We started Barton at age 12. We were able to move pretty quickly through the first few levels due to starting with an older kid and using a tutor who was better at knowing what could be rushed. Level 4 certainly contained a lot of information, and we were using a tutor at that time. Overall, something about the program has helped my kiddo. I don't recall any problem with level 4. It definitely got more complicated as we entered into areas where there are so many exceptions. My kiddo got very frustrated by all the places that you just have to look up the spelling.

I’m having a back to school panic attack about language arts for my 8th grade dyslexic. I would be so thankful for any input you all can provide. Prior to 8th grade, she has been through one year of Easy Grammar. Outside of that, we were less structured, using various workbooks and curricula here and there (Intermediate Language Lessons, Write Source editing workbooks, etc) For the upcoming year, I am unsure what to do with her. I recently spoke with an English teacher who insisted that grammar, grammar, and more grammar is so important to being a good writer. Immediately, I started thinking I should beef up grammar for my kids. I would love to hear what you all have found success for your dyslexic kids. I am torn between trying traditional programs such as Rod & Staff or MCT (which I cannot believe wouldn’t be too much information, but I have read some dyslexic kids thrive on it). My other options would be more Easy Grammar, the updated Fix It, or Analytical Grammar (can’t say I really know much about AG at this point). I’m definitely open to other suggestions. We will be working our way through Barton 9 and 10. I would also love to add more vocabulary, but don’t want to overdo it this year. I would love to try MCT vocabulary but it looks really tough to implement. I do get overwhelmed by keeping up, nevertheless with something that might not give me clear instructions and direction, which I assume is the case with MCT vocabulary. She will be using IEW SWI B for composition. Thanks for any suggestions you can provide! Melissa

I was planning to use IEW SWI C with my 10th grader this year. He is a strong writer who doesn't have trouble coming up with descriptive, well written compositions. However, since he has never used IEW, I thought he might benefit from learning some of the techniques of IEW. Now that school is almost upon us, I'm worried that he will be frustrated with the dress ups and how they make writing seem awkward at times. I wondered if any of you with experience with IEW would consider starting it with a 10th grader who is a strong writer. Thanks for any responses.

We are using IEW for the first time this year. While we definitely see the benefits and the program has been fun for the non writer in my house, we are also a little frustrated by the restrictions. At times, my 5th grader is working so hard at adding dress ups or avoiding banned words that her sentences become awkward. So, while it has made our writing time more enjoyable, I feel like it is having a negative effect on learning to write smooth, fluid sentences. If you have used the program and have a solution or thought about this problem, I would love any feedback. I don't want to be too quick to abandon the program, but I also want to be encouraging the formation of fluid sentences. Please feel to share and positive or negative thoughts about the situation. I really need some help thinking through whether this can continue to work for our family. I should also add that since we are taking online IEW classes (which we really love), we really don't have the option to leave out any of the banned words/dress ups. While my kiddo LOVES her IEW class and I am thrilled with how it has gone, I'm not so thrilled with the fact that she is less concerned about fluid sentences and more interested in getting all the points by adding in her dress ups/banned words. : ( The online class has been wonderful--great teacher, good accountability, easy to institute, and no complaints from a grumbly 5th grader! Our only problem is the awkward sentence formation. Thanks for any advice!

I saw that Landry will have classes on sale again starting tomorrow. Does anyone know from experience whether these classes can be used for Spring enrollment or starting at a later date? Thanks for any thoughts!

Hi Susan. I've read a bunch of your posts where you've answered questions about where to start a child in WWE. However, I haven't seen any posts that deal with my particular situation or a child his age. I have a 3rd grader who can copy well but makes mistakes with dictation. He typically will have some spelling or punctuation errors. In reality, I'm guilty of neglecting dictation simply because I feel like it is teaching him bad habits. So, instead, we have been mainly focusing on copy work. He regularly writes summaries and has no problem with summarizing what he's learned. Although he has had some nice pages, he typically has run on sentences and improper punctuation. Some of this, I've thought was a result of his cognitive ability being ahead of his composition skills. So, where would you suggest starting him in WWE? I'm very torn about where to start him. Thanks for any insight you can provide!