IEW vs 6 Traits of Writing for grammar stage

[Create Your Ritual]

* I am creating a new title for this question, as I tried it yesterday under a "4th grade writing question" and didn't have much response. Maybe the new title will help generate a few answers for me??

 

"I am planning on using MCT for our primary language arts, but still would like to supplement the writing portion. I have looked at WWE (for copywork & dictation) and plan on using that, but need to teach (or at least assess their writing) using the 6 Traits of Writing because of state assessment testing that they will be doing.

 

I don't mind using the 6 Traits, but I am not sure how best to implement it. I have been looking at Ruth Culham's 6 + 1 Writing Traits books on amazon, as well as her Trait Crates for each grade (which all look great), but I also see that IEW teaches the 6 Traits as well. Has anyone used or know about how the 6 + 1 Traits books are vs IEW for a 1st & 4th grader.

 

Evan Moor also has a 6 Traits book for each grade level, and I have wondered about that as well. Can anyone give me insight about the best direction to follow. Will they all end up on the same road eventually, or is one better for elementary grades than the other?

 

I feel like I am "almost" crazy enough to implement them ALL... and I know that we will regret that idea. But, I don't want to miss something. I would like something for our first semester of HS that is more open and go, so I have a notion to stick with the 6 Trait workbooks for now, but am wondering if others have used this approach and preferred one over the other?"

[Create Your Ritual]

anyone use 6 Traits of Writing workbooks for the grammar stage? Have you also integrated IEW perhaps and can tell me if you liked one over the other for this particular age group?

[Josephine]

I have been looking for something for writing for my upcoming 3rd grader. I noticed the 6 trait writing by Evan-Moor listed on Timberdoodle so don't know anything about it but can bump this question for you. :001_smile:

 

 

Josephine

[toddandleah]

I took the plunge with IEW this year, and comforted myself that it'd take me through high school writing, and can be used with all my children. It is teacher intensive - at least if you just go with Teaching Writing Style and Structure (the main course, TWSS), but I understand there is a Student Writing Intensive (SWI) which has Mr. Pudewa teaching directly to the students. Some people buy both, I couldn't afford it. So I decided to just commit to it, be taught how to teach writing and do it myself. It has gone well, and it's not overly complicated. I like that we are able to coordinate writing assignments with what the kids are already studying. They've got a great return policy, lots of supplemental materials, a yahoo group for support.

[Create Your Ritual]

toddandleah,

Can I ask what ages/grades you started IEW? I think both myself and Josephine are trying to ascertain if IEW works well for younger graders or should be try something like 6 Traits of writing workbooks. The 6 traits are covered in IEW, but I was concerned about using it with younger kids. My 1st grader reads well and also can write several paragraphs of a book review, but I wanted to make sure it was something he could use as well.

[Irishmommy]

I plan on using a mix of all of these for my kids. I am a former ps English teacher and I used similar structure as IEW, but used six traits as a way to discuss the students' writing. Six traits gave us a vocabulary for writing. BUT, my students were in 9th grade, so they technically already knew the basics of writing, although some of them could do little more than a few disjointed sentences. I have gotten the TSS binder as well as the history lessons to co-ordinate with our history study next year and plan to take my 4th grader through these. I will start slowly with my k'er and might even begin sentences with her. I will do LOTS of copy work for her along with narration. I know that good writing begins with sound thinking, so if I can get her to think clearly about what she has read/listened to then that is the first step to writing.

[Create Your Ritual]

Irish Mommy, did you decide to use IEW history lesson vs SWI-A for a specific reason, or just the fact that it coordinated well with your history study? I was thinking SWI for my upcoming 4th grader, so I wondered if there was something that I didn't know about it vs the theme based writing segments.

