What Does CQLA Have That Few or No Other Programs Have?

All About CQLA’s Unique Teaching Methods:

  1. Copywork, Comprehension, and Vocabulary
    * Denotes exercises and methods that are unique to TFT materials/CQLA and/or created by TFT authors
    + Denotes that, that particular assignment and/or technique is also found in MC books
    1. Passages for copying and dictation that teach the skills for that month—that are well-written, based on character* and biblical principles
    2. Vocabulary taught and practiced in the context of the passages* (as opposed to isolated words—see article at end of this newsletter for more vocabulary help)
    3. Definition Dissection*—Six strategies for unlocking the meanings of words and text (outstanding preparation for standardized testing and reading at higher levels—available for free at our website for you to use with your students in other reading and comprehension situations—see link in margin)
    4. Comprehension activities that teach students to interact with text in meaningful ways (i.e. list, summarize, locate, repeat, reword, etc.)
    5. Vocabulary taught within the passages* using synonyms, antonyms, homophones, and similar words
    6. +Literary techniques, such as similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, alliteration, colloquialisms, hyperbole, and more, taught within the context* of the weekly passage
  2. Spelling
    1. Spelling taught using words in given passage* (attaching meanings as well)
    2. Word families—spelling taught using word families approach rather than ladder letter approach
    3. Words studied at multiple levels (like all skills), so that Basic* students work on easier words than Extension, and Further Extension work on hardest words (all using the same word families)
    4. Upper level students work on structural analysis types of spelling rules—I before e; change y to I and add es; forming plurals; etc.
    5. Taught to use tips and tricks that are given to unlock the spellings of words, but also taught to design* their own tips and tricks
    6. Choose the Correct Spelling* exercises in which the correct spelling and incorrect spelling are given for each spelling word
    7. Write That Word*—exercise in which student uses two or more unfamiliar spelling words in his writing
    8. Six S Spelling Secret*—a series of spelling helps that students use to practice their spelling words: See the word (look for clues, shape, parts you already know, etc.); Say the word (sound it out syllabicated if that helps); Separate yourself from the word; Spell the word from memory; Stop (if you spelled the word correctly) or Start (re-start the Six S Spelling Secret steps for words you still misspell)
    9. Pre-test for spelling—to determine which words student should work on further
    10. Review Words*—place in the spelling section in which student records misspelled words from his spelling test, report/essay, or other situations
    11. Optional Vocabulary Words* as spelling words—Vocabulary words are offered as optional spelling words (though they do not follow that week’s spelling rule)
  3. Editor Duty*—edit given paragraphs
    1. Paragraphs with character-based/Bible-based content* in which students locate errors
    2. Previous week’s grammar and usage is practiced* in Editor Duty paragraphs
    3. Answers for Editor Duty and Grammar assignments given in the back of the student’s monthly unit* (as opposed to a separate Answer Key booklet to purchase)
    4. Answers for Editor Duty and Grammar assignments are not just provided as a “list” of answers, but rather student’s entire assignment is given in the Answer Key with the answers indicated with bold font and shading*
  4. Grammar/Usage
    1. Preposition-Check Sentence*
    2. Subordinator-Check Sentence*
    3. Adjective-Check Sentence*
    4. +Interjection Rhyme*
    5. Lie/lay; rise/raise; sit/set rhyme*
    6. First Subordinators in Rhyme*
    7. Memorize parts of speech according to learning style*
    8. Grammar Cards*
    9. Recitation of Parts of Speech*
    10. Past Participle Divisions for Memorization*
    11. Be, a Helper, Link Verb song*
    12. Learn prepositions and infinitives first (to distinguish between preposition to and to plus a verb)
    13. Practicing grammar in meaningful sentences also based on character/biblical principles*
    14. Sentence Openers/non-essential material taught early to determine punctuation and where “real” sentence begins*
    15. Tricks for as many usage concepts as possible—trade places with double adjectives to see if comma is needed; Complete Sentence (CS) comma-coordinating conjunction (,cc) CS; pronouns are “for” nouns—dozens and dozens of tricks, tips, and mnemonics to teach grammar and usage
  5. Wacky Words*--tricks and methods for working on homophones and other confusing words (an often-overlooked necessity for all ages of students)
    1. Homophones—homo means same; phone means hear
    2. Homographs—homo means same; graph means write
    3. Syn means same
    4. Ant means opp
    5. Dozens of tricks:
      1. there—here is in there; their—heir is in their; they’re—always say contractions in uncontracted form
      2. affect/effect—RAVEN (Remember Affect Verb, Effect Noun)
      3. farther/further—farther area; further understanding
  6. Outlining/Prewriting/Study Skills
    Note: All outlining, writing, revising, etc. in all of CQLA and MC are taught using TFT’s "Directed Writing Approach." This means that students are directed in a step-by-step manner how to write that type of writing every step of the way. None of the types of outlining and/or writing are given as writing ideas or writing prompts. They are all taught using the "Directed Writing Approach."
