Lively Art of Writing or Writing With Skill?

[plain jane]

Out of the two, which is more do-able for a younger (grade 5) child?  If my 5th grader is finding WWS1 to be a bit difficult could we work through LAoW slowly or is it a more difficult program?  Still trying to find something suitable to do until she's ready for WWS.  Sigh.

[Chrysalis Academy]

I wouldn't.  My current 7th grader did WWS in 5th grade, but she couldn't have done LAoW then.  She is doing it this year, and it is plenty challenging for her now.  Essay writing is a whole 'nother animal, one I suspect most 5th graders aren't ready to tackle.  Certainly it is more advanced, conceptually, than the expository writing taught in WWS.

 

Have you looked at CAP's Writing & Rhetoric program?  I think that the 3rd and 4th books (Narrative 2 and Chreia) would be great transition programs for a kid who isn't ready for WWS yet.  They introduce the skills that WWS develops, but with easier reading material.  It's a really fun program, totally doable and fun for a 5th grader.  I had my 6th grader do parts of those books while we were trying to figure out what came next, and she had a blast with them.  They were easy for her in 6th, but would have been perfect in 5th, I think.

[Roadrunner]

I wouldn't. My current 7th grader did WWS in 5th grade, but she couldn't have done LAoW then. She is doing it this year, and it is plenty challenging for her now. Essay writing is a whole 'nother animal, one I suspect most 5th graders aren't ready to tackle. Certainly it is more advanced, conceptually, than the expository writing taught in WWS.

 

Have you looked at CAP's Writing & Rhetoric program? I think that the 3rd and 4th books (Narrative 2 and Chreia) would be great transition programs for a kid who isn't ready for WWS yet. They introduce the skills that WWS develops, but with easier reading material. It's a really fun program, totally doable and fun for a 5th grader. I had my 6th grader do parts of those books while we were trying to figure out what came next, and she had a blast with them. They were easy for her in 6th, but would have been perfect in 5th, I think.

But WWS teaches outlining in a more step by step way than the W&R. We did the first 5 chapters of WWS before we started Narrative 2. I am glad we did. Narrative 2 teacher guide has three level outlines as samples. It doesn't teach you really how to get there.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Yes, you are right about that. Outlining is taught more effecitvely and incrementally in WWS.  But the material you are outlining is at a much higher level. I still think that overall that Narrative 2 is much easier than WWS.  Do you not find that to be the case?

 

Chreia is challenging, but in a different way from WWS.  It's hard to say which is easier - you are doing such a different task in the two, it's difficult to compare.

[PeterPan]

Your 5th grader is at a great age to do WT2.  (Writing Tales)  Then come in with WWS1 after that.  :)

[Roadrunner]

Yes, you are right about that. Outlining is taught more effecitvely and incrementally in WWS. But the material you are outlining is at a much higher level. I still think that overall that Narrative 2 is much easier than WWS. Do you not find that to be the case?

e.

I agree that overall WWS is tougher. I haven't seen Chreia yet. :)

[warneral]

I'm using treasured conversations (we ended up passing through the first section because she already knew the grammar) for my 5th grader. It does outlining and writing from an outline, which should well-prepare her for WWS next year. My 6th grader (12yo) is doing well with WWS, but I'm glad I waited and didn't push it last year.