These two courses fit nicely into my theory that grammar/usage/mechanics instruction can be learned fairly quickly if you're paying attention. It doesn't take 12 years of instruction, each year painfully relearning nouns and adjectives by means of countless worksheets. As a student, I remember my eyes figuratively rolling back up into my head when my teacher started in on grammar for that year by saying, "A noun is a person, place, or thing." So the Basic Cozy Grammar and Punctuation Courses are a refreshing change of pace! They show that there is a finite body of knowledge when it comes to basic grammar and punctuation, covering what most folks will encounter in their everyday lives. If you happen to forget a portion of that finite body of knowledge at some later time, just pull out one of the DVDs and remind yourself. These
courses would be great for the many homeschooling families who do
not want to go down the traditional year-long grammar course path.
They're also a good fit for homeschoolers who are taking a year-long break
from
intensive grammar study, but don't want their skills to get too rusty.
Description:
The lessons
are set up like this:
There are four tests and one short review lesson included with the Basic Grammar Course. The tests are intended to be used after Lessons 4, 11, 17, and 25. On the other hand, the Punctuation Course doesn't provide any tests. There is little preparation necessary with these two programs--basically none. Copying rights for the worksheets (not the DVDs/videotapes) are given, so you'll probably want to make a copy of the lessons and put them in a student notebook before you start, saving the originals for your other children. The DVD, the DVD remote, a pencil, and the notebook--that's all your student should need to get started. Likely one way to get the most out of the lessons would be to use these steps:
1. Student does one exercise from yesterday's lesson
Using these steps will provide some daily review for your student. The courses provide very little review. The Basic Grammar Course covers these topics:
You may be wondering how the lessons can be taught without a chalkboard or an overhead projector. Well, Marie speaks as the examples appear along the bottom of the screen, complete with underlining and different colored words for different parts of speech. It's very easy to follow along, and this method illustrates the lessons so much better than a teacher in front of a chalkboard does. This is one of the best features of the program--especially beneficial for the visual learner. The lessons are clear and succinct. Marie gets the point across clearly and with a minimum of yacking. Some teachers drone on and on, belaboring the point. Not so Marie. The grammar and punctuation instruction is done in such a way that you don't tune out before it's complete. The viewer benefits from Marie's years of effective teaching. Marie is a retired teacher. She may be in her senior years, but she doesn't seem elderly if you're wondering. Marie has aged gracefully and still has a certain flair about her. She even introduces herself as "Marie" instead of the more formal "Ms. Rackham." This made me smile immediately. Her years of experience with the English language are of great value, and you can't miss the warmth in her eyes or the energy in her presentation. By the end of the Basic Grammar Course, she felt like one of our family. The filming is flawless. It's so professionally done that you forget how bad some other video classes are until you have to watch them again. With the "Cozy Courses," the way the shots are set up, the smooth transitions between scenes, the variety of camera angles--the quality really shines through. It's a pleasure to watch the DVDs. These are lovely, yet substantive, lessons. A lesson on verbs that uses some friends who are potting flowers as props is just so much better than a traditional classroom lesson on the same subject. These are not the "ho hum teacher standing behind a lectern" type of video courses. After watching Cozy Courses, you will be spoiled for any other video courses! The biggest problem that I think I have with these courses is that there aren't enough worksheets. I know that not all folks will feel that way, but I think that there needs to be more than the usual 20 sentences for each lesson. I also think that they are sadly lacking in review. Each lesson should have at least a few sentences from past lessons; most learners need a little bit of review for the information to retained. (Ebbinghaus, more) These courses will not provide mastery; I don't believe they're meant to. However, the courses provide an excellent introduction or quick review of basic grammar and punctuation. A few more worksheets which include review of past lessons would be a helpful addition. UPDATE, March 2005: The Splashes from the River folks listened and have made "No Frills" versions available to homeschoolers at a greatly reduced price making the Cozy Courses affordable to those on a budget! For that reason, the two following paragraphs are a tad obsolete. The "No Frills" version provides you, the purchaser, with the Workbook/Study Guide on CD for you to print out yourself and the lesson DVDs are also sent along. It's a definite value at this new price. Another issue I have is the price. There are probably some major production costs involved in making video-based grammar and punctuation courses; but as a home educator, I don't really want to spend $110 for a basic grammar course and $100 for a punctuation course--even if they are on DVD and are very nice. I really think that the prices are too high, almost to the point of being prohibitive. As I contemplate, I'm not sure that they're worth the price. I could see the Cozy Courses being much more popular if their prices were closer to $50. That's more in line, I feel, with the amount of study time that you get. If there were more worksheets, preferably with spiraling review, this set would be great for $60. Am I saying that you shouldn't buy these courses? No, not at all. I'm just giving my opinion on their value *to me,* and I'll have to admit that I am on the frugal side. Many people are happy to spend more than I for certain curriculum items. Along those same lines, I haven't priced traditional DVD/video courses to compare prices. Possibly I'm out of the loop when it comes to DVD/video course pricing. (If you're now heading off to go compare prices, then you'll need to remember that the total length of time for these courses are approx. 