Donna T. Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I'm looking for opinions/reviews/feedback of or on Understanding Writing. I haven't heard ALOT about this program, but I think everything I've ever heard or read has been positive. It is impossible to find sample pages on-line or more than a few descriptions. I think the Bluedorns really like it. Looks like the author will have a web site up soon but not yet. I'm wondering most about ease of use. Also, I have read that it is really focused on letter-writing and I'm not sure to what extent we would follow through with that. Any opinions? I like that she recommends R&S. I love R&S already. Don't plan to drop that for a long-time, if ever. But, we could use some variety as long as it's worthwhile. I've heard this is very complete, incremental, and has a Christian worldview. Anything else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Girl Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 I e-mailed them about a year ago about this program and just got a reply last week. They apparently were having server problems and a bunch of e-mails got lost and just recently were delivered. The author sent me a copy of their brochure as well as a sample unit. If you let me know your e-mail address I can forward her message on to you and it may help. Also, I found a older version of this that someone was giving away so I snatched it up. We have been using parts of it and I really like it so far. One thing you may want to note is that she doesn't recommend using any separate grammar program until grade 8 (I think, I may be wrong on the year but I do remember it is just one year). There is some grammar, word usage, etc. covered gently throughout the program. You are also right about the letter writing, however, we skip that. Basically, whatever the assignment was for writing, is then supposed to be put in a letter and sent to someone. The purpose is to make the student think about their intended audience whenever they write something. The program is really very easy to use. It is completely scripted and laid out day by day. The samples she sent me have a 2006 copyright but I have an older version. I haven't compared things closely but I think the updates are primarily formatting issues. I plan to e-mail her to find out for sure. One final thing to note, she recommends young students start at level 1 and all other students start at level 2. Writing definitely isn't my strong suit, so take this with a grain of salt, but I do think this would be a very comprehensive program if it is used as all the way through. HTH! Edited to add: I just received a reply back and the content of my older, 1991 coypright, is the same as the newer 2006 copyright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna T. Posted March 11, 2008 Author Share Posted March 11, 2008 Country Girl, I would really appreciate that. I just send a PM (Private Message) to you. It contains my email address. I didn't even know there was a brochure. Thanks so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Girl Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Donna, I got your message and forwarded on the information I had. Let me know if you don't get it and I can re-send. I hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna T. Posted March 12, 2008 Author Share Posted March 12, 2008 Country Girl, I received the email! And, this looks great. I'm going to get it immediately. Looks like it has just the right amount of hand-holding for me as the teacher and it's thorough. Straight-forward. And, I like the "writing to serve the reader" point of view. That's the combo. that I'm looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Girl Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Great, I'm glad the information helped you make your decision. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2abcd Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Just to cement your decision... Last night we had our curiculum night. One of our veterans (hs 17 years, I think) highly recommends UW. Her second son is majoring in journalism in college. She likes that it's non-consumable and covers all ages. Here's more from my files: Understanding Writing by Susan Bradrick Positive review http://www.characterbuildingforfamilies.com/Bradrick.html ---- Nice review by homeschool magazine http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/Homeschool_Reviews/reviews.php?rid=1089 -------------- Review by Cathy Duffy http://www.cathyduffyreviews.com/grammar-composition/understanding-writing.htm ------- Reviews http://www.books4homeschool.com/Writing/rev-wri/wri-1-un.htm -incremental approach easy-to-follow lesson plans -writing for a godly purpose -1/2 hour per day or so -teacher directed until 7th/8th? -stresses having a Christ-like attitude in all our writing I love it! Yes, lots of letter writing. It is designed to be teacher- led, but it's not difficult and doesn't take much time. The children enjoy it too. -------------- It seems to require a fair amount of time on the teacher's part. It is very thorough and clear. ----------- This Bible-based, Christ-centered English language and composition curriculum is for grades 1-12. Adaptable to single or multi-level