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WWE2 and FLL2


happypamama
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I already have WWE2 and was planning to use it with DS2 next year in second grade. (We do not have or use WWE1.). Then I was looking at FLL2 and the scope of what it covers, like letter writing, and I'm wondering if I should get it too. I like that WWE incorporates some grammar, as well as copy work, but then FLL also has copy work.

 

If you use both of these, do you feel that they do indeed complement each other, or do you feel that they are overkill? Do you do all the copy work in both books, or do you choose one depending on the day, or do you create your own copy work, or some other combination? (This year I have been doing my own copy work sheets for him, but I've always liked the variety and all that SWB puts into hers.)

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They're pretty separate.  First Language Lessons is mostly a grammar program, concentrating on speaking proper English, parts of speech, practical uses of language (letter writing, knowing your address).  There is no writing, except occasional copying things over to help drive a point home (can't remember how much of that there is in Level 2, actually, but in Level 1 my son is doing things like copying his address).  

 

Writing With Ease is the composition program, which, over the long haul, teaches kids how to read critically and write coherently.  The first two years are VERY repetitive, and deceptively simple.  But we're in the 3rd year now, where things are picking up, and there is definitely a method to the madness :)

 

I think that in schools, "English" (or "Language Arts") is just treated as this giant catch-all, and so we don't really think about how many separate subjects are actually contained in that course of study... reading, handwriting, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, etc.  FLL and WWE breaks up grammar and composition into two separate subjects, so that the student can concentrate on each one independently, and the idea is that they come out stronger at both.

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We started some time in kindy with FLL1, then added in WWE1 a bit later on, closer to the start of 1st grade. We have a separate handwriting/spelling program that DS does a lot of writing in, so I rarely ever make him write something in FLL1. We skip most of the FLL1 copywork. 

 

We are nearing the end of the first month of WWE1, and I'm liking it. WWE is more than grammar and copywork - I really like it for the comprehension exercises, and that it introduces good literature. I've always found it difficult to pick classics to read to DS, but reading from the passages in WWE made it easy for us to pick a longer bedtime story because DS will want to hear the rest of the story that the excerpt came from. 

 

In the WWE thread, SWB did recommend waiting to start WWE1 until 2nd grade, so you might want to look into starting with that, rather than skipping to WWE2.

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I would agree with starting WWE1 first.  It is deceptively simple, but for us, it has been great at the 2nd grade level.  The auditory skills needed are fairly advanced.  We are doing copywork and narration in one day so we are going through it more quickly, but as we near the end of the book, I'm glad we have waited until she is this age (almost 8) because it has been quite valuable for her to hear all that rich literature.  We'll slow WWE 2 down when we get to that around Christmas.  

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Hmm, I had not considered starting with WWE1. That's an interesting thought. I started my first son in WWE2 in second, and he did fine with it. DS2 is very much an auditory learner, whereas DS1 is not, and he is my storyteller. I think he will be fine to start right in WWE2, but I will look at the WWE1 samples more and try to get a feel for it.

 

So if I start with WWE1 next year, should I also start with FLL1 or do 2? I'm glad to hear they aren't overkill.

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Most of the dictation in FLL is in the optional exercises.  Even if you do them it doesn't provide enough writing instruction IMO.  It is meant to be for learning grammar.  Together, along with literature/reading, they provide an exellent language arts curriculum.  I do FLL on grade level and WWE one grade level behind (so my 2nd grader is doing FLL2 and WWE1 and my 4th grader is doing FLL4 and WWE3).

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Okay, we will go with FLL2 for second grade.

 

It has been a while since I've looked at WWE2. I need to go look at it and the samples of 1 again. I remember this child repeating his big brother's dictations, and I think his biggest problem will be narrowing down the details instead of repeating all of them. Also, he is on the older side for his grade; he has a fall birthday, so he will be almost eight when he starts second grade, if that makes a difference.

Edited by happypamama
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