EFRU - (English from the Roots Up) - How does MFW use this?

[Julie in MN]

What does EFRU look like?

Just wondering how it works, and what a day of using it "looks like"??

I am planning our Language Arts for next year, when we are going to "Creation to the Greeks", and wanted to know about this program, because I have always wanted to use it (and was so glad to see that MFW schedules it in.)

Also, what other Language programs do we need with this?? Grammar?? Writing?? Penmanship?? Spelling?? (Or is spelling covered in "English from the Roots Up"??) THANKS in advance!!

Heather,
Roots Up replaces the geography vocabulary words in ECC. The only change is that you do something daily or almost daily, rather than only on Friday. Although nothing takes more than 10 minutes I would say.

All the rest of your language arts components continue: spelling, writing, reading, Bible copywork, etc. Penmanship is reviewed at the beginning of the year, just as in ECC. If you follow MFW's recommendations, English skills are continued from PLL to ILL and then to a formal (but concise) grammar starting in 6th-7th grade.

Roots Up is basically a book with one root per page. At the top of the page you see the front of the index card that you will make, and the rest of that page shows you what goes on the back of the index card & interesting notes. The book has a few handy indexes, but there is only a page or two on how to use the book (in a classroom).

However, using the MFW guidelines, it is easy to use. When I did the Roots Up book with my older dd, she enjoyed making all the nice cards, but I really doubt she remembers much of the content. I feel that with MFW, my youngest is learning and retaining a lot of vocabulary, dictionary skills, and understanding of the spellings of groups of words.

Each day MFW has you use Roots Up in a different way -- make the card, use the dictionary, write sentences, review, and test. There were extra ideas for review games once we had built up quite a few words.

Oh, and you use the book over 2 years -- Greek roots during CtG and Latin during RtR.

Julie

[Jacqueline]

I have heard that MFW does this differently than the instructions say. Can someone please elaborate on HOW they do it? I am getting ready for the year and trying to get everything all laid out.

We haven't yet started our school year, but I've been going over the TM for CtG so we'll be ready...just a disclaimer before I give you an answer!

You will be using only the Greek roots in CtG, one word each week typically (there are one or two weeks where you'll study two roots).
Day 1 is making the vocabulary card
Day 2 is for dictionary work
Day 3 is for sentences
Day 4 is review/test

There are suggestions in the TM for how to use EFRU for younger vs. older students. [the notes section for week 1]

You learn the Latin roots when you begin RtR.

[momtoaaa]

We do it as stated in the RTR manual. We don't use the index cards though. I made up my own sheets using Word that we file in a vocabulary section of our English notebook.
Jen

[editor's note: more alternative ideas here: http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=5944 ]

[Julie in MN]

There are also a few ideas in the CTG guide for review games, once you get quite a few Greek roots built up (week 16 or so?). Ds loves the game method :o)
Julie

[KimR]

Can you tell me how MFW suggests using EFTRU. (We're starting CTG in the fall)
I think I'm understanding that the children make their own flash cards...? Or did anyone get the already made flash cards and have the kiddos make their vocab words into a notebook.

Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 5:19 pm

Hi Lynnette,
DS did his words on index cards that he kept in a index card file.

He wrote the word on one side using green pencil for the Greek words and red for the Latin words. He wrote the definition on the other side, along with some of the vocabulary words with their definitions.

The TM also schedules a day to write sentences using the vocabulary words. DS did these on the computer. He kept a computer file just for the sentences.

[Buttercup78]

Are all the Greek roots used from EFTRU? I don't feel like taking the time to go through the manual and count

Edited to add:
Well, I guess I'm impatient. I decided to count. There are 37 Greek roots in EFTRU and they are all used in CtG. Some of the weeks double up and do 2 words instead of just one to fit them all in. Hope that helps someone else!

I was going to say that I've never seen Marie not use a resource fully unless there was a reason, so I would assume the entire book is used. There are more Latin words than Greek, so you do more words per week in RTR. I like that you have more dictionary time in CTG and then a little variety in RTR.
Julie

I was looking for a list somewhere and I should have figured since there wasn't one, that all of them were used! Oh well, now we know! I love how MFW uses so many books that are used over multiple years!

[mr.hickswife]

Hi again Nikki!

I hardly every post, and here's my 3rd for the night! LOL!

I have a simple OpenOffice spreadsheet that I made for EFTRU that I can send you It has the corresponding week used in CTG, greek root word, english def., page # for EFTRU, and of course a check box!