tutoring. Teaches the mastery of the following basic elements of language & writing: Content, Style, and Mechanics. A fifty page "PET" tablet (P-lanning, E-valuation, and T-eaching) and a plastic line-guide template accompany each book. In addition, Understanding Writing also begins after a child has mastered reading and spelling vocabulary of fifty words or more; replaces yearly English texts; is non-disposable; contains daily lessons which are ready-to-use; consists of teaching units alternating with writing units; plus lots more. -------------- http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/reviews/reviews.php?rid=1089 Comprehensive writing curriculum for grades 1 through 12. Unlike many products which try to teach to multiple students at the same time and may be too hard for younger students and not challenging enough for older students, Understanding Writing contains a separate level of instruction for each child. The parent uses the diagnostic checklist to determine at what level each child needs to begin instruction. While not necessarily corresponding to grade level, each level developes increasingly complex writing skills in the student. Grammar is taught in the context of writing assignments, not as an isolated subject. Written by a former teacher, current home school mother of nine, thi writing program equally emphasizes all three basic elements of writing: content, style, and mechanics. It thoroughly and sequentially teaches the four basic types of writing: descriptive, narrative, informative, and persuasive. It may be introduced to students at any grade level and is suitable for teaching to several children on different grade levels. -- Includes easy-to-use, daily lesson plans for grades 1-12 requiring little or no parent preparation. A non-consumable, 360 page manual designed for single or multi-level tutoring. Levels 1-6 provide thorough language instruction and abundant writing experience. Levels 7-8 need only be supplemented with a grammar program (such as Easy Grammar and Easy Writing). High school levels build upon this foundation. -- Sold at the Moore Foundation http://www.moorefoundation.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/624 Laurie Bluedorn recommended this! !!! Her boys have authored several books. LifetimeBooksAndGifts.com Positive reports about Understanding Writing continually come in from people we respect and trust. A friend's children commented that since they have been using Understanding Writing, writing has become easy. Their mom verified, "It is laid out logically and sequentially. I have learned more through the second level than I ever dreamed possible. Our whole homeschool support group uses it, and out of our support group of 27 families, 26 love it!" Yes, it seems expensive at first glance, but just think, you have a "Christ-centered, mastery-oriented English language and composition curriculum for grades 1-12!" Your only other needs will be a dictionary. Easy Grammar is recommended for use during the junior high years. Susan Bradrick has used her curriculum to teach her own nine children with much success. Her book is divided into three sections which deal with her theory of writing, the basic elements of writing which include content, style and mechanics and daily lessons for teaching "effective, God-honoring written communication." An excellent diagnostic check list is included to help you evaluate what your child knows and needs to learn. Lessons are designed to last about twenty minutes per day with the elementary levels taught by the parent. Upper levels are designed for fairly independent work and may last 45-60 minutes. Understanding Writing is the only writing program that I have ever purchased until just recently. It is an excellent program and has wonderful ideas. Susan Bradrick has lots of games to teach the child how to use nouns, verbs, and adjectives in their writing. I was very impressed with the family when I saw them at one of the few conventions I have ever been to. -- I love how it tells you what to do and what to say each day. original ring binder. It comes with the plastic template for making lines on blank stationary, as well as 2 full pads of "Planning, Evaluation and Teaching" sheets that are used to evaluate the writing projects. Anna of WTM used it Unsuccessfully and sold it. Tammy Duby of Tobin’s Lab says this is her favorite writing program. Teaching the Trivium recommends it. Sunny We just started it. I *LOVE* this book and we have implemented it into our day with joy! It is a binder with K-12 writing assignments. They are all arranged by level and each page is lesson by lesson assuming a 5 day week. No lesson planning required. It incorporates all language arts until about 7th grade when she expects the student to do a formal Grammar course before progressing to the next level. It is designed to start with the very easiest of exercises, WORDS. There is much time in the early levels just working with word familiarity. The second level works toward more word familiarity and beginning sentences. You continue to work your way up from words to sentences to paragraphs. Her philosophy is specifically anti-report model. She believes there is very little learning when a child is expected to