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Shurley Grammar Hello to all. Mary Great! Beverly was so excited when she somehow ran into the folks from Shurley, and she turned me on to them, and here we are tonight! Mary First of all, I usually remind everyone that grammar, spelling and punctuation don't count on chats, but this one has me a bit nervous! Mary Shurley, can you tell us what the Shurley Method is? Shurley Grammar Sure. The Shurley Method is a dynamic English program that incorporates all learning styles and helps kids learn in a fun, effective way. (In other words, it works.) Shurley Grammar BTW, don't worry about grammar tonight either! Mary How did you start the program? Mary (GREAT!)(I go for speed on chats!) Shurley Grammar Well, Brenda was very frustrated with the results of traditional English programs. She was unable to find a program to meet the needs of students and decided to develop her own. Mary Were they special needs students? Shurley Grammar No, these problems existed for all of her students. Mary How long have you been in business? Shurley Grammar We have been marketing the program since 1989, and each year has shown increased interest from schools and home educators. Shurley Grammar I started teaching in 1970 and started developing the program in 1971. Mary Do you have any idea how many schools are using the program now? Shurley Grammar We are being used in schools in over 45 states. Many home educators are finding their way to us now too. Shurley Grammar We have seen a dramatic increase in the number of home schools using us recently. Mary I understand
you'll be coming out with a homeschool tailored program in the fall/winter. Shurley Grammar We hope to set up a home school web page as well. Mary We'll touch on that in a bit, but can you tell us what grades are covered? Shurley Grammar Currently our home school materials cover grades 1-7. Shurley Grammar We do not have a kindergarten program at this time. (I've never taught kindergarten.) Mary What makes this program different from other English programs "out there?" Shurley Grammar Jingles, chants, rhymes, repetition, Question-Answer Flow, teaching parts within the whole, and FUN! Mary Is it similar to something like Sing, Spell, Read & Write? Shurley Grammar I'm not extremely familiar with that program. I know ours doesn't have as many songs. Shurley Grammar Our program is also very skill based. Mary Are there any religious themes, or is it something that can be used by both Christian and public schools? Shurley Grammar The program can be used by both groups. In fact, there are many private Christian schools currently using us. Mary Can you elaborate on what you mean by "skill based?" Shurley Grammar Yes. By this I mean that the parts of speech, how to analyze sentences, mechanics and usage, and writing. Shurley Grammar That is, students learn all of these things. Mary What are the jingles you mentioned, and what is the question-answer flow that I've read about? Shurley Grammar The jingles are rhythmic English definitions that are chanted or sung by students to help them initially remember the role of each part of speech. Shurley Grammar In the Question-Answer Flow, an oral series of questions and answers determines the role each word plays in the sentence being analyzed. Shurley Grammar (Oral diagramming.) Mary How long does it take the student to learn these question-answer flow "thingies" (love my vocab, eh?) Shurley Grammar It varies, depending upon the grade and the student. Still, even first graders will be taught about prepositional phrases. Mary What happens if you've got a child going in 4th grade who has never used your method? Where would you start? Shurley Grammar Within two weeks of beginning, students will be able to use the flow on a simple sentence. Shurley Grammar Each level of the program begins with the most basic concepts and builds from there, so a student who is new to the program can still start at his/her regular grade level and not be expected to already know everything taught in previous levels. Mary I listened to the jingle tape today, and it's hard to believe a student can learn them that quickly! But they do? Mary I suppose it would have to be designed that way for children who are new to a school. Shurley Grammar Yes, the jingles are learned extremely quickly by children, but not so quickly by adults! Shurley Grammar Yes, sometimes a "study buddy" is needed in a school classroom to help out a new student. Mary Do children new to the program hesitate at all, or do they dive right in and enjoy it? Shurley Grammar The students certainly dive right on in after only a slight hesitation at first. Mary We homeschoolers are lucky in that respect! We go at the pace our children need! Mary