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Write Shop vs IEW (w/LL8)?


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OK. I'm pretty sure I want to use LL8 for literature study next year. However, I have heard (on this board) that the writing assignments in LL do not actually teach how to write, and that an additional writing instruction program is beneficial.

 

So, I am trying to decide between Write Shop and IEW. I like the fact that Write Shop is a systematic, step-by-step program, and looks like it would be easy to implement. I am just concerned that there would be too many writing "assignments" paired with LL, causing me to have to skip some in both programs. When this happens, the program usually ends up losing its genuineness, since ds realizes some assignments can be skipped, so why not the ones he doesn't feel like doing, etc.

 

I like the idea of IEW TWSS, because it teaches concepts that can be applied to any writing program. I am thinking we could work through the TWSS, but apply what he is learning to the LL assignments. I am only afraid that TWSS is not as user-friendly, and might be more involved and planning-intensive for me to coordinate with LL.

 

Any advice?

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We used Write Shop for 6th-7th-8th. We also used LL7 and LL8. I did not find it difficult to complete the writing assignments in both, but we used WS over 3 years.

 

Are you intending to complete Write Shop in 1 year? If so, your ds will be completing 1 writing lesson per week with WS. Is it possible to spread it out over 2 years?

 

There is 1 writing assignment for each of the 12 chapters in LL. In addition, 4 of the last 5 chapters, have "extra" essays: 5 paragraph, expository, narrative, and persuasive. Personally, I liked these best.

 

I don't know that I have any advice, other than it would be more manageable if you spread out Write Shop over 2 years. I really liked Write Shop because it had all the hand-holding *I* needed.

 

I looked into IEW when I was searching for a writing program, but never pursued it because I knew I wouldn't watch the videos. It does get positive reviews. I have a review written by a lady who used both IEW and Write Shop. Email me if you would like it, and I will forward it to you. I don't like to post it publicly since I didn't write it.

 

FWIW, you may see my review of Write Shop here, and my review of LL here.

 

Good luck finding what works best for your family.

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Thanks so much, Sue! I do have one more quick question about Write Shop. I wasn't sure if we should do I or II. I would assume it would be best to do WS I as an intro. to II, but really don't want to have to go through an entire book and a half before getting to expository writing/essays, certainly not in 8th grade.

 

Since ds has already completed Wordsmith in 7th, and we are beginning Write Shop in 8th, would it be feasible to simply skip Book I and go straight to Book II? I'd rather not plan to stretch the program over 2 years, since I'm not sure what he will be using for English 9, and I would like him to have already completed basic writing instruction, including expository, before HS.

 

What do you think?

 

Asmaa

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I don't know anything about Wordsmith. Write Shop 1 covers descriptive, informative, and narrative writing. If you feel that your ds has covered that, it might be fine to jump into Write Shop II. Here is a FAQ from their website:

Can a new student begin with WriteShop II?

 

Covering only WS 2 in 8th grade would certainly be more manageable than covering WS 1 & 2.

 

HTH!

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