write on something he doesn't know about. Instead, she moves the writer to gain experience of something (say a camping site recently visited, or a flower growing outside the window, or a hummingbird visit to a feeder) and write a beautiful short composition that will bless someone who reads it... usually in letter form. After the child has mastered descriptive writing, he learns the skills of outlining and summarizing for the purpose of narratives, informative and persuasive writing but still within context of personal genuine thoughts about the subject, not just an exercise in repeating something they found by other's ideas. It comes with a special sheet to aid the student and parent in narrowing down the topic, for aid in writing and evaluating. I find this curriculum a refreshing change from the other curriculums I have found, and I've looked at plenty. Her reminders are constantly to honor and please the Lord, write of first hand experiences, and what would interest the intended audience. HTH, Dawn -- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2abcd Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 And more... (I reached my word $ limit). The manual consists of over 300 pages in a ring binder. It covers grades 1-12. Mrs. Bradrick claims that nearly every student will need to start in Level 1 or 2, regardless of age/grade. (There is a diagnostic chart at the back of the book to help determine where to start.) She is probably right: we started at Level 1. Older children simply move through the levels at a faster pace. The plan is to use letter writing to teach writing skills. If you cannot think of lots of people for your children to send letters to, don’t let that keep you from using this book. As with most materials, you may need to modify the instructions a little to fit your family’s personal needs. We wrote some letters, but sometimes I assigned writing projects that weren’t sent as letters. I really love the Christ-centered attitude that Mrs. Bradrick takes toward writing. She emphasizes that we write always for the glory of God, and with a humble spirit of desiring to bless others. She discusses wrong heart attitudes that may show up in our writing, or in how we respond to writing assignments, and what to do about them. The all-for-Jesus, dying-to-self message comes through consistently. Another great feature of this book is the no-stress approach. The lessons can take as little as 20-30 minutes a day. There is no pressure to accomplish a certain amount of work within somebody else’s time frame. No more, "Come on! We have to finish 20 pages of this workbook every week or we won’t get done by the end of the year!" What a blessing to be able to accomplish what God wants us to accomplish in His time frame. The relaxed approach was very freeing for us. Mrs. Bradrick suggests several grammar handbooks from A Beka and Rod and Staff which she believes are necessary purchases in order to use Understanding Writing successfully. If you and your children already have a pretty good grasp of basic grammar and you own a good college English handbook (such as the Harbrace College Handbook) you may not need these. Mrs. Bradrick is a former English teacher and home school mother of nine children. This retails new for $75.00 Ellie UW is yet one more product that came out after my dc were mostly grown up :-( I have it, and have read through it, and used some of it when I taught in a little one-room school house, but I did not use it when I was hsing. What I like about it is that does not follow the formulas that most writing instruction does--everything must be written in complete sentences, paragraphs must include at least three sentences with a topic sentence and a closing sentence, and so on. Children are taught about paragraphs, but they're not given rules like that (which don't hold true all the time, after all). I like the way it teaches children to identify their audiences before they start writing; I like the way it teaches children to write about a narrow topic instead of a wide one (i.e., instead of writing a general overview of the fair, write in detail about the prize cow). I like the way it teaches children to use strong, descriptive nouns and verbs instead of using many adjectives and adverbs. From the user reviews I have read, it seems as if people are most happy if they start using it when their dc are young. Also, it is teacher intensive; families with many dc might have trouble figuring out how to work it in. Sunny/Dawn and have really liked it. It progresses with a nice incremental method, with plenty of instruction, lesson plans complete to the week/day. After looking it over fairly thoroughly after we got it, I decided it is the perfect starting place before one would go to CW or IEW. Once you get to about level 6-7, you take a break and do a formal grammar program,and when it starts back up again, it progresses much more quickly. GVA I would say that has some elements similar to both Writing Strands and IEW, but it's not as rigorous as what's described in the WTM book. It's a very gentle line-upon-line approach, which is working well for my son (almost 9), who needs something very low-key that still has structure and purpose to it. I believe that we will