Preparing to Build: English 2
by Rod Staff

We are delighted to recommend Preparing to Build: English 2 as an excellent first grammar and writing text. Short, daily lessons provide a solid foundation in learning grammar for the purpose of writing. The lessons are easy-to-use, sequential, and very comprehensive. Each lesson is contained on a two-page spread. The left-side covers the lesson (which is to be read aloud by the parent). The right side has oral exercises and writing activities for the student to complete. Sentences, nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, poems, and study skills are included. The English 2 text can be used to teach multiple students in grades 2-4 at the same time. We had previously recommended First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind but found little long-term carry-over in our children’s writing or retention. We are pleased that English 2 provides a steady progression through the skills necessary for writing, using the Bible as a theme throughout all the lessons. This book is recommended in Bigger Hearts for His Glory and also goes well with Level 2/3 of Drawn into the Heart of Reading .

Hardback Pupil Text: $15.95 [Add to Cart]

Optional Teacher’s Manual: $18.95 [Add to Cart]

(The Teacher’s Manual is not necessary at this level, unless you desire an answer key or feel unsure about your English skills.)

Approx. Gr. 4-5 or Advanced Gr. 3:
Beginning Wisely: English 3
by Rod Staff

We recommend Beginning Wisely: English 3 as a solid English grammar and writing study. Short, daily lessons provide a foundation in learning grammar for the purpose of writing. The format is similar to English 2 (above). If your child has not had a formal introduction to grammar, we recommend beginning with English 2.

Older students who have had some grammar instruction can begin with English 3 or 4. Multiple students in grades 3-5 can be taught at the same time with English 3. This book goes well with Level 2/3 or Level 4/5 of Drawn into the Heart of Reading.

Hardback Pupil Text: $14.95 [Add to Cart]

Teacher’s Manual: $18.95 [Add to Cart]

(The Teacher’s Manual is more necessary at this level as an answer key and for additional help with the lessons.)

Building With Diligence: English 4
by Rod Staff

We recommend Building with Diligence: English 4 as a comprehensive grammar course. The lessons include clear explanations and examples with both oral and written work. Parents should make sure to do at least half of each lesson with the students orally or skip some exercises in each lesson, so the amount of writing does not become too much for the students. All of the basic parts of speech are covered (except interjections), along with diagramming and writing. The emphasis in writing is on organization and clear writing, rather than on creativity.

Older students who have had some grammar instruction can begin with English 4. If you use Building With Diligence: English 4. you will not need to add another program to teach writing. We are pleased that English 4 provides a steady progression through the skills necessary for writing, using the Bible as a theme throughout all the lessons. This book goes well with Level 4/5 of Drawn into the Heart of Reading.

Hardback Pupil Text: $18.45 [Add to Cart]

Teacher’s Manual: $24.95 [Add to Cart]

(Unless you have a strong background in grammar, the Teacher’s Manual is necessary at this level as an answer key and for additional help with the lessons.)

Following the Plan: English 5
by Rod & Staff

This is an advanced grammar course. The lessons include both oral and written work, and all of the basic parts of speech are covered, including prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. Diagramming, taking notes, outlining, and using reference materials are also taught. The emphasis in writing is on organization and clear writing, rather than on creativity.

Older students who have had significant grammar instruction can begin with English 5.

(Unless you have a strong background in grammar, the Teacher’s Manual is necessary at this level as an answer key and for additional help with the lessons.)

Progressing With Courage: English 6
by Rod & Staff

This is an advanced grammar course. The lessons include both oral and written work, and all of the basic parts of speech are covered, including prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. Digramming, taking notes, outlining, and using reference materials are also taught. The emphasis in writing is on organization and clear writing, rather than on creativity.

132 lessons are included. Chapters 1 and 2 deal with understanding sentence types and structure. Chapters 3-6 and Chapters 8-10 focus on the 8 parts of speech. Chapter 7 teaches concepts about capitalization and punctuation. Chapter 11 deals with miscellaneous lessons on the dictionary, Bible reference books, synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, and word families. Interspersed thoughout the book are 32 oral and written composition lessons. Continual review is built into the course.

Older students who have not had significant grammar instruction should begin with English 4 or 5. Older students who have had a very rigorous background in grammar can begin in Level 6. Since this is an advanced course, we recommend that students complete English 6 by the end of grade 8 in preparation for high school language arts.

(The Teacher’s Manual is necessary at this level as an answer key and for additional help with the lessons.)

Building Securely: English 7
by Rod & Staff

Building Securely: English 7 has 125 lessons divided into 11 chapters. The first two chapters deal with sentence parts and sentence construction. Object complements and subjective complements are introduced. Chapters 3-9 focus on the parts of speech. Verbals, progressive and emphatic forms of verbs, intransitive verbs, restrictive clauses, conjunctive adverbs, and so forth, are introduced. Ample sentence diagramming practice is included. Chapter 10 teaches concepts about capitalization and punctuation. Italics, single quotation marks, and ellipsis points are introduced. Chapter 11 deals with using numerous kinds of reference books, studying words, and studying word families. Some of the new composition skills taught are guidelines for proofreading, character sketches, and note taking. Paragraph construction, outlining, letter writing, story writing, and poetry are taught at deeper levels.

General teaching suggestions are included at the beginning of the hardcover Teacher’s Manual. Copies of the pupil’s pages are included in reduced size. The answers for the pupil’s lessons are in shaded areas beside the exercises. Further teacher’s helps are given on the shaded areas below the pupil’s copies. The Purpose is given for each lesson. A star indicates when a concept is introduced for the first time in the English series. Some lessons have an additional part titled Teacher, including further information for the teacher’s awareness. Oral Review lists questions for review as well as preparation for the new lesson. Reviews are included to drill important concepts.

Building Securely: English 8
by Rod & Staff

English 8 has 124 lessons divided into 11 chapters. The first two chapters deal with sentence elements and sentence structure. Objective complements, elliptical sentences, and compound-complex sentences are introduced.

Chapter 3 teaches concepts about capitalization and punctuation. Dashes, parentheses, and brackets are introduced.

Chapters 4-10 focus on the parts of speech. These chapters re-enforce what has been taught in earlier grades and introduce retained objects, dangling participles, and relative adverbs. Problem words are discussed, and there’s plenty of sentence diagramming.

Chapter 11 deals with using reference helps and the public library. Composition lessons introduce persuasive arguments and teach effective sentences, paragraph construction, proofreading, outlines, story writing, sentences, paragraph construction, proofreading, outlines, story writing, and poetry at deeper levels. Over one-third of the book deals with composition.

Igniting Your Writing II
by Sandy Larsen

We recommend Igniting Your Writing II for levels 6 on up. This text helps students develop the key writing skills of focus, progression and clarity. They will practice writing to entertain, writing to inform, and writing to persuade. No advance preparation is required. The guide is written directly to the student. It includes 24 intermediate lessons and 24 advanced lessons. The text is meant to be re-used. A teacher’s guide is included in the back of the text. This program is suitable for use with Level 6/7/8 of Drawn Into the Heart of Reading . View table of contents at homeschoolwriting.com.