Can you explain how the program covers different learning styles? Shurley Grammar The home school feedback has been VERY positive. Shurley Grammar Students are constantly exposed to "see it, hear it, say it, do it" activities. J'ette Are these equally effective with high school students? Mary Can you give an example of that? Shurley Grammar The Question-Answer Flow requires the students to watch, listen, and speak. Shurley Grammar J'ette, if the high school student is weak in grammar, they will learn quickly and effectively. Mary What about a placement test? Shurley Grammar For strong students, it provides reinforcement. Shurley Grammar We do not have a placement test. Unless the student's reading level is low, we recommend that he/she start on level. Shurley Grammar Remember the earlier comments on each level starting at square one. Mary Is this program effective with kids who have special learning needs or disabilities? Shurley Grammar Very much so. We have had excellent reports from schools with large Native American student enrollment as well as from many bi-lingual classes. Shurley Grammar Resource and special education students in particular seem to respond well to the auditory portion of the program as well as to the repetition of concepts. Mary How will the homeschool version differ from the school version? Mary You mentioned 1 grade through 7th. Will it be that way for both? Shurley Grammar In this version, we will be better able to focus on activities that can be done at home. (It is still in the formative stages at this point. Any input or ideas at this point are appreciated.) Shurley Grammar We plan to have all of the same grade levels as are available now - 1st - 7th. Mary I read in your literature that you are working on 8th grade? Does this mean that you are adding a new grade level yearly? Shurley Grammar The core of the program will remain the same. Students have the same needs regardless of the forum. Shurley Grammar At this time, we plan to stop at the 8th grade. Mary How much time does the program take each day? Shurley Grammar The program should be given the same amount of time as is usually given to a particular subject area. For levels 1-2, 15 to 25 minutes is typical. For Levels 3-7, 30 to 45 minutes will be needed. Mary Would brighter students take less time? Shurley Grammar Yes, these students will not need as much time to work on the grammar. However, they can then spend the remainder of the class on their writing activities. Mary Can the kids teach themselves, or is parent assistance needed? Shurley Grammar The Shurley Method is designed around student-teacher interaction. The teacher models each new step in the Shurley Method for the students. Then the students actively participate with the teacher as the steps are practiced.
Mary Can I teach several kids of different age levels at the same time? Shurley Grammar While some students will be able to handle the program on their own, for most som interaction with a teacher may be required. Shurley Grammar Children who are close in ability can use the same level, if the parent feels it is advantageous to do so. Shurley Grammar Normally, we suggest that each child work on level. Mary You mention that the concepts are not taught in isolation. What do you mean by that? Shurley Grammar In our program, parts of the sentence are learned withing the context of the whole sentence. Students are taught how all the parts of a sentence fit together, and once a concept or skill is introduced, it is used throughout the year. Mary Do you have computer software? (hey, I need all the help I can get!) Doug Great! Shurley Grammar Yes, we are working on a computer game. The students will get extra drilling practice on the Question-Answer Flow while competing against friends or time. Mary Cool! Beverly (oh ... nifty !!) J'ette ditto Mary We are having difficulties with Saxon math (level 3) because it has too much repetition. You haven't found that to be a problem? Reise great idea! Shurley Grammar Once again, the solution to any boredom is to give the student a new challenge - applying their knowledge to writing. Doug Neat Shurley Grammar We cover many types of writing, both creative and formal. Students will learn persuasive, expository, descriptive, narrative, and creative writing, as well as journals and letters. Mary What comes in a kit, and can I use it for all my kids as they move up? Shurley Grammar The kit contains a teacher's manual, student workbook, and audio cassette tape. The tape is a resource to let the teacher hear how the jingles and Question-Answer Flow should sound. Shurley Grammar A kit can be reused in a later year, although a new workbook would need to be purchased. Mary Can I make copies of the student workbook for my