Well-Ordered Language: The Curious Child’s Guide to Grammar

The curriculum uses appropriately complex sentences from quality literature for analysis. Examples include excerpts from classic works that provide rich, complex sentence structures.

Review notes 'The complex, rich sentences are much more enjoyable to analyze and learn from than are typical sentences used in most grammar books' and includes examples from works like Tom Sawyer and Kipling

The curriculum provides substantial teacher support with detailed instructions, scripted lessons, and explicit guidance. It's designed to help even teachers weak in grammar feel confident.

Review states 'All of this makes it easy even for teachers who are weak in grammar to feel confident as they teach' and mentions 'teacher's editions walk you through the lessons with explicit instructions'

The curriculum strongly emphasizes direct, explicit instruction with scripted lessons and systematic teaching approaches. Teacher editions provide complete scripting for sentence analyses.

Review states 'teacher's editions walk you through the lessons with explicit instructions, including complete scripting of the sentence analyses' and mentions 'systematic, sequential approach for teaching grammar'

The curriculum incorporates extensive retrieval practice through memorization, choral recitation, and frequent review of definitions and patterns. Students memorize definitions through songs and chants.

Review emphasizes 'frequent repetition and review so that students master definitions and patterns of analysis' and 'students memorize definitions of essential elements such as the eight parts of speech and the four classes of verbs through choral recitation'

Limited writing instruction appears to be included, primarily through copywork and some grammar-based writing activities. This is primarily a grammar curriculum rather than a comprehensive writing program.

Review mentions 'copywork as well as some grammar activities' and 'reading comprehension questions that can be used either orally or for written work'

The curriculum uses excerpts from quality literature rather than whole books. Excerpts include passages from Rudyard Kipling, Tom Sawyer, and complete poems with author biographies.

Review mentions 'excerpts from poetry and literature' including 'an excerpt from a Rudyard Kipling story' and 'an excerpt from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' along with 'complete poems' at the back of books

The curriculum includes some knowledge-building elements through literature excerpts and author biographies. However, it appears primarily focused on grammar instruction rather than systematic domain knowledge building.

Includes 'To the Source' sidebars about word derivations, author biographies, and uses excerpts from quality literature, but the primary focus is grammar analysis rather than building broad knowledge

The curriculum includes some vocabulary development through word etymology and derivations. The 'To the Source' sidebars provide information about word origins.

Review mentions 'To the Source' sidebars that appear in both student and teacher books have information about word derivations that you might want to discuss with students

No evidence of phonics instruction as this is a grammar-focused curriculum for grades 3-8. Phonics instruction would not be expected at these grade levels.

Review focuses entirely on grammar instruction and sentence analysis with no mention of phonics or early reading skills