WWE can you start with older students

[mom2agang]

I am looking at writing programs for my DDs and I'm wondering can I start WWE with an older student? What level should I start them? They just started 4 th grade but writing is not a natural gift for them. They need the basics.

[Guest TheBugsMom]

I am looking at writing programs for my DDs and I'm wondering can I start WWE with an older student? What level should I start them? They just started 4 th grade but writing is not a natural gift for them. They need the basics.

I am using WWE L4 with my 8th grader. I don't know if this is acceptable or not but we are going through the book to help him build his skills.

[TKDmom]

I would get the text, rather than a workbook. Start with week 36 of year 1 and do the evaluation. If they do well with it, move on to the Year 2 evaluation. Plan on spending a few days on each evaluation. When you get to an eval. that is difficult for them, or is met with lots of whining and resistance, that's a good level to start with. You can either follow the directions in the text for designing your own studies, or buy a workbook at the appropriate level.

[Poke Salad Annie]

I would get the text, rather than a workbook. Start with week 36 of year 1 and do the evaluation. If they do well with it, move on to the Year 2 evaluation. Plan on spending a few days on each evaluation. When you get to an eval. that is difficult for them, or is met with lots of whining and resistance, that's a good level to start with. You can either follow the directions in the text for designing your own studies, or buy a workbook at the appropriate level.

 

:iagree:

 

The text is very helpful. If you're not averse to choosing your own passages for narration/summary, the text will serve you well.

[Mallory]

I agree with bonniebeth4 except I just might do all the weeks in the text for level 1 and 2 (there are 4 or 5 for each level). Especially with level 1 you can combine 2 days since they will only listen one day and write the next. That way they can have an easy start for writing and have a few weeks to get in the groove before things get difficult.

[Homeschooling6]

I may use WWE3 with my 7th grader, along with his current program.

[elegantlion]

I would get the text, rather than a workbook. Start with week 36 of year 1 and do the evaluation. If they do well with it, move on to the Year 2 evaluation. Plan on spending a few days on each evaluation. When you get to an eval. that is difficult for them, or is met with lots of whining and resistance, that's a good level to start with. You can either follow the directions in the text for designing your own studies, or buy a workbook at the appropriate level.

 

:iagree: This is exactly what we did. We spent about 4-5 weeks at level two, then I purchased the level 3 workbook.

 

I may use WWE3 with my 7th grader, along with his current program.

 

Ds started WWE 3 last spring (6th grade) and we will hopefully finish it up this semester.

[delaney]

I am using WWE2 with my 5th grader as she has never had any instruction like this before. After 1 month she still cannot get the dictation/narration thing the way it should be but we will continue on. It can't hurt, right? I grabbed WWE3 here so that I can get through 2 and start on 3 if possible this year.

[Jane Elliot]

I think you would find this helpful. It is SWB using WWE with her 13yo. The link is for part 1. There is also a part 2.

 

 

And SWB's audio downloads are fantastic. I've listened to them over and over. At $4 each, they are the best bargain in the homeschool world.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/elementary-grades-mp3.html

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/middle-grades-mp3.html

[Elfinlady]

I'm using WWE1 with my 4th grader. We do four lessons (a week's worth) in one day. She needed the grounding in the skills, but is able to move through it rapidly. We're nearly done, and will move on to book two in a couple of weeks. We may slow down then, I'm not sure yet. I am using the workbooks, it makes it so much easier for me. Our only complaint about them is the wide primary ruling of the paper.

[1Togo]

I would suggest purchasing SWB's audio lectures on writing for the elementary grades and her lit analysis lecture. Her suggestions are excellent. According to SWB and her mother, 4th grade students should focus on narration from science, history and literature, first level outlines, and grammar. The lectures give specific details about what to do.

 

Btw, we are using WWE Level 3 with our 8th grader. We started with Level 4, but narration and dictation (at least how SWB does it) are new skills for dd, and it was frustrating. We dropped back, and dd is enjoying the work. I bought the workbook because I did not want to find my own passages. Level 3, which has a different format than Level 4, is helping me learn how to teach narrations, written and oral. We are using SWB's writing suggestions for the first time this year, so even though dd has used other writing curriculum, she needs work with writing narrations across the curriculum, outlining, dictation, and grammar skills. WWE is just one component of dd's English work, but it's beneficial, and I am glad that we found it.

 

I wouldn't hesitate to use WWE or any of Susan's other writing suggestions with older students. We used several writing approaches during our homeschooling years, and our children often struggled. I didn't understand the reason until listening to SWB's lectures. Many writing programs have the children writing reports and essays before they have foundational skills, but I didn't know how to fill the gaps until I listened to Susan's lectures.

 

If you follow SWB's writing suggestions as described on the lectures and in WTM, your children will develop the following skills: the ability to "hold words in their heads" through dictation, to outline the writing of other people and write from that outline, to write 1/2 to 1 page narrations of information they have read, and to write short literature "essays" from a list of questions. Add in writing exercises from Rod and Staff or another resource of your choice if you want, and your children will be well-prepared for high school.

 

I would like do-overs with our other children.

Edited September 22, 2010 by 1Togo
Corrections

[amey311]

I'm using WWE 1 with my 4th and 2nd graders. The 2nd grader might be able to handle level 2, but not much more writing. He doesn't seem bored and honestly could use an easier start since he doesn't seem to understand "Tell me one thing you remember from the story" and instead wants to retell the whole passage, getting quite upset when he knows he's missed something.

 

My 4th grader, after some initial hesitation, has quickly caught on to complete sentences and he's building some confidence in the whole process. He's my more challenging student (very resistant to change, slower to adjust, etc) and it's great to see that this seems to completely CLICK for him.

 

We're doing 2 days in one (copywork and narration in one day) because they CAN handle that.

 

I bought the workbook for the same reason other people mentioned - I didn't want to have to find reading passages nor make up copywork sentences. We won't actually use the workbook pages in the book, so I'm hoping the book will resell at a decent price.