Keeping a Healthy Balance in Language Arts
Balance is the key to a successful education. So, how do you go about keeping balance in Language Arts within your homeschool day? Well, Language Arts as a subject has many subcategories. The subcategory names can vary with children’s ages, and the number of subcategories can differ based on how you define language arts. Phonics/reading/literature instruction, copywork/writing/composition, spelling/dictation, English/grammar, handwriting/cursive, rhymes/poetry study, and oral narration/speech are some of the subcategories that can fall under the greater subject of Language Arts.
With this many components, keeping the balance of total time spent on Language Arts is pretty important! If one Language Arts component takes way too much time, another might be lagging or skipped. Likewise, if all the Language Arts components together take all your homeschooling time, other subjects – which are equally as important – might be lagging or skipped. Language Arts as a subject is important, but it should not take over the day so history, art, Bible, music, etc. are never taught.
How Heart of Dakota’s Guides Balance Language Arts Within the Plans
Did you know Heart of Dakota‘s (HOD’s) guides already balance Language Arts for you? Well, they do! When children are younger and their attention spans are shorter, language arts skills are kept to short increments of time. The rest of the subjects in the guide are also kept to short increments of time, in keeping with Charlotte Mason’s approach to teaching young children. Phonics instruction, for example, is daily. However, it only takes about 15-20 minutes. Fine motor skills/handwriting is daily, but it only takes about 10 minutes. This keeps little ones’ days balanced, so other subjects like history, science, and Bible don’t get dropped. It also ensures that Language Arts won’t take all their focus, time, and energy.
As students get older, more Language Arts components are added. HOD’s guides balance this nicely by making sure to rotate Language Arts skills. For example, as students get older, HOD’s guides include reading instruction just three times a week. Formal writing instruction is often planned on days students don’t have as much writing (i.e. on days they don’t have a written narration). Older students do dictation just three times a week. Grammar is sometimes done half-speed in guides that include heavier writing assignments. Each Language Arts component is kept in balance so no one day will get too heavy.
How Subbing and Supplementing Can Upset the Balance of Language Arts
The more you use HOD’s recommended Language Arts resources, the more balanced the day will be. Subbing and supplementing can upset the balance of Language Arts. By all means, if you love another phonics program, use it! However, if your phonics program takes an hour a day, and HOD’s phonics takes 15-20 minutes a day, you and your child’s day will be longer. The balance is upset. By the time you get done with phonics, you may find you nor your child have enough time, energy, nor focus to do Bible, history, or science.
Let’s say you choose another writing program. This writing program includes plans four or five days a week for 45 minutes a day. The HOD guide you are using only includes plans for writing one or two days a week, for 30 minutes a time. The balance is upset. By the time you get done with the writing you subbed, you may find you nor your older student have enough time, energy, or focus for writing an assigned history written narration, Drawn into the Heart of Reading Student Book assignment, or a science lab sheet.
Let’s say you choose a spelling program that takes 20 minutes a day, four days a week. The HOD guide you are using only includes plans for spelling three days a week, for 5-10 minutes at time. The balance is upset. And so on.
In Closing
Carrie has taken great care to balance our children’s Language Arts skills within each guide. That balance helps our children be able to enjoy all the subjects planned in the guide. It guards against Language Arts taking over and being the only thing our children get done each day. The more your children use the resources HOD’s plans include for Language Arts, the better balance your children’s days will have.
If you truly love or already own another Language Arts component, sub it! But, try to sub it only on the days and only for the amount of time that component is already planned in the guide. This will better maintain the balance. Likewise, if you truly want to supplement with something because you love it or already own it, by all means, supplement with it! However, try to supplement it on the free fifth day or on a day you have more time. This will better maintain the balance.
The more balanced our children’s Language Arts skills are within their day, the better work they can do and the better focus they can maintain. I’ve always enjoyed HOD’s Language Arts choices and the balance they give us across all subject areas. Our sons have enjoyed the variety of subjects planned in each guide as well. If you are subbing or supplementing for a component or two of Language Arts in HOD, strive to still maintain a good balance. If your subs or supplements are taking over the day, consider trying HOD’s recommended resources instead. They are excellent, and balance is the key to a successful education!
In Christ,
Julie
