First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind (Paperback)

by Jessie Wise (Author), Sarah Park (Illustrator) "Instructor: Everything has a name..." (more)
Key Phrases: child summarize the story, selfish troll, charming wood cottage, Little Red Hen, The Caterpillar, The Little Bird (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Parents can assure their child's success in language arts with this simple-to-use, scripted guide. First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind uses picture study and other classical techniques to develop the child's language study in those first two all-important years of school. Each lesson leads the parent, step-by-step, through the simple oral and written projects that build reading, writing, spelling, storytelling, and comprehension skills. Use this book to supplement school learning, or as the center of a home-school language arts course.

About the Author
Jessie Wise, a former teacher, is a home educational consultant, speaker, and co-author of The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home, a book which has rapidly become an educational standard.

Product Details

• Paperback: 420 pages
• Publisher: Peace Hill Press (December 17, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971412928
• ISBN-13: 978-0971412927
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,430 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #5 in	Books > Nonfiction > Education > Parent Participation
  #9 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Education > Specific Skills > Language Arts
  #10 in	Books > Nonfiction > Education > Education Theory > Contemporary Methods > Language Experience Approach

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

240 of 244 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gentle method, great expectations..., January 9, 2004

By	Rebecca L. Lindamood "bibliophilebeccy" (LeRoy, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Most people would agree that when you have great expectations for a child, he or she is more likely to succeed.

"First Language Lessons for the Well-Trained Mind" by Jessie Wise, Sarah Park (Illustrator)undoubtedly has great expectations for families who use it. It expects children of a first and second grade level who have completed the book to understand adverbs, adjectives, interjections, direct and indirect quotations, paragraph formation and four basic types of sentences among other things. My first reaction on reading the Table of Contents was a little reticence. How frequently do you hear of first and second graders who have proficiency not only in the practice, but also the terminology, of grammar? I can, however, unequivocally state that this scripted language curriculum accomplishes its stated goals and does so painlessly.

My son, who has been known to balk when it comes to school time in the morning, eagerly goes through his language lessons. He has gained confidence in our language and he is capable of giving you not only the definition, but also examples of many points of grammar. So what? Many kids can do that? I understand those may be some of your reactions. But how many kids age 6 can do it with enthusiasm??? After roughly 1 semester using this curriculum, my young son composed a poem today. A good one- using recognizable rhyme and meter- at that. THAT, to me, is the great success of this book. It not only delivers on the educational angle, it delivers on generating enthusiasm for the language.

Not a homeschooler? This book is still for you and your kids. Many parents are displeased at some level with the education their children receive in school. The scripted lessons take only a few minutes per day and will exponentially enhance your kids' education. I'm certain that their increased language proficiency will improve their comprehension of other subjects. Give it a try! At best, your children will flower intellectually. At worst, you will have spent some extra time reading to your kids and interacting with them. Either way, you and your children come out ahead of the game.

Bully for Jessie Wise for writing a fabulous language curriculum and bully for me for purchasing the book. I hope you do the same. Your kids' knowledge will be better off for it!

133 of 136 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely simple to use and very effective tool for grammar, August 5, 2003

By	Kathleen Funk (Austin, Texas USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am very happy with this book! My six year old now BEGS to "do grammar" because this book is perfectly designed for 1st and 2nd grade homeschool kiddos and their parents.

I love the scope and sequence of this book! It covers all the basics of elementary grammar. Nouns, all types of verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, articles, conjunctions and interjections are all taught in a very quiet, gentle manner. Students learn how to construct a complete sentence, how to write a simple letter to a relative, how to narrate (re-tell) a simple story, memorize short poems, and much more.

In the style of Saxon textbooks, Jessie Wise has completely "scripted" the parent's conversation / teaching time with the child. This script can be used word-for-word, used as a springboard, or completely ignored. Using the book as a scope-and-sequence guide alone makes it worth its price. Having 200 quick and easy lessons to present to your child makes it invaluable!

Although the 200 lessons are designed to be used over a 2-year period, I think that most average students would move more quickly through the material. There is much repetition and review built in (on purpose... this is for a grammar-stage student). If your child has thoroughly mastered action verbs, simply move past that topic when it comes up. Just make sure to review the concept from time to time, so your child isn't stymied when they are confronted with a formal grammar textbook for the first time.

I very much appreciate these short, easy grammar lessons! Thank you, Jessie Wise, for fulfilling this homeschooler's need.

73 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great beginning grammar book!!!, September 15, 2003

By A Customer

This book is absolutely wonderful! My daughter and I love it to pieces. The lessons are brief and feel natural. The concepts are gently introduced and reviewed often throughout the text. There are also optional enrichment activity ideas for many of the lessons.

This scripted book is truly a gem...including lessons requiring narration (for example, I read a fable and then I prompt my daughter with questions so that she can tell the story back to me), sweet poems for memorization, Picture studies/narrations, grammar rules and definitions, Copywork, and much, much more! The lessons often take no more than 15-20 minutes to complete, yet despite the short amount of time required for these, I've found that my daughter's retention of concepts is high.
If you're looking for a gentle approach to early grammar, this is it!