Language Arts help and advice

[Kaleo40]

I am struggling to find what to use for reading with some phonics, writing, grammar, spelling.  My dd is 7 and 2nd grade.  She hates workbooks.  I don't have much confidence teaching in these areas, so I need something that will hold my hand a little too.  It doesn't have to be an all in one program, but the shorter and simpler the lessons the better.  I want something that will teach a concept and give enough time to understand it, but also something that I won't feel bad for skipping ahead if she catches on quickly.  Can anyone help me?  My head is spinning from everything out there!

[BellinghamCrunchie]

My DD is the same way. She hates workbooks and particularly hates handwriting.

One thing she will do pretty regularly (and its the only thing so far) is Reading Eggs, at readingeggs.com.

About learning reading skills, I found that I really dislike (and DD dislikes it, too) trying to teach all the phoneme sounds and the many rules and the exceptions to the rules - I think that if I can foster a love of reading in her, that results in her absorbing the rules about spelling and grammar intuitively. So I spend most of language arts time reading to her, and also have everything I can think of that is interesting enough that she might pick it up on her own and at least look at the pictures (Calvin and Hobbes, Bad Kitty, etc on the coffee table and countertop for example). Anything that will encourage her to find reading fun.

[eirual]

http://jollylearning.co.uk/

Love that it's physical (actions/gestures), musical (each phoneme has a sound), visual, and oral.

I don't know about their grammar program, but for phonics it's GREAT, IMO!!

[pek64]

Books of comics can be read alone or together, to focus on reading. For grammar, read to your child older but still fun books. A to Z Mysteries, and there's a series about a third grade detective, are possible choices. Then grammar is heard. Speak using correct grammar as well.