Well-Ordered Language: The Curious Child’s Guide to Grammar teaches grammar by capitalizing on students’ inquisitiveness. Teacher and student (or classroom) actively work together in this 2-volume-per-year, classical-approach program which emphasizes the ordering and analyzing of words and their functions in sentences. Understanding language should bring joy and delight! The series analyzes excerpts from great literature and poetry using comprehension and grammar-related questions. In addition, each chapter employs a continuing story using the characters pictured on the front cover. Periodically, additional features such as “From the Writer’s Desk” or sideline notes provide additional learning opportunities or classroom guidance.
Lessons follow a recommended 30-40 minutes/day (your choice of 3, 4 or 5-day per week schedules) with a review it, practice it, and analyze it steps. Typically, each week starts with singing/chanting to learn key terms or concepts. During the week, work through Lessons A-C, by modeling, practicing, diagramming, and reinforcing. At the week’s end, work through optional fables/tales and take a quiz. Components are sold individually or as semester sets. First semester (A) sets include that level’s Songs and Chants digital Extra Practice and Assessments. B semester sets will include that semester’s Extra Practice and Assessments. Each of these digital items can be purchased separately.
The scripted Teacher’s Editions (240+ pgs) provide lesson planning suggestions, activities, all student book and practice sheet answers, notes and tips, and extensive explanation and helps for using the analytical approach. Duplicated from the student book is a glossary, song lyrics, and author bios. The publisher’s website also provides, for free, teacher help such as suggested schedule options and how-to-teach videos. An accelerated 5-day per week option is available if you wish to finish both A and B of one level in one semester.
The consumable Student (250+ pgs) contains a glossary of terms (defined and includes the book level and chapter used), song lyrics, a few pages for notes, and short bios with photos of all authors referenced. Each weekly lesson follows a repeated format of review, learn, practice, learn, and analyze. Students analyze sentences and learn grammar in choral form (with movements and gestures) and make written notations. A To the Source section emphasizes Greek and Latin roots.
The revised Level 1 (grades 3-4) teaches students to understand, analyze, and mark sentences using songs. Diagramming at this level uses a specially created WOL pre-diagramming notation system which involves the student in learning and labeling word functions, identifying each word’s role and why it functions the way it does and how it relates to others.
The publisher recommends starting with Level
1, but if students are extremely comfortable with the eight parts of speech and
their functions, they could begin with Level 2A.
Level 2 (grades 4-5) continues with sentence marking and analysis, using increasingly more complicated sentences. Though not specifically designed to be used together, the fables in Levels 1 and 2 of this series are also found in levels 1-3 of Writing and Rhetoric (also from Classical Academic Press), so students could use the levels of these two curricula in combination.
Level 3 (grades 5-6) and Level 4 (grades 6-7) continue using tools and diagramming to analyze more advanced grammatical concepts in even more complicated sentences. If your students have mastered the 8 parts of speech; prepositional phrases; compound subjects; objects; possessive, interrogative and relative pronouns; compound sentences; and relative clauses, your students are ready for level 3A.
Additionally, Songs/Chants Digital Audio Streaming and Extra Practice & Assessments Digital Files are available for each grade level. If beginning the program at a higher level, you’ll need the chants from all previous levels. Song and Chant lyrics are available free from the publisher. Extra Practice & Assessments are available for each level. These provide PDF practice sheets for each chapter semester with extra practice; an extra Lesson to enjoy; glossary, extra sentences for analysis; a quiz; and more. The number of PDF practice sheets will vary by level (90-110). These Extra Practice licenses expire after one year; Songs & Chants do not, but are individual family licenses only. After ordering, customers will be sent an access code in 1-3 business days for digital products and are nonreturnable. Redeem codes on the Classical Academic Press website in the "My Library" section on https://classicalacademicpress.com/.
