Grade level, standards based, systematic, English Language
Arts (ELA) skills practice, yes please! There are two levels of the HMH Reading
program, the HMH
Journeys for elementary students and the HMH
Collections for middle and high school students. One thing to remember
about this program is that it is a small part of what was a much
larger program. There are materials that are no longer available,
turning this curriculum into a great grade level supplement for ELA skills.
The reading portion of the HMH Journeys program is available
to provide supplemental aid to your students’ ELA studies. The Reader’s
Notebook is a consumable workbook for your student. There are 30 lessons
with 4-5 worksheets per lesson. Each worksheet will focus on a specific ELA
skill like grammar, spelling, or phonics. There are worksheets (Independent
Reading) working on reading comprehension; however, these are in reference to a
textbook that is no longer available. In the younger levels many of these worksheets
can be adjusted to ask questions about books you may be reading with your
child.
The Close Reader is one of my favorite aspects
of this supplement and can be used independently. This is a consumable workbook
that guides and instructs students on how to become close readers of text.
There are themed units with 5 reading selections. Each selection will be a
different style of reading with guidance on annotating, citations, vocabulary,
and making inferences. There is no teacher component to the Close Reader at
these elementary levels.
Moving from Journeys to the higher-level Collections series,
the focus is targeted on reading closely! The middle school levels (6-8) have
both a Student Close Reader, where students will analyze and make
inferences based on the thematic readings they are guided through; and the Teacher’s
Guide which has student reduce pages with suggested answers to help parents
evaluate their students’ progress. Unfortunately, the high school series is no
longer in publication, yet we have the Teacher’s Guides for grades 9-11. You
could get creative and utilize the teacher’s book as a narrated style
comprehension where passages are read aloud and questions are answered orally
(what a great skill for those college bound students). You could also check
second-hand markets for the student readers.
All in all, the bits and pieces of the HMH Reading program
makes for a great reading comprehension supplement to any ELA study! ~Rebecca
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Teaching Method
Traditional
Teacher-centered curriculum commonly used in classrooms that may include a text, teacher manual, tests, etc.
Charlotte Mason
A methodology based on the work of a 19th century educator who maintained that children learn best from literature (Living Books), not textbooks.
Classical
A methodology based on the Latin Trivium (three stages of learning), including the grammar stage (memorization and facts), logic stage (critical thinking), and rhetoric stage (developing/defending ideas).
Unit Study
A thematic or topical approach centered around one topic that integrates multiple subject areas.
Montessori (Discovery)
A methodology based on the work of a 20th century educator that emphasizes student and sensory-driven discovery learning and real-life applications.
Other
Other methodologies
Religious Content
Secular
Contains content contrary to common Christian beliefs (i.e. evolution).
Neutral
Avoids religious or theoretical topics or presents multiple viewpoints without preference.
Christian/Religious
Faith-based or including instructional religious content.
Learning Modality
Auditory
Learns through listening, talking out loud or reading out loud.
Visual
Learns through seeing, prefers written instructions and visual materials.
Kinesthetic/Tactile (Hands-On)
Learns through moving, doing and touching.
Multi-Sensory
Curriculum that employ a variety of activities/components.
Presentation
Sequential
Curriculum progresses through well-defined learning objectives. Emphasizes mastery before moving to the next topic.
Spiral
Topics and concepts are repeated from level to level, adding more depth at each pass and connecting with review.
Conceptual/Topical
Focus is on the “why,” often with a unifying concept as well as specific skills; coverage may be broader.
Teacher Involvement
Low Teacher Involvement
Student-led materials; parent acts as a facilitator.
Medium Teacher Involvement
A mix of teacher-led time and independent student work.
High Teacher Involvement
Teacher-led lessons; may utilize discussions, hands-on activities and working together.
Additional Materials Required
No other materials needed
Everything you need is included.
Other Materials Required
There are additional required resources that are a separate purchase.
Other Materials Optional
There are additional resources mentioned or recommended but are not absolutely necessary.