own family? Shurley Grammar Sorry, no copies. But we have lots of workbooks available! Mary Is there anything else a person would have to purchase? Shurley Grammar The kit contains everything they'll need to use the program for the entire year in a given grade. Mary How do I place an order and how long will it take to get it? Shurley Grammar We do have posters and transparencies available, but these seem to be more useful in a large classroom setting. Mary So all of you know, we do have a link to the Shurley Method of English Web site in our Language Arts page (Linked off the information pages) Mary Will the homeschool kit be less expensive than the school one? Shurley Grammar We ask that all home school orders be prepaid. Order information can be taken over the phone, but the materials will not be sent until we receive the prepayment via check or money order. We hope to have credit card ordering available in the near future as well. Mary You mentioned a homeschool Web site. What are your plans? Shurley Grammar Yes, currently we are running a summer special - all home school kits $65 each. These are previously viewed school kits. Compare to $225 for the school price. Mary How much are the replacement workbooks? Mary Sounds like a great deal over the school kit! Shurley Grammar The web site, we hope, will be a great resource for the home school parents. It would contain program information, prices, and interactive elements such as a bulletin board. Mary Thank you, Vonda and Brenda for answering my questions, would you be willing to answer questions from the group? Shurley Grammar Workbook prices range from $7 - $10 for elementary workbooks and $16 for 7th & 8th grades at this time. Shurley Grammar Sure. Mary J'ette...you had a question earlier...about high school? Shurley Grammar Oops. Just in 7th at this time. Beverly ya'll have me just positively drooling over the computer game Mary me too! Mary We're all suckers for software here... Shurley Grammar That's great. We'd love to hear more suggestions on software. Mary Do you have an idea of a price range? Will it supplement or substitute for the full program? Shurley Grammar At this time, it will just be a supplement. J'ette My 16 yo is behind in his English and we are currently using 8th grade ACE. We are not satisfied with what he is retaining. Even 7th was a struggle. Will this help for skill development? Shurley Grammar Absolutely. The 7th grade would be great for him. Tammy Are these original tunes or jingles set to known music? Doug Many homeschool families are large, and are teaching children at different levels. Could you compensate for this in your homeschool edition? That is without sacrificing your program? Shurley Grammar Most jingles are chanted, not actually sung. However, you can be as creative as you are musically inclined to be! J'ette You said to give any suggestions for the HS use. Is there any possibility of beta testing for HS? Doug There is an idea beta testing Mary my kind of person, J'ette! Mary I personally would like to see more music to replace chants. I'd hate to have the kids sound like rap singers! Shurley Grammar Doug, if the family needs to teach with fewer kits, they can sometimes have success by purchasing the highest grade kit needed and the necessary lower grade workbooks. Then, the parent develops daily lesson plans for the lower grades by imitating those in the highest grade teacher's edition. J'ette We have 6 students in our 9 child family and individual programs are frightening Beverly grand idea, Shurley! Shurley Grammar J'ette, we haven't really considered beta testing before. An intriguing idea... J'ette Your idea sounds almost doable Shurley Grammar The chants are rhythmic, but not harshly rap-like. J'ette Sign me up if you do! Shurley Grammar Although some schools have adapted them to rap! Beverly I never even thought of rap! We are going to start learning the grammar chants next week --- we'll be using a jump rope & using that instead of jump rope chants Mary I consider myself as "going in 4th grade" since I've forgotten so much of my own grammar...will I have trouble teaching with this method? Can I stay one step ahead of the kids and be OK? Tammy Auditory learners really can do well with chanting/singing. This has me excited. Shurley Grammar Mary, the secret is to stay one step ahead. And many first-time Shurley teachers in schools are just staying ahead too! J'ette Will your program be able to help take the fear out of diagramming difficult complex adverbs and adjectives? Shurley Grammar Yes, finally something for people who don't learn by looking at words on a page. Shurley Grammar Yes, except the kids will never think of them as difficult. Shurley Grammar The higher level skills are learned seamlessly