CW-Aesop questions

[sahm99]

I am hesitant about starting either WT (which we tried out before - successfully) or CW-Aesop.

As we will go on with CW in the long run, I want to at least take a closer look at Aesop...before ruling it out and going back to WT for the time being:lol:.

I have to admit that I find CW rather overwhelming! ...but then again, maybe I have not spent the time I should to get into the program:glare:.

 

The one thing that really puzzles me is the "Model for Analysis" and the "Spelling Analysis". Is there a short way to describe what we are supposed to do? I understand that this is based on the "Spell to Write and Read"-book...but to be honest, I would rather not buy yet another spelling program (we use SWO and like it!).

 

Something else: How exactly (or not!) should ds narrate the story? How should I deal with him re-writing certain sentences almost exactly the way they appear in the original?

 

Thanks for your help!

...btw, dd started the Primer and we love it!

[prairiegirl]

I didn't use the spelling part of the program. I just skipped it. With narrations, the program eventually teaches the child how to put the story in their own words using different nouns, verbs, etc. For the beginning, though, I would let him tell the story in his own way and then gradually show him how to change it in his own words.

 

I know that CW seems a bit daunting but I found that if I sat down with it and spent time really reading the pages (sometimes I had it do it more than once) then it didn't seem as scary. We are using Homer right now. It has been a learning curve for me but we are enjoying it. I am glad that I bought it a year ahead to give me time to become familiar with it.

[siloam]

I am hesitant about starting either WT (which we tried out before - successfully) or CW-Aesop.

As we will go on with CW in the long run, I want to at least take a closer look at Aesop...before ruling it out and going back to WT for the time being:lol:.

I have to admit that I find CW rather overwhelming! ...but then again, maybe I have not spent the time I should to get into the program:glare:.

 

The one thing that really puzzles me is the "Model for Analysis" and the "Spelling Analysis". Is there a short way to describe what we are supposed to do? I understand that this is based on the "Spell to Write and Read"-book...but to be honest, I would rather not buy yet another spelling program (we use SWO and like it!).

 

Something else: How exactly (or not!) should ds narrate the story? How should I deal with him re-writing certain sentences almost exactly the way they appear in the original?

 

Thanks for your help!

...btw, dd started the Primer and we love it!

 

Lynette,

 

If you want to do the spelling analysis the easiest way to learn it is to either check out or buy an old copy of The Writing Road to Reading, which SWR is based on. But the premise is pretty easy. First of all if it is a two letter phonogram like oo, oa, th, you underline them to show they are making one sound. Next if they can make more than one sound, like a can make /a/ as in apple, /A/ as in bake and /ah/ as in all. Those are listed in the order of how frequently they occur, to reinforce that you underline the letter and write a 2 or 3 above it if it says its 2nd or 3rd sound. So will a word like father you would under line the a, write a 3 above it, under line the th as a phonogram, and the er as a phonogram. Silent e you double underline, and if its function is to make the vowel say its name you draw an arch from the silent e to the vowel. Then you would write the rule number out. It has all the rules numbered, so instead of writing out the whole rule, you simply refer to the list quickly and write out it's number.

 

It really isn't that complicated. You just need access to the phonograms and the rules. WRTR has been around for years and is usually available at the Library. If now you can find older versions (and for this an older version would be fine) for just a couple of dollars on Half.com or Amazon.com.

 

Though you can just skip it and do your own spelling program too. :D

 

Heather

[SilverMoon]

The one thing that really puzzles me is the "Model for Analysis" and the "Spelling Analysis". Is there a short way to describe what we are supposed to do? I understand that this is based on the "Spell to Write and Read"-book...but to be honest, I would rather not buy yet another spelling program (we use SWO and like it!).

The model for analysis is for doing the A&I exercises with, especially the grammar ones. For example, in the first Aesop the kid will be asked to identify what type of sentence each sentence is. The shortened model for analysis provides more than enough practice, and doing that through some of bigger full versions would be overkill.

 

We don't really do the spelling analysis. I briefly showed my kids how to break up the word by sounds at the beginning, and dropped it. I did have them choose a suitable synonym for each of the words instead.

 

Something else: How exactly (or not!) should ds narrate the story? How should I deal with him re-writing certain sentences almost exactly the way they appear in the original?

 

On story intro day I have mine orally narrate the story, as if they were telling it themselves. That can be as precise or personalized as they choose. Their story rewrite however only needs to keep the same sequence of events and moral or "spirit" of the original, and they can get as creative as they choose.

 

I don't let them have access to the original model on the day they rewrite their version, so copying exact sentences isn't going to happen. They have to use their own outline of the original as their guide, which was written at least one day before the rough draft.

 

The Princess and the Pea became Catwoman and the Crystal when my ds rewrote it. His outline was his map to keeping the sequence of events the same as he wrote.

 

Thanks for your help!

...btw, dd started the Primer and we love it!

That's great to hear, as I'd like to use it with my little guy next year. :)