2.5 hrs. and 3 hrs.) For those that just can't afford it, an option would be to ask your local library to buy a set of the courses. Many libraries buy audio/video educational materials, especially items that pertain to literacy issues as the Cozy Courses do. Just give them the web address when you make your request, and that should take care of it. I would think many libraries would be happy to add these quality programs to their collections. The Canadian issue doesn't come up very often. Having gone to college with a number of Canadians and visiting Canada myself, I may not be as sensitive to the differences as I used to be. I did notice Marie pronounced "been" with a "long e" sound. And what I was taught were "helping verbs" or "linking verbs," Marie called "copula verbs." This struck me as a little strange at first, but it's easy to wrap your mind around once you realize what it is she's talking about. I remember "practice" being spelled the British way, too. Beyond that, though, there weren't any cultural issues that I noticed. While I do think the price is a little high, the DVDs can be used over and over again for review which, in effect, makes them more cost effective. They are indexed, so you can just pop in the DVD, and with a click or two, go straight to the lesson on adjectives or compound-complex sentences. Year after year, your homeschooling will be enhanced because your family can easily use these DVDs whenever a basic grammar or punctuation problem comes up and someone needs a reminder. Each DVD can be watched in an afternoon--a great way to get in a quick review each year if necessary. For this reason, I would think that it would be wise to buy the Intermediate Grammar Course, too. Personally, I wouldn't even consider purchasing the "video" sets; I would only want the DVD sets. One moderately annoying thing about the Basic Grammar Course is Marie's giggling. It's used as a way to end lessons or make a transition between scenes, but it just doesn't fit sometimes. Maybe I'm extra sensitive, but it made me feel uncomfortable. This laughter is amazingly absent from the punctuation course, which was a relief. Marie, while a lovely person and someone I'd love to has as a friend, goes a little overboard trying to make the lessons more interesting. I found the lesson where she did a bit of ballet in her house slippers a little over the top. It illustrated the use of adverbial clauses quite well, but my teens thought she was too goofy. (see pic) Also, of issue with homeschoolers may be the use of the word "pooh" in one of the basic grammar lessons. This isn't really a big deal, but if you've got wee ones, you realize, as I do, that they often pick up on words like this and use them incessantly at inopportune moments. (Oh, the stories parents could tell!) Some homeschoolers might object to the use of some of the objets d'art that Marie uses in one of her grammar lessons. Some have religious implications that could bother some. Marie taught in a multicultural school for some years, and her students gave her these gifts in appreciation for her work. Marie serves wine in one grammar lesson, and although tastefully done and appropriate for the setting, this may be something a few parents would rather their children didn't see. I'm not usually very aware of things that can offend, but I think those are the only possibly questionable events. I really enjoyed the scenic views in both the basic grammar and the punctuation courses. The tidal pool, the gardening, the sea gulls, the waterfall, the harbor, the berry picking, and many other locations and activities are all pleasant and really add an extra special touch to the courses. The punctuation course, in particular, almost seemed like a travelogue. It was so nice to have that little bit of extra pizzazz added to a punctuation course. I'm not
sure how to sum it all up. The Basic Cozy Grammar Course and the
Basic Cozy Punctuation Course are both good. They are unique in their
presentation. The worksheets do a very good job of illustrating what
they are supposed to be illustrating. The at-your-fingertips accessibility
of each lesson in the DVD format makes these courses a great reference
tool that can be referred to for years to come. The Cozy Courses
make a valuable and unparalleled contribution to the homeschooling market.
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Marie has put together a CD of her playing some well known and calm classical music selections. It is supposed to be played quietly in the background while students do their lessons, whether they be math, science, or writing. While she provides no support for this view, Marie claims that there are beneficial effects provided to a student who listens to classical music while studying. I attending a short seminar on this topic about 7 years ago. It sounds like a plausible theory, though I can't tell a difference in my children and am not sure how to measure the CD's effectiveness. My daughter enjoys doing her schoolwork with this CD playing in the background, but my son doesn't. The CD is nicely done, and it's not easy to find a whole CD with this many peaceful classical pieces on it. If you've been looking for a pleasant CD for just this purpose, look no further!
Marie's piano expertise is also featured as background music on the Grammar Course. She plays music composed by Schubert, Debussy, Schumann, Mozart, Rackham (Marie herself, I presume), etc.
Also Available
My Favorite Usage Handbook!
Other Reviews
Alphaphonics
As I was evaluating the grammar course for this review, my students were following along and doing the worksheets. We verbally went over their written
work, discussing any errors, and re-watching lessons when necessary. We spent about 40 minutes about two days a week on it. Each day we usually completed 1-1.5 lessons. Our records show that we spent about 20 hours total on the basic grammar course.
Some Useful Links
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