end up with him writing well ala WTM, but the process is different and slower. For my purposes and the price (I got it used), I'm happy. And no, it hasn't been revised. I wish that she hadn't single-spaced it, but I guess that kept the size reasonable. They still don't have a website last I looked, although there's a placeholder up. Gail -- Gita We also like it's incremental approach, but it's look is unappealing LOL! Do you use the PET sheets? I'm using it off and on with my 3rd and 5th grade dds, we are in the middle of level 3 (intro to narrative writing) I'm seeing most of this is done orally (characters, elements of narrative, introducing theme, dangers of narrative writing ect). My kids will not remember all the points - have you come across this? -thanks! -- Yes, 1991 is the latest. I do like the PET sheets. I don't know that we'll use them long-term, but they are working very well right now. I agree that some of the oral stuff might not stick unless you carry it on elsewhere. I've been reinforcing the concepts by bringing it in with books we're reading out loud. You have to be coordinated and organized to do that though, and sometimes I'm neither of those! Gail (GVA) -- you only need this one book for all 12 grades! I think once you read the intro sections, you'll get a better feel for it. I love that she talks about getting "attitudes" right which is more important than academics. WTM focuses on thoroughness and systematic learning, so I think it will fit. You don’t need a separate grammar program. -- I worked through the first few levels of it with my son in the spring, and will start up with it again in earnest sometime in July. It's very incremental and through. In many ways it reminds me of IEW, but it's easier to understand IMHO. You pick the topics, which is a big plus for me. It's not very fleshed out in the upper grades, but assumes that you've used it all along and need just a few prompts to keep you going. Laurie Bluedorn and Tammy Duby (Tobin's Lab) both speak very highly of it. It's of course not a progym program like CW or CC, but it's very incremental and rigorous in how it teaches writing, and I think it will bring about the same result as some of the other popular programs you see mentioned here such as IEW, Writing Strands, and Write Shop. Gail Writing "Pet Sheets" (composition, planning, evaluation, and teaching sheets) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2abcd Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 JannyB on ahomeforhomeschoolers.com forums Understanding Writing by Bradrick is scheduled daily. This is a combination writing and grammar course covering 12 "levels" (you might think of them as grades 1-12). It is scripted so a homeschool parent reads it to his child, and then the child works on the given assignment for the day. It's great if you aren't comfortable with how to teach writing. You learn as you teach it. It is very gentle, not overwhelming. It has a distinctly Christian flavor (i.e. discussions using Scripture to explain that what we write should be honoring both to God and to others). I have used this with co-op groups, and the kids always express that they "learned that writing is fun!" (Of course, in each class I include many of the suggested "oral word games" that are so enjoyable for them.) We used it a few years ago, starting at the beginning of the program. I used it with two of my sons at the same time, on the same level. I think they were 7 and 9 at the time. The only reason we stopped was because the next year I had my oldest son use Learning Language Arts through Literature, which incorporates writing. We really enjoyed it. My younger son still talks about the adjective games we would play! I am considering picking it back up for this year. It is a well thought out program that is pretty easy to follow and very teacher-friendly. I think my children are at a good age for it now; when we first used it they were not quite ready for it-- especially the 7 year old. With my dd, I used it in 7th grade. We basically started at the beginning in level 1 and ripped all the way through the first six levels in one year. The reason we were able to do this is because I skipped all the grammar lessons and just did the writing assignments. Also, many of the writing assignments were repetitive. Dd wrote a composition according to the directions. Then the next lesson, she'd be asked to write the exact same composition again, but with a new topic. This was OK sometimes, but other times it was just too redundant. So we skipped many of these as well. With my ds, who was altogether slower to learn, we just did a level at a time. He was not a writer for many reasons, so he dictated his compositions to me and I wrote them down. He then made corrections and hand-copied his own final drafts and personal letters. I liked: - the word games - the sentence-building exercises - the easy-to-follow instructions I didn't like: - dc found it hard to think of topics for a number of the lessons. The suggestions given in the appendix were minimal. It was even more challenging when the writing assignment was the same as the previous one, but with a different topic. - I appreciated the idea that kids need an audience for their work, but