The Lost Tools of Writing

[Country Girl]

Dana has been graciously answering my questions about the LTOW within another thread, but since I'm still undecided I thought I'd ask for some feedback in a dedicated thread for LTOW.

 

I recently heard an interview with Andrew Kern and he suggested that the LTOW could be used with younger students (ie. 3rd graders). I thought maybe I misunderstood but the website seems to confirm this. If you have used this (with any age) or have even looked over it.... I'd love to hear your thoughts on using it with younger kids.

 

I'm also still a bit confused on what types of writing the LTOW teaches. In the samples it looks like persuasive writing, but are other genres addressed? I also must sheepishly admit, that I'm not totally sure I get the method or model that the LTOW is based on. Is it based on the progymnasmata?

 

The reason I'm interested in LTOW is because I love the theory behind the three canons. When I heard his interview, he spoke to the three problems that occur when writing and they are exactly the three problems we have in our home.... especially the Invention canon. I really like the writing program we are using, and hope to continue with it, but it primarily focuses on the structure of writing. I need a bit more hand holding with teaching my son what to write and how to make the style more enjoyable to read. I've thought about IEW, but LTOW looks like it focuses more on generating a writers own ideas and still focuses on tools for improving style but with more freedom than IEW.

 

 

Thanks!

[swimmermom3]

bump:lurk5:

[HSDCY]

:lurk5:

 

Thanks for asking this Country Girl. I'd like to know too.

[Matryoshka]

:lurk5: Pop!

[Debbie in OR]

Hi, I own -- but have not yet started using -- LTOW but this link was given to me and I found it very helpful in terms of what kind of writing it teaches, how it is implemented, etc.. HTH :001_smile: Debbie

 

www. circeforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=144.0

[PeterPan]

I looked it over at the Cincy convention and was told the same thing by the man repping for them. I can see how you *could* take the materials down and use them at that level, but I wasn't convinced I *would* want to do that. It makes more sense to me to use materials meant for that age, something part of a sequence or logical progression. Even if you use the materials a year or two advanced, I'd still rather use a sensible progression, rather than just take materials for 7th graders and pull it down to 4th or 5th gr, kwim?

 

Have you gotten the recordings of SWB's writing talks yet? PHP sells them, and they are inexpensive. If you got them, that would give you a sense of how writing skills progress. Then you can figure out where your dc is in that progression and why you are having trouble. Then you pick up at that place, build those skills, and begin moving forward.

 

And yes, it was all persuasive writing, from what I could tell.

 

I went into the convention looking for options, and came out with WWE and the WTM outlining recommendations. It was SWB's comment about how the bright kids fool you that really got me. Since you are having some troubles, I suggest you get WWE. It might fill in any holes in that process of writing skill development. Then you could go on to the 5th and 6th gr WTM writing instructions for outlining, etc. That's what we're doing, and it's working out really well. I'd save Lost Tools for later.

[Country Girl]

Hi, I own -- but have not yet started using -- LTOW but this link was given to me and I found it very helpful in terms of what kind of writing it teaches, how it is implemented, etc.. HTH :001_smile: Debbie

 

www. circeforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=144.0

 

Thanks for the link Debbie. I looked over it, and it does help explain a few things.

 

Thanks!

[Country Girl]

I looked it over at the Cincy convention and was told the same thing by the man repping for them. I can see how you *could* take the materials down and use them at that level, but I wasn't convinced I *would* want to do that. It makes more sense to me to use materials meant for that age, something part of a sequence or logical progression. Even if you use the materials a year or two advanced, I'd still rather use a sensible progression, rather than just take materials for 7th graders and pull it down to 4th or 5th gr, kwim?

 

Have you gotten the recordings of SWB's writing talks yet? PHP sells them, and they are inexpensive. If you got them, that would give you a sense of how writing skills progress. Then you can figure out where your dc is in that progression and why you are having trouble. Then you pick up at that place, build those skills, and begin moving forward.

 

And yes, it was all persuasive writing, from what I could tell.

 

I went into the convention looking for options, and came out with WWE and the WTM outlining recommendations. It was SWB's comment about how the bright kids fool you that really got me. Since you are having some troubles, I suggest you get WWE. It might fill in any holes in that process of writing skill development. Then you could go on to the 5th and 6th gr WTM writing instructions for outlining, etc. That's what we're doing, and it's working out really well. I'd save Lost Tools for later.

 

Elizabeth,

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I keep meaning to buy the Writing Without Fear talk since I've heard really good things about it..... I'm going to see if there is a downloadable version so I don't have to wait and pay for shipping.

 

Thanks!

[PeterPan]

WWF was good, but her new talks are even better!! Now she has multiple talks where she breaks it up into the levels (grammar, middle school, high school). I definitely recommend getting the newest talks. But a lot of that info is also in the early chapters of WWE. You want WWE.