My Favorite Language Lessons Primer

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When I first began homeschooling, I wasted so much money on curriculum I didn’t use and didn’t like.

I am convinced homeschool mamas are overwhelmed with trying to teach too much…

My goal for “Charlotte Mason Mama” is to help YOU educate your children excellently and frugally. Homeschooling is a huge market place now…you have hundreds of decisions to make. What books are the best? What would Charlotte Mason recommend?

Friends, this one little book”Primary Language Lessons” by Emma Serl is one of my absolute favorite early language primers.

This book is small but mighty.

164 lessons that include:

A beginning guide for teachers
Picture study lessons (like the picture above)
Copying and dictation
Poem memorization
Dictation
Composition ( and learning to properly write a letter-A lost art in my opinion)
Oral reproductions ( narration)
Correct use of words in a sentence
Proper comma placement
Observation lessons (habit of attention is part of this!)
Maxims and Proverbs…

Lessons are kept short and sweet just as Charlotte Mason teaches us to do.

During each lesson, our students must: pay absolute attention and give their best effort.

The Author

Emma Serl was an experienced teacher of the early 20th century, she used imaginative lessons and short, twaddle free instructions to make learning enjoyable. She made liberal use of writings by the literary giants of our English language heritage, as well as fables, folklore and maxims-the kinds of writing children should know if they are to become well-educated in our rich literary traditions.

Primary Language Lessons is a small, hardcover book.

Age recommendations:

For Charlotte Mason students, I recommend beginning this primer in 2nd grade. However, I will use the poetry lessons and picture study lessons with my new first grader next year. (if you are using The Enchanted Kindergarten… you student will be accustomed to reciting poetry and most of these poetry lessons will be a natural progression UP)

The key is to work on each lesson with best effort and slowly work through the lesson. No rushing and no dwaddling 😊

Scheduling: Every family is different. For us, we work on language lessons 3 times per week.

These lessons progressively get more difficult and I believe it would be reasonable to work on half of the lessons in 2nd grade and the rest at the beginning of 3rd grade. You know your own student…and their capabilities, use your discretion. This book is your servant.

Primary Language Lessons

As your student progresses there are additional books written by the same author for intermediate levels. I have loved all of Ms. Serl’s books and have experienced wonderful results in my children.

Sometimes we need lesson curriculum and just a few really good, solid books to work through. Less stress for you, mama.

For further teacher training, you may purchase the Teacher’s Guide to go along with the book.