to be honest, dc got tired of having to turn every composition into a letter to Grandma! - the "PET" checklists. I thought they were too vague and it was hard to use them effectively. - discovering that there weren't all that many writing assignments once you weeded out the grammar lessons. I'd hoped for more instruction in new areas, but a lot of the writing assignments were repeats of previous ones. - feeling "tricked" into believing this was a K-12 writing program, when in reality, there's no writing at all in levels 7 & 8. You're told to buy and use certain grammar resources, and that's your "writing." Not a single composition for junior high. Also, for the high school level, you have to create a lot of the lesson material on your own. It's not complete at all. That said, it really was a good program for elementary ages. Had I not already had a grammar curriculum I was happy with, I would have done more of the lessons with dd. But by 7th grade, she'd had lots of grammar and didn't need the review as much as she needed the writing assignments. Little Leni Sunshine on TeachingMom uses UW… We've used it as a jumping off point for all of our kids, and it just makes sense to them. Mostly Letter writing? It's more that they teach them to always write with an audience in mind. Because of that, they suggest that they send their written work to someone via letter. Kids often just don't get the abstract of "pretend you're writing a letter to the president." But having them tell Grandma what they learned in debate class gives them a focus. I liked that part of what they teach is to write what will be of interest to the audience, not to go off in their own little world, indulging themselves with their own interests. Instead, finding a way to relate to those around them. -- We have used Understanding Writing for about 7 years. We have noticed that we really need the grammar books listed. Rod and Staff and ABEKA grammar book. But rarely!!!! It depends also on the grade you're doing. The older grades... I've found that the thesaurus and dictionary was necessary. Otherwise the others are just recommended but not necessary. -- SUMMARY Everything is laid out by grade, a plan for each day. (Not like IEW, BraveWriter, etc.) She has the kids writing letters and doing other writing that has a purpose:o) Here are some reviews: http://www.characterbuildingforfamilies.com/Bradrick.html http://www.thehomeschoolmagazine.com/Homeschool_Reviews/reviews.php?rid=1089 Review by Cathy Duffy http://www.cathyduffyreviews.com/grammar-composition/understanding-writing.htm http://www.books4homeschool.com/Writing/rev-wri/wri-1-un.htm Laurie Bluedorn recommended this! !!! Her boys have authored several books. (Fallacy Detective, etc.) Tammy Duby of Tobin s Lab says this is her favorite writing program. Missy it is not a worksheet type thing. It also includes some beginning grammar, teaching the parts of sentence etc. I have IEW also and I plan to start my littles in UW and after they get alittle older do some IEW for a different pace. UW goes all the way through High School. I have a friend who only uses it and her dc write very well. It is very systematically laid out. -- We also use Understand Writing which was recommended by the Bluedorn's as well as the "natural method" which is supported by Ruth Beechick. We find the natural method extremely effective. Blessings, Jennie~home educating 4 (ages 13-7) in Western NY -- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2abcd Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Last post... Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:53 pm (PST) Hi Karen, I have also used Understanding Writing :). I know it's not mentioned a lot as a writing curriculum so I'd like to share my 2 cents. I've not used IEW but I've been to workshops by A. Pudewa and looked at a couple levels of the curriculum but didn't buy them. Here's why I prefer UW. First, the cost is much less :). (You can get it used at Exodus Books for under $20) I really like the book "Elements of Style" by Strunk and White and "Any Child Can Write" by Harvey Weiner. UW incorporates all the elements taught in these 2 books into their multi-graded curriculum. Most of the focus is on writng a solid paragraph, which is the fundamental unit of every piece of writing. UW teaches students to evaluate their own writing and gives them skills for revising paragraphs. It also teaches grammar through the natural method.. using writing as a teaching tool. I love S. Bradrick's focus on three things: conciseness, concreteness, and graciousness. She teaches how to write well using strong verbs and nouns, eliminating excess phrases and with logical order and persuasion. She does not teach a flowery style that is filled with "dress-ups", which is my main complaint with IEW. The IEW standard for good writing is far too "flowery" for my tastes. UW is incremental and is very strong for Levels 1-6. It takes grades 7- 8 out for intensive grammar and levels 9-12 are for independent study on different writing projects. hope that helps! Jean in CA -- Lisa R. on CHF I really like it, and have used it for 8 or so years. My two college kids have received mostly A's on their college papers, so, yes, I'd say the write well. Also, she