    1. +Key Word Outline over given material—outlining lines* and specific instruction on how to outline the given passage paragraphs* teaching students how to write from short passages of source material; what to do with unusual sentence structures in sentence-by-sentence outlining* (i.e. quotations, semicolons, lengthy sentences, etc.)
    2. +Opening Paragraph outlining, including determining the thesis statement prior to writing*
    3. +Closing paragraph outlining, including determining the “thesis statement reloaded”* prior to writing
    4. +Brainstorming Box*
    5. +"Don’t Wanna Forget This" Box*
    6. +Sentence-by-Sentence outlining*
    7. +Paragraphs and Sentence by Sentence outlining*
    8. +Sections and Paragraphs and Sentence by Sentence outlining*
    9. +Formal outlining
    10. +Piggyback Outline*
    11. +Provided Outlining Card outlining*
    12. +Question and Answer outline*
    13. +5 W’s Outline*
    14. Thoughts to Sentence to Paragraph Outline*
    15. +Split Paper Outline*
    16. +Pattern Paragraph Outline*
    17. +Rhyming Word Box*
    18. +Redundancy/Synonym Box*
    19. +Fill in the blanks Sentence to Paragraph Outline*
    20. +Writing Prompts Outline*
    21. +Goals, Obstacles, Character Box*
    22. +Interview Outline*
    23. +Mapping Box Outline*
    24. +Compare/Contrast Boxes*
  7. Composition and Creative Writing
    1. +Single Paragraph Writing for Pre A and A:
      1. +Descriptive
      2. +5 W
      3. +Biographical
      4. +Creative
      5. +Journal
      6. +Time line
      7. +Time capsule
      8. +Compare
      9. +Story
      10. +Piggyback Story*
      11. +Character Quality Definition*
      12. +Book report
      13. +Key Word Outline Writing for Sentences*
      14. +Calendar*
    2. +Opening Paragraph Types*
      1. +Definition
      2. +Descriptive*
      3. +Comparison*
      4. +Story*
      5. +Quotation*
      6. +Pattern Paragraph
      7. +Thesis statement w/ list of essay topics*
    3. +Creative Writing
      1. +Piggyback Story*
      2. +Time capsule
      3. +Timeline*
      4. +What If Story*
      5. +Historical kid
      6. +Descriptive Comparison
      7. +Animals Speak*
      8. +Birds Speak*
      9. +Short Story
      10. +Point of View story*
      11. +Senses Story*
      12. +Fable
      13. Fairy Tale
      14. +Poetry
      15. +Analogous
      16. +Cause and Effect+
      17. +Persuasive Essay
      18. +1-3-1 Essay
      19. +Retelling
      20. +Dialogue
      21. +Five Senses Essay*
      22. +Persuasive Essay
    4. +Report Writing
      1. +Biographical
      2. +All types w/ Works Cited & In Text Citation for upper level students
      3. +Informative
      4. +Cause and Effect
      5. +Incremental Research Based*
      6. +Modified MLA Citation*
      7. +Persuasive Report
  8. Write On*—Writing techniques and skill building (too many to name!!!)
    1. +CAVES*--What a sentence contains (Capital, All makes sense, Verb, End mark, Subject)
    2. +OCCTI*--What a paragraph contains (Opening, Closing, Content all the same, Three or more sentences, Indented)
    3. +Quote Inclusion
    4. +Redundancy (Synonym List)*
    5. +Similes/Metaphors
    6. +Sentence Opener/Appetizers*
    7. +Five Paragraph Train*
    8. +Descriptive Adjectives
    9. +Adverbs vs Strong verbs*
    10. +Specific verb choice
    11. +Banned Word lessons
    12. +Dialogue use
    13. +Word never used in writing before*
    14. +Thesaurus use
    15. +Onomatopeai
    16. +Alliteration
    17. +Adding color
    18. +Writing with senses
    19. +Creating conflict in story
    20. +Character development
    21. +Transitions
  9. Spelling and Dictation
    1. test includes review words that student has missed
    2. Dictation quiz over the copy passage (which is also the same passage that student worked with for grammar, rewriting, etc.)
  10. Tests and Quizzes (in Greens and soon to be Blues; next year in Reds)
    1. Think Fast Grammar Quiz*—to list prepositions, subordinators, etc. at each student’s level in timed situations
    2. Weekly Review Quiz* - all skills taught that week are quizzed over (except for Pre A)