 

As far as my 4th grader goes, I have been ALL OVER THE MAP with writing and how to get her off on the right foot so to speak. This upcoming year is her first with HS, and I can't say that our particular PS did her any favors in the writing department. If anything my 1st grader seems to write better than she does. ( I don't think anyone has taught him how to write anything, so he is enjoying the process and allowing it to be more natural). The 4th grader is so wrapped up in making webs and thinking of every last little thing that she is stressed to even try to put pencil to paper and actually WRITE something.

 

Both kids are in a virtual academy program that pays for me to choose their curriculums and school them at home. In this type of public school option they have yearly assessments and I have noticed that WA State does use the 6 traits to assess their writing skills. I am not necessarily teaching to an assessment, but after looking into the 6 traits I could see a valid reason why it might be good to teach the concepts.

 

I wondered if IEW gave them enough of the 6 traits to do this well, or if I should be also looking into one of the 6 + 1 Traits of writing workbooks from Ruth Culham, or possibly the Daily 6 Trait Writing from Evan Moor. Is it overkill to attempt to integrate one of these workbooks with IEW?

 

I do intend on doing either WWE copywork & dictation with dd, or Killgallon's Sentence Composing and Story Grammar for Elementary School as it seemed to showcase a lot of good example of how to write sentences well.

 

Right about now I am WISHING I had some sort of teacher degree.. English specifically, as perhaps I wouldn't feel like I was casting my net so broad in order to find SOMETHING that sticks. However; I can see that her writing is lacking and it needs to be addressed, so ANY help from someone experienced in this department is greatly appreciated.

[Irishmommy]

Ha! I feel the SAME way as you do, except with MATH! Daily I wonder if I am teaching them "correctly" or if I should be using this program or that program.

 

I have even struggled with writing programs as well, simply because I've never taught elementary school children how to write. I guess we always have a small sense of inadequacy as homeschooling moms (which is one of the lies the world tells us - that we are not good enough to be both mother and teacher).

I did choose the history lessons because I feel writing is more meaningful when it is associated with a current passion. My son loves history, but hates writing, so I figured writing about history would help him swallow his bitter pill (as he sees it). Although, I have been amazed at how well he's done on the writing lessons in MCT LA. He absolutely loves MCT and is so inspired by it, that his writing flows naturally. And, when it doesn't, we just skip that writing assignment and move on.

So, I felt that IEW would give my son structure to his writing and we could use six traits terminology in order to discuss his writing. Since I am familiar with six traits, I felt this would be easy for me. I felt my biggest downfall was teaching him the structure. Oh, and I also plan on using the Killgallon text. I think modeling sentences is VERY important and that the same concept can be applied to paragraphs.

Did that help you any?

[TN Mama]

I thought we'd use IEW next year, but after reading all the rave reviews about Meaningful Composition, I think I've decided to go that route. We'll be starting with book 4+.

[Create Your Ritual]

Laura, I actually love the format of both Meaningful Composition as well as their CQLA program, except for the religious content. I can't get it paid for by the state if it has that. I do love the workbook format though and it seems like they have done a great job in laying everything out clearly. So, we will see where this other "paid for" path takes me for now, but I am keeping it in my sights.. thanks for the reminder! On a side note, with IEW's SWI-A I did find a workbook format to go along with the DVDs from http://www.excellentresources.net

 

IrishMommy, you helped immensely!! I really appreciate the info. It's nice to see that someone else has reached the same place in curriculums as myself, and gives me hope that I am on the right track. A question for you though... have you by chance posted your upcoming 4th grade curriculum anywhere? I would love to see what you are doing in other subjects. I know you are busy with your "tornado" though... ;-) I have one of those 2 year old models myself. They definitely keep you hopping!

[In the Rain]

I know this is an old thread. I hope it is okay to revive it though, since it wasn't controversial. ;)

 

Did any of you end up with six trait workbooks for elementary age? Six trait writing is taught in the schools here, and a ps teacher friend loaned me some of the classroom sets to look over. I see some value to it, but am not sure how one would implement it in a homeschool setting.