took an online college course her senior year, which required a research paper. I'd not really taught that yet, as I was planning it for her senior year. So I said, "Sorry, dear, but here are the basics..." and gave her a 10 minute instruction on how to write a 15-page research paper. She worked on it herself and ended up with an 'A'. Part of that, of course, is the child, but I do believe she had a good foundation in writing. I never use any curriculum exactly as it's intended, but yes, I'd say it's pretty easy to use from a Mom's perspective. You could actually just take it out each day and read the instructions and go with it. The kids do have to come up with topics, but you're allowed to help them. I just assign things to the uncreative among my offspring. That either helps, or irritates them enough to come up with their own. It also talks about doing most assignments as letters to mail to actual people, and we rarely did that part of it. I think they really do learn good writing skills from using the program. Even yesterday while I was out with my 9 yo, she was reading a sign and said, "There are too many periods in that sign." I asked her why, and she looked at it for a moment and said, "None of those are complete sentences." I read the sign and said that some, in fact, were complete sentences and she was able to pick out the three complete sentences out of about 15 sentence fragments on a sign, and state why they were complete. She writes very creatively, as well. (Can't spell worth beans, but that's another issue! -- they should be reading before you start them on it. That's when I've started the last few kids. (I bought it when I had a 6th, 4th & 2nd grader, and didn't start my K that year--we've just added them in as we go! I will be starting my 7 yo this fall. IMHO, it really doesn't take that long to get through the first levels....it's a lot of oral "word games" and we just do it and move on. I don't run it into the ground. But...I start basically around age 7 or so. -- UW is a pretty integrated program. For instance, it starts on the first level with "naming word" games. The kids list as many words as they can think of that name something. Then they work with "vivid naming words," so that in the beginning you might say "man," but they have to say different kinds of men "father," "pastor" "policeman," etc. It helps them learn to write more clearly. Then they move on to "action words," and do similar games with those. Then finally they begin to write short sentences using the words they've learned. It builds from their to learning describing words. There's a great exercise/example that takes the sentence, "The animal went away," and explains how that doesn't clearly convey the picture that is in the author's mind, so you begin switching out words and adding describing words until the sentence reads something like, "The big, brown Brahma bull angrily charged down the narrow city street." Eventually, it does switch from "naming words," to "nouns" (and actually, I used them interchangeably with my kids before I was instructed to in the program), and you get to more technical grammar stuff. But it would be difficult to "take the grammar out," because it is all of one piece with the writing, for the most part. That's actually part of the premise of the program--that grammar is often considered difficult because it is separated from writing--you really learn grammar by practicing it within the context of writing. -- Negatives We started in first grade and used it for about three years. I have stopped and am using something else now. Our problem with it was that the kids had to always come up with their own topics for every writing assignment. My kids struggled with that. If your kids are good at thinking of things to write about, it is a great curriculum. If they struggle with ideas, you and they may get frustated. I still use the ideas for teaching grammar that are in the book though. -- The premise of this is that you start it in the first grade and gradually work your way up to the 8th. You use real life and real letter writing to achieve this task. It's very Ruth Beechik/Charlotte Masony to me. This would be your grammar and english curriculum until the 7/8 grade. You would only use a handbook for reference. I love that the writer of this book states that no workbook will teach your child how to write, only writing will teach your child how to write. It is broken up into levels assuming that first grade would be level one and so on, but the author also states that every child should start at the beginning. -- It's very incremental - it starts small with having the children write short sentences and then builds up step at a time to paragraphs and then different forms of writing etc. Mine is actually K-12 and the lower levels include some grammar instruction along with the writing exercises. A separate grammar program is recommended for later on. -- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2abcd Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Did any of you count out how many lessons there are per level? I was going to do this, but if someone else has, I won't;o) The gal last night said she tried to use it every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna T. Posted March 12, 2008 Author Share Posted March 12, 2008 Wow! This is really awesome. Thank you for taking the time to share all of that information with me. That is all very, very helpful. I'm really looking forward to getting it in my hands. Incremental and mastery-oriented. I love that, I really do. (Sounds like MathUSee!) I also like how the lesson plans are set up with a week of instruction and a week of applying that instruction. I think this would really benefit my son. He's a very smart child but he needs time to sit on new material for awhile before he is able to really connect with it. Then, he's a pro and feels very accomplished! And, he will love the encouragements to consider Christ. He is really motivated by that. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johanna Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 WOW, thanks for all the great info! I really like the looks of UW. I wish there was a way to see samples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johanna Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 I sent you an email...but in case you check this first....i will post here :001_smile: Country Girl, May i also have the forwarded info that you sent to Donna T? So, you had said that you used UW, but then i saw your post that you were looking for an "integrated LA" program. Are you not staying with UW?? I am just curious, because i am deciding between CW, LLATL, and UW. I My dd will be in 4th grade...so i need to pick something and stick with it! SO, i would love and and all opinions.:-) thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna T. Posted March 12, 2008 Author Share Posted March 12, 2008 Johanna, I sent an email to info@understandingwriting.com and received a response immediately. And, that was late last night. The info. that I was sent is basically the same thing that Country Girl forwarded to me. There is a brochure and sample pages from Level 4. None from Levels 1 or 2. It is all set up the same way though. I really like the set-up. There is a very clear assignment for each day. Very easy to follow. I can forward the email I received if Country Girl hasn't already done so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Country Girl Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Johanna, I sent you the information. Also, here is my response to your question about my recent post looking for an integrated LA program. I thought I'd include it here in case anyone else was interested. As to my post on an integrated LA curriculum. Yes, I have been searching for something that might make my life easier, an all-in-one, everything laid out, make sure I'm not missing anything type of program, based on a more Charlotte Mason/Ruth Beechick type approach. My desire for this wasn't based on the fact that I'm unhappy with UW, but rather that I was looking for a way to streamline grammar, copywork/dictation, and narration from good books. I'm still interested in a few that were mentioned (LLATL and Sonlight) and hope to look at them at the conference this summer, but even if I go with one of them, I'll still use UW for our writing instruction. Also, I have to admit, I still hope to take a peek at a copy of SWB new writing program this summer at our conference but even then, I'd try to mesh the two, not give up UW. I'm mostly interested in SWB new program as a way to incorporate the copywork, narration, and some grammar instruction. If I don't go that route I think I'll be purchasing some copies of the Arrow and using those for copywork, and some gentle grammar (as well as reading the books the passages were chosen from and doing narration with them). I don't feel a need to put a big focus on grammar, and love the way it is gently incorporated into the writing lessons in UW. However, I'm terrible at grammar and just want a little bit more, but still very gentle and integrated with writing. I would just pull passages from our reading myself and highlight grammar topics, but as I mentioned, I'm horrible at grammar and wouldn't know what to highlight (I've learned tons this year with the stuff I've been doing with my 6yo so that gives you an idea of my level of grammar competency). We've been using UW this year and enjoying it! The recent posts also caused me to look over it a little more closely and where it is going in the future and my feelings are still the same, that it is a good program for us. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johanna Posted March 12, 2008 Share Posted March 12, 2008 Countrygirl and Donna, It does look like it is very easy to implement. I may email her to ask for samples of level 2 as i would be using that with dd4th. Oh these decisions!! Lol! I really like the looks of UW....and i like that i could do level 1 with my ds(2nd) also. I am still torn between that and LLATL. But, i gotta say.....i am leanign strongly towards UW....i have heard NOTHING but positive reviews from very well known reviewers KWIM?? I had considered CW....but ....i am worried about the later levels being WAY too over my head!! UW just feels very teacher friendly and i like that it is CHristian based. Thanks again for the email! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Is anyone using this? Using letter writing to teach writing sounds interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMother Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 I used it for a year. The main thing I didn't like was that it focuses on letter writing. I wanted to cover the bases more in case I got into a situation where my kids needed to go to public school for some reason. Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 Spalding and Teaching the Trivium advocate spending a long time with students on letter writing, before moving onto essays. So I guess UW includes ENOUGH instruction on letter writing to satisfy their methods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 Spalding and Teaching the Trivium advocate spending a long time with students on letter writing, before moving onto essays. So I guess UW includes ENOUGH instruction on letter writing to satisfy their methods? Like Writing Strands, UW teaches children *how to write.* It isn't that they are just writing letters. Everything they learn should be easily transferrable to other formats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heart_Mom Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Can anyone tell me how UW compares with IEW? I have UW and have used it some, and am thinking of trying IEW... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Can anyone tell me how UW compares with IEW? I have UW and have used it some, and am thinking of trying IEW... Well, you know, they are *different.* I haven't used IEW; I've only seen samples of student writing, and I was not impressed. I've seen some of the IEW instructions, and I am not impressed. It is everything UW is not: too much emphasis on formulas and paragraphs, too many adjectives and adverbs instead of strong nouns and pronouns. I especially don't like using names for things that don't exist outside of IEW, such as "add-ons" or whatever he calls them (of course, it bugs me when people say "coke" instead of "Dr Pepper," lol). OTOH, as much as I like the way UW teaches, I'm not sure I could make it work, just because of the way *I* teach. So I'd probably just go with Writing Strands and incorporate some of the UW strategies, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 I no longer teach formula writing as THE way to write. I introduce formulas as ONE TOOL in a writer's toolbox to use in CERTAIN situations IF I have time, and usually I don't. I even toned done the semi-formula aspects of UW a bit, when I last used it. My copy of UW in currently in the pile waiting to be boxed up and sent to someone who needs it more. It's a good curriculum that I would be happy to teach with, but I have too much stuff and am just not using it. Once I got my hands on Writer's Express, it's almost all I use now. I also appreciate Write 2000 and Writer's Inc now that I don't see them out of context, and know they are to be used AFTER Writer's Express. I get EIW and IEW mixed up, but the one that uses dress-ups--I wouldn't use that is someone paid me to use it. I know how to teach formulas. I taught with formulas. My students went backwards not forwards. They went from bad writing to afraid to write at all. One student was afraid to even write in a birthday card because she was trying to figure out the right formula and couldn't think of one to use. She asked for help, and that was something she had never done before. She had no confidence and no voice whatsoever. Formulas helped me teach writing, but it was an artificial writing, that didn't apply to the REAL life of my students. And that is the point right? To be able to write in real life? UW is a good option. Used copies are frequently available at Exodus Books for $25.00--at least they used to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 I get EIW and IEW mixed up, but the one that uses dress-ups--I wouldn't use that is someone paid me to use it. I know how to teach formulas. I taught with formulas. My students went backwards not forwards. They went from bad writing to afraid to write at all. One student was afraid to even write in a birthday card because she was trying to figure out the right formula and couldn't think of one to use. She asked for help, and that was something she had never done before. She had no confidence and no voice whatsoever. Formulas helped me teach writing, but it was an artificial writing, that didn't apply to the REAL life of my students. And that is the point right? To be able to write in real life? This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 That birthday card incident shook me to the core, and my writing instruction has not been the same since. Am I overreacting and swinging too far the other way. I don't think so, but we'll find out. I really like the paragraphing instructions is Writer's Express as the FIRST and the DEFAULT way to paragraph. Until the looser method is mastered and used daily, I won't move onto specialty forms that are seldom used outside of completing curriculum. I even teach topic sentences as ONE tool that is only SOMETIMES used. How often do we all see topic sentences in the posts we write and read here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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