First Language Lessons
A gentle, fully scripted grammar course for grades 1 to 4 that trains the ear and the pen through memory work, copywork, narration and dictation.
First Language Lessons, by Jessie Wise, teaches grammar the classical way: short lessons the parent reads aloud from a fully scripted instructor guide, with poems to memorize, stories to narrate back, sentences to copy and, from Level 2, dictation. Levels 1 and 2 are almost entirely oral. Levels 3 and 4 add a student workbook and a gentle introduction to sentence diagramming. Our guides turn every lesson into a daily plan: the concept being taught, the poem to review, and each copywork, narration or workbook exercise as its own checklist item.
Fully scripted: read the lesson aloud, no prep and no grammar background needed
Short lessons, two or three a week, that fit a young child’s attention span
Memory work, copywork and narration build correct speech before heavy writing
Four levels carry a child from first nouns to diagramming complete sentences
What we support
Levels We Support
- •Level 1 (grade 1)
- •Level 2 (grade 2)
- •Level 3 (grade 3)
- •Level 4 (grade 4)
Not yet in our guides
- •Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind (grades 5 to 12) and Writing With Ease. Tell us if you need them and we will move them up.
How many lessons a week?
The publisher suggests two or three lessons a week, which finishes a level in a school year. Levels 3 and 4 include a 36-week sample schedule with the optional end units either at the end or spread through the year. Our plan follows whichever pace you set.
What you get with OneHomeschool
- Every lesson labelled new concept, review or mixed, in the book’s own order
- The definition or rule being memorized called out for the parent
- Poem reviews listed as daily review so nothing slips
- Copywork, dictation, narration and workbook exercises as separate checklist items
- Enrichment and optional follow-ups marked optional, never required
- Progress tracking through all four levels for every child
What you still need to buy
OneHomeschool works alongside your curriculum — you still need the original materials from the publisher.
- •The First Language Lessons book for Levels 1 and 2 (script and child’s material in one volume)
- •The Instructor Guide and consumable Student Workbook for Levels 3 and 4
- •Paper, pencil and a notebook for copywork and narrations
- •Optional: the Audio Companion recordings of the poems
Note: First Language Lessons stops at Level 4. Grammar for the Well-Trained Mind, from the same publisher, continues for grades 5 to 12 and is not yet in our guides.
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