UmMusa Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I cracked open WWE4 for my 4th grader (ok, it was yesterday, not today). It's our first year homeschooling, so I just thought I'd try level 4 since he's in 4th grade. Ok, the dictation for today, Day 2, was really hard for him! I dictated it three times and he couldn't remember more than three words. It was one LONG long sentence with 3 commas and took up like 4 lines in the book. Would starting with WWE3 get him more conditioned to be able to remember that long of a sentence in the future? :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truebluexf Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 You probably do need to start in 2 or 3...I'm sure other mamas will have more input. I know the main text has some diagnostics to help with placement. 4 is a huge jump! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleBears Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 (edited) The SWB, strong fundamentals book states that with an older sudent, you need to evaluate his current writing level by doing the mastery evaluations at the end of the workbooks (or in the WWE, strong fundamentals book) in order to determine if they can move on to the next level. She goes on to say that it is okay for a "reluctant", older writer to back up to year two or three. It's better to start with too simple material and move through it quickly, than begin with material that is slightly too difficult. In her words- "Writing is a sequential skill. The student must know how to put an idea in words and how to put words down on aper before he can move on to outlining; the student must know how to outline and plan before he can move on to full-fledged rhetoric." "You must go back and build the basic skills before the student can progress forwards"... I started my then 3rd grader (also my first year homeschooling) in WWE3 and realized quickly that we needed to go back to book 2. It was totally worth it and I definately see the benefits of this program. The fundamentals book is actually full of very helpful info and give you the "whys" of the program. Hope this helps, Candice Forgot to say: There are some You-tube video of SWB doing a dictaction excersice from WWE 4, with her son Dan--She definately repeats the sentences more than twice. Edited January 12, 2011 by MyLittleBears just remembered something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I consider my son a pretty good writer and we started a year behind. I am not feeling like we are 'behind' in any way. And my 5th grader still needs it read more than three time and he is excellent at dictation. I am a bit relaxed about that. I do see him getting better though. I am sure soon we will be at three times. Slow and steady. I would go back to at least three if not two and not think twice about it. No big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 My 4th grader started out this year repeating WWE2, which we did last year. He moved into WWE3 about a month ago. Definitely back up a level (or even two). The skills learned are good ones, but they are built over time and IMO, this program has a fairly high level of difficulty. My 4th grader still needs me to break down the dictation and repeat it several times before he can do it. Also, we discuss all difficult to spell words and all punctuation prior to beginning. I read the sentence and ask him about punctuation, giving help as needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmMusa Posted January 12, 2011 Author Share Posted January 12, 2011 Thanks a million! I've been researching this a lot tonight and have been looking at sample pages from their publisher's website. I will listen to her audio lecture on writing, God willing, ASAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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