has over 400 words that can be made from its letters. We start with one letter words (a, I), then two letter words (am, an, at), the CVC words (lip, nap, men), then look for blends (plan, trap). This continues through the phonics skills such as in silent e (mite, pile, lame) vowel digraphs (rain, mart, meal), consonant diagraphs if any (ch, sh, th, wh), prefixes and suffixes (remain, tamper, unripe), compound words (armpit, mantrap, inmate), multi-syllable words (animal, puritan, petunia) and root words (manipulate, impure, prenatal). I use the resource dictionary to give my older children challenges to use the letters and spell words that they don't think up on their own.
Word Lists are helpful for me to use as reference to spelling patterns. I use two. Words their Way has more higher level word lists, but you may have to purchase the book for access. The other one I love is from Mother's University Language Arts Resources called Blend Phonics. Blend Phonics includes how to teach a lesson and then 47 units with the Dolch High Frequency words.
Charlotte Mason Instruction has a gentle approach with a lot of teaching of letters with air tracing, sand writing, poetry, following a child's curiosity so as to make it a privilege to learn; phonics is not forced as early as our modern education system seems to think necessary. Some of my children are more ready than others, and so I have tried to be patient and used informal teaching moments. Once formal lessons are begun there is a focus on mental memory of the word and being able to spell orally. My auditory learner benefits from this approach. The Wildflower Ramblings blog has sample lessons for spelling, reading, word building, and recitation.
We also use the spelling strategy of Look, Cover, Write, Check. A child is given a word to spell and: looks at it, covers it over with a piece of paper or their hand, writes the spelling again next to the word, uncovers the spelling to check if they have got it right.
I have collected two GRE prep lists of words that I want to expose my children to here and there. These lists are good for looking for root words and for multi-syllable reading practice.
Grammar: the study of words, how they are used in sentences, and how they change in different situations.
Picture Word Inductive Model: (a teaching strategy with oral language, word listing/sorting, and sentence and paragraph writing)
From my course on content area writing, I found this to be the best model for inductive writing and thinking. There are so many ways to use the principles and it can be used with a long big project or just a simple piece. We use this in our note booking.
Sentence Diagramming: (A passionate person break down how to diagram)
I feel that one or two sentences a week is enough for now.
Sentence Dictation: (A sample lesson from the Pioneer Woman)
The dictation lesson is contextual. It incorporates handwriting, spelling, grammar, editing, and close attention to the way language is written.
Sentence Combining: (a way to teach sentence structures)
Foreign Language
"Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same thing, but learning another way to think about things. " Flora Lewis
Learning Through Songs, Poems and Stories
Sign Language
French: Un Deux Trois First French Rhymes Selected by Opal Dunn
French with Francois and Miss Mason: Series
Spanish: Youtube Simple Songs in Spanish
Spanish with Francois and Miss Mason: Series
Chinese: A chart linked with audio recordings with all the phonemes and tones
Sing with me in Mandarin: a Fun and Easy Way to Learn Chinese by Patricia Tina Wu M.A.Ed.
Little Pim (available free through my public library, check your libraries subscriptions)
Let's Learn Mandarin Chinese 64 Basic Mandarin Chinese Words and Their Uses
Charlotte Mason Foreign Language Instruction methods are described in a post from My Little Robbins. Briefly, suggestions are to start young, learn a few words each day, practice through play, review, use songs, poems, stories and meaningful useable phrases in context.
Talkboxmom.com is the curriculum that I have found most mimics the immersion language model. It has subscription boxes delivered at your pace. Each box has three challenges. These challenges include phrases to learn and practice as life naturally happens. Some topics include snacks and eating, play, bathroom, getting dressed and weather, dinner, and arts and crafts.
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