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Primary Language Lessons by Emma Serl is a classic book of English language exercises intended for children in the second and third grades. First published in 1911, Primary Language Lessons is now published as a reprint by various publishers. I purchased this beautiful hardcover volume reprinted by the Lost Classics Book Company because I wanted to have a physical book for my children to use. Hillside Education, another publisher of Primary Language Lessons, has provided an answer key and teacher guide as a free download. Another set of exercises for grades four through six is available in the book Intermediate Language Lessons by Emma Serl.
Primary Language Lessons focuses on teaching grammar, vocabulary, and composition skills to young learners. It features a variety of lessons, stories, and exercises designed to help students develop strong language fundamentals. The book’s approach is rooted in traditional teaching methods and aims to cultivate proper language usage and effective communication. It has been widely used by homeschoolers, educators, and parents to guide elementary students.
The philosophy of Primary Language Lessons is that students who receive continued practice on correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation are better served than those who receive English language instruction through the direct memorization of the many rules of the English language.
Primary Language Lessons by Emma Serl is also recommended as part of the Mater Amabilis curriculum, among others. Check out our article on free curriculum choices, including Mater Amabilis.
What to Know About Primary Language Lessons
Here are some features of Primary Language Lessons you may want to be aware of before using it in your homeschool.
Non-Consumable and Reusable
This book is a textbook and is meant to be completed by students on their own paper. As a non-consumable book, Primary Language Lessons can be used for multiple children. The exercises are meant to be completed by students on their own paper. We use a standard composition notebook to complete these exercises in our homeschool.
Pacing
Lessons are not meant to be done at a one-a-day pace. Some lessons can take multiple days and others may be so short that a student can complete more than one per day. A parent or teacher should use their best judgment when assigning lessons.
There are 164 lessons in Primary Language Lessons. For a parent or teacher wishing to assign these lessons over the course of two years (second and third grade) with a standard 180 day and 36 week school year, that amounts to about 82 lessons per school year or two to three lessons per week.
Unless otherwise noted in the introduction, lessons are meant to be done in order since they gradually increase in difficulty throughout the book. See the paragraph on memorization exercises below for an example of when you may want to do lessons out of the order in which they are presented.
Lesson Types
Lessons come in a few different types.
Dictation: For dictation exercises, the book recommends the teacher read each sentence once and have the student write what is said exactly with correct spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. Mistakes should be corrected and pointed out to the student.
Memorization: Memorization exercises generally ask students to be able to recite a famous poem from memory. First, teachers should read the selection to be memorized to the student and discuss it with the student before they begin memorizing. The book recommends that poetry memorization be done at the appropriate time of year. For instance, the November poem should be done during November.
Pictures: Picture lessons generally ask students to answer questions about works by great artists. Teachers can also ask students their own questions.
Composition: Students are asked to do a simple composition. For instance, a composition lesson might include letter writing and correspondence or writing briefly about what they did last Saturday morning.
Reproduction: These lessons ask students to tell a story in their own words, either orally or in written form. This technique is very similar to Charlotte Mason narration.
Grammar: A grammar lesson might consist of filling in the blanks of sentences with the correct word usage, or answering questions about a brief passage and why certain words were used.
Correction of Errors
The book recommends that teachers keep a record of common mistakes and provide frequent drills to students to help solidify understanding. Always correct grammar, punctuation, and incorrect word usage for every lesson.
Do you need to supplement this curriculum?
Some parents will find that they do not need another language arts curriculum to accompany this curriculum. For Charlotte Mason homeschoolers, the oral and written narrations completed by students in their other subjects, combined with the exercises in Primary Language Lessons, may often constitute a nearly complete language arts curriculum.
However, some parents may still supplement this curriculum with spelling words and additional grammar either through English or through the study of Latin, particularly homeschool families of a classical persuasion. This curriculum also does not replace reading and studying good literature selections.
As always, teachers and homeschool parents know their own students’ strengths and limitations and can use their best judgment as to whether supplemental instruction is necessary.
Our Bottom Line Opinion
Overall, Primary Language Lessons aims to provide a well-rounded language arts education for young students. It emphasizes not only the technical aspects of language but also encourages personal compositions and a love for literature, art, and nature. The content is presented in a progressive manner, starting with foundational concepts and gradually advancing to more complex topics. Depending on the goals of the teacher or parent, this book can be a great option for a nearly complete language arts curriculum, or can be used selectively to complement language arts instruction.
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