by continuing to apply the earler concepts. Shurley Grammar Remember, first graders are doing prepositional phrases. Beverly hey ... I like that beta testing ... ya'll wanna practice on us like we practiced on you for our 1st formal chat Tammy yes Shurley Grammar This helps their writing abilities, by the way. Shurley Grammar We'll have to think about that for the future. We know where to find a ya'll! Tammy How much writing is expected? Doug Mary, would it be possible to have our guest post some specifics about her program on this site? I think it would help people understand the program Tammy Good idea, Doug Doug thanks, ma'am Shurley Grammar Thank you all for being such a great group. J'ette If I start my 7th/8th grade in the 7th grade level will that form a problem from not starting in a lower grade? Shurley Grammar This is our first formal chat too, and we were a bit nervous, but you put us at ease. Thanks! Reise thank you Shurley, this has been very informative J'ette You have been wonderful!! Doug clap, clap, clap ... sure nuff wish these chats had sound effects ya could just click on Tammy Thank you, Thank you J'ette Did you see my last question that came up in the accolades? Shurley Grammar Tammy, it does depend on the grade. In the home school edition, we plan to incorporate writing all year long. Bev I was too & my hubby rescued me like a knight in shining armor Tammy That's good Bev that's a grand idea, Shurley --- Reise the writing is so important to me Bev writing is important to our family too Shurley Grammar J'ette, you can start in 7th even though we're above level a bit, because we start at the beginning each year. We just move faster in the higher grades. Doug The writting component starts at what grade level? J'ette That is comforting. Then if I am not accustomed to this program I should be able to get caught up too? Shurley Grammar J'ette, yes. You should be able to do well. Shurley Grammar Doug, first grade. Tammy Do you all have references from people Doug Thanks Bev J'ette that is why I am having my daughters learn the grammar chants over the summer Shurley Grammar In our upcoming home school edition, first graders will have writing, that is. Doug Can you give an example? Shurley Grammar Doug, they will start by learning how to organize and compose a simple expository paragraph. Mary Well, I don't want to run a marathon chat for you folks who aren't looking out the window at sunshine now! Shurley Grammar Tammy, we have references from individual and schools who have written to us, sharing their experiences. Tammy Great. It is always nice to here reviews of new programs. Doug I have enjoyed this interview Bev that's right, rub it in, Mary ... it's 10:37 pm here Shurley Grammar We have thoroughly enjoyed this. For more questions, see the link to our current web page. Also call us at 1-800-566-2966. Our web site is www.shurley.com. Doug clap,clap, clap Mary Don't miss the e-mail letter that I received. Click on it to read it. Bev you folks at Shurley are terriffic Bev clap, clap, clap J'ette I don't want to describe our unusual HS situation at present, but we need to continue ACE with our 1st thru 6th graders and I was wondering if we used your program would it be a good supplement to actually improve their understanding? Tammy Thank you again Reise thanks again this was wonderful! Mary Thank you so much, Brenda & Vonda for being so helpful and patient tonight! Bev thank you Mary For those of you who would like a transcript, e-mail me with "Shurley transcript" in the subject line. Shurley Grammar Thanks to all. J'ette, why don't you give me a call tomorrow. We'll chat! Doug Great chat Bev wow ... ya'll are really kind folk J'ette Thanks very much Doug Bye all Mary Thanks to all of you who came tonight! Reise night doug Bev night Doug Mary Drive safely home... Reise thanks mary Reise hehe Mary Sure! Bev thank you Mary ... ya'll had terrific questions Mary->J'ette Sorry, J'ette, I didn't see your question before I wrapped it up! Give 'em a call...they are really nice folks. Mary Good Night all! J'ette I certainly will. I do understand the constraints. This was wonderful Shurley Grammar Did you get our last comment? IT was thanks to all, and J'ette call me tomorrow and we'll chat. Shurley Grammar Good night. J'ette I will . Bev night night ! J'ette What time is best? Shurley Grammar Try around 2:00 central. J'ette okay 2:00 it is Tammy Thanks to all...Mary, Bev and you all at Shurley! Goodnite Kristen hehehe as usual, I was just in time for the end, next time maybe I will make it for the whole thing,. Thanks guys Bev I'm gunna sign off too --- see ya on the Boards --- thanks again Shurley! J'ette Your program brings much hope
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