Question for CW users

[mo2]

Do you use anything for writing before CW, or just begin in 3rd with CW?

 

TIA

[Patricia in WA]

We briefly tried Writing Strands but that was a huge flop. CW fit our style much better.

[LisaNY]

I used the Charlotte Mason method of narration/dictation when my girls were younger. I was actually doing much of what is done in CW Aesop before CW was even "on the map". :001_smile: I was very happy to be able to use CW Aesop with our second dd when it first came out. That was before the student guide and TM.

 

I would just do lots of narration/dictation and then move right into CW Aesop.

 

SWB's Writing Without Fear is also an excellent resource, and I highly recommend it.

[Kathie in VA]

For my oldest dd I did R&S Eng 3 then CW. I started doing CW Aesop with R&S Eng 5 but quickly dropped R&S as we were booked and it wasn't really needed.

 

My next ds did FLL and then moved right into CW Aesop without a problem. Although for him I did get the diagramming book they suggested since he didn't get that from R&S like my dd did.

 

My youngest ds is just finnishing up FLL and should move right into CW Aesop next year without a problem.

 

We also do dictation with our spelling program (which I don't drop) and some grammar memorization with Classical Conversations - Foundation program.

 

hth

 

edited to say: I forgot to mention that my oldest two also did narrations for history and sometimes science. My youngest did some with FLL, some with history. All three also prepared 3 min oral presentations for Classical Conversations - Foundations prgm, although sometimes they did