WWW 1 or 2 for 2nd grader who doesn't like to write?

[bnrmom]

I'm wondering what you would suggest. He hates writing, so I want to ease him into it, but by the end of the year he needs to be able to write a couple of paragraphs. Any recommendations? ( We are just starting WWE1 and FLL2 as well.)

[Tigger]

With my second grader I plan to start with WWE 1 once he is a bit more fluent with reading. Right now we're focused on building reading skills and finishing up Horizons 2 Phonics, then we'll go from that to WWE 1. If I find we can do it, we'll accelerate a bit, but my plan is to just keep going along, step by step at this point.

[kathy_overman]

We are going to starting with WWE1 for our 2nd grader. He was in PS, and does not like to write. To build his confidence we are going to start easy.

 

Do you like Horizons Phonics and Reading? We are using HOD as our core program, but he needs a supplemental Phonics program, and I like how Horizons looks - what is your experience?

[knitmama]

My second grader doesn't like to write, either, and never has. (Perhaps because reading came fairly easily for her... Writing is difficult, and she dislikes anything that is difficult! The thing is, teaching her to work through difficulty is one of the main things I want her to get out of her classical education.)

 

In any case, I started her last year on copy practice. Every day I wrote out a short sentence for her and had her copy it as perfectly as possible on wide elementary-ruled paper. (This was after she had had practice forming all the individual letters.) At first, they were super-short sentences like "Today is Monday." From there, she graduated to short quotes and aphorisms ("The early bird catches the worm.") and facts ("A baby horse is called a foal.").

 

Writing still isn't her favorite activity, but she's up to paragraphs now. I always have her do her copy practice first thing in the morning, when she is freshest. And in the beginning, I also gave her something special such as a sticker or other treat for doing an extra-careful job.

[Tigger]

We are going to starting with WWE1 for our 2nd grader. He was in PS, and does not like to write. To build his confidence we are going to start easy.

 

Do you like Horizons Phonics and Reading? We are using HOD as our core program, but he needs a supplemental Phonics program, and I like how Horizons looks - what is your experience?

 

The Horizons Phonics is really the only program that's engaged DS, he's a very visual kid and I think the color pages help. We don't use their readers, they do not match the lessons and are frustrating because they're above what is being learned (although that's now changing, but was very true in Horizons 1), so I was using, until recently, a variety of phonetically controlled readers that I matched to the lessons, plus we started AAS this year and use their readers too (which are great). DS recently took a leap to leveled readers (yeah!), but we'll still use the phonetically controlled readers following the lessons and I'll probably start using some of the Horizons readers since I have them and they're just collecting dust at this point!

 

I like Horizons because it's straight-forward. The teachers manual is so-so, but I do read through each lesson - I much prefer the AAS book and how they lay out the lessons, so I usually tailor the Horizons lesson to style as AAS. When we first started AAS it was actually ahead of where we were with Horizons, but now Horizons has solidified what he's done in AAS and is ahead, so AAS is now solidifying the Horizons.

[bnrmom]

He is an advanced reader so I'm not as concerned about that component. I want him to get comfortable writing since he may be in public school for 3rd grade. I thought Winning With Writing might be a good place to start along with WWE and FLL, but not know which level to start with.

[boscopup]

There is a placement test you can give him to see if he's ready for WWE2. If you don't find it, I'll throw in a link when I'm at my computer again.

 

WWE will not have your child writing paragraphs by the end of second grade, but it sounds like you're covering that elsewhere.

[bnrmom]

I'm actually wondering about what level of Winning with Writing (WWW) to use. WWE I've already figured out. :tongue_smilie:

[warneral]

Did you see the scope & sequence of each? My kids are doing WWW at their grade level. There is very little writing for the first few months. Eventually they will write more, but it eases them into it. I'd probably go with the grade level he is at.

 

Also, you can drop some of the copywork & dictation since FLL and WWE both cover that - it is probably more than he needs.

[boscopup]

I'm actually wondering about what level of Winning with Writing (WWW) to use. WWE I've already figured out. :tongue_smilie:

 

Whoops! Sorry. I completely misread your post. :lol:

[Aurelia]

Level 2 of WWW is pretty gentle. I'd start with that.

[mrshomework]

I just ordered WWW2 my dd likes to write but needs help in organizing ideas. She also has choppy sentences. She is not creating paragraphs but just telling/writing ideas. She knows what a sentence is, know the parts, and how to write a simple complete sentence. I thought this was an appropriate level. I read the Scope and Sequence and thought this was the best for her she is 2nd grade. Lots of WWW1 seems like what we have already learned with FLL1, GWG2 and WWE2 so I chose WWW2.

 

http://www.growingwithgrammar.com/files/WWW_NEW_SCOPE_AND_SEQUENCE2.pdf

[Beth in SW WA]

WWW2 :)

[bnrmom]

Thank you - I have placed my order for WWW2 and it's on the way!