Review In A Nutshell:
Title: Primary Language Lessons

Author: Emma Serl

Overall Rating (1-10): 7

Value (1-10): 8

Flexibility (1-10): 7

Ages/Grades: 2nd and 3rd grade

Schooling Method: Old-fashioned or perhaps the Well-Trained Mind; drill work and copy work are strongly encouraged

Kid Value: 5

Review: This is a neat old-fashioned primer for teaching formal language lessons. The book is sturdy and hard-cover which means it will last in the hands of children for several years.

The basis of the theory behind this book is that children learn through imitation and practice. Children are exposed, gently and increasingly, to language through short lessons that are written in a language friendly to a child’s ear.

The book uses many of the old-fashioned methods of teaching language that aren’t used as frequently anymore. This is a welcome gift for many homeschooling families who are tired of the “modern” options available. For other families, this method will be too rigid or structured. My children, for instance, thought this language curriculum to be too mundane and couldn’t relate to it well. They detested the memorization and language lessons became a struggle rather than a small seamless part of our day. But not all children will respond this way. A child who is used to learning in a more traditional way will likely enjoy this method and gain much from what it has to offer.

So what DOES it have to offer? Children are exposed to a variety of exercises. One day they might work to complete a dictation exercise. Another day they might work to memorize a children’s poem. There are drawing exercises on some days, pictures of famous works of art with accompanying dialogue on other days. There are nature observation lessons, drill work and focus on some of the common grammatical errors learned through improper modeling by adults (no doubt of which I am also guilty of!). The variety is appealing, the price is right for a two year language program and the prep time for the parent is almost non-existent. There are no complicated teachers manuals or outside resources to collect at all.

Bottom Line: This is a neat traditional language lessons primer for grades 2 and 3. If your child really loves the Well-Trained Mind way of learning, this will be a perfect intro into language lessons. If your child is used to other more modern ways of learning or has difficulty with memorization or dictation, this might not be for you.

Buy Now: Primary Language Lessons