Analytical Grammar: A systematic approach to language masteryAnalytical Grammar Explained
Junior Analytical Grammar and Jr AG: Mechanics are courses in the basics of grammar, punctuation, and usage and are written at a reading level easily understood by 4th or 5th graders. Jr. AG covers all the parts of speech and the parts of the sentence exclusive of the four phrases and three subordinate clauses. It also teaches classical sentence diagramming in a step-by-step manner. Jr. AG: Mechanics cover basic punctuation, capitalization, and usage rules that can be mastered by students with a firm grounding in basic grammar. My recommendation is that parents go through this course with their children, and then just let the grammar "marinate" in their brains until they are in 6th grade, which is when Analytical Grammar comes into play.
Analytical Grammar is a 3-year course written at a reading level suitable for 6th graders and above, which is to be delivered as follows: the first year the parent would teach the first 10 units (which covers what Junior Analytical Grammar covers). This would take 10 weeks. After that no more new grammar is taught that year. For the remainder of that year, one day every two weeks, a reinforcement exercise (from Reinforcement and Review) is done. This is independent seatwork the student can do on his own. He can even correct his own work, as the answers are contained in the book.
The second year begins with a week of review (in the Reinforcement and Review book), and then the parent would teach units #11 through 17 in the main book (8 weeks in all). This would complete the study of grammar, covering the four phrases and three clauses. That would be all the grammar taught that year. Once a month for the rest of the year, the student would do a reinforcement exercise, also in Reinforcement and Review.
The third year, the parent would teach units 19 through 34 (17 weeks). These units cover all the rules of punctuation and usage. This would complete the formal study of grammar and language mechanics.
The reinforcements in the Reinforcement and Review book are MANDATORY if you break the program up.
We recommend this 3-year schedule for 6th or 7th graders. If you are starting AG with an 8th or 9th grader, you can do your three seasons over a period of two years (see the timeline). Students from 10th grade up should do the course in one year, using the shortcuts outlined in the Teacher Book.
We also have optional DVD companions to use with Jr. AG, Jr. AG: Mechanics, and AG. These will feature Erin and Robin teaching the lessons and practicing with a few sentences from each unit. The DVDs will be a big help for those who either don't have the time or feel they don't have the background to teach AG on their own.
Students who have completed AG can keep their skills sharp by doing one exercise every two weeks in one of our High School Reinforcement books.
The Student Workbook turns into a reference book. As the student goes through each unit, he makes sure each page of notes stays in the workbook. The exercises and tests, however, are discarded once they are done and corrected. That way the student is left with a Table of Contents, all the notes from Units 1 through 34, and an index. Makes for a very handy reference book in later years! I still get emails from former students in their 30's and 40's who tell me they still have their "Grammar Notebooks" on their desks at work!
So that's the Analytical Grammar program. We are women on a mission to convince parents that they don't need to be "doing" a grammar worksheet every day, all year long, for years and years and years! If grammar is taught sequentially and logically, there is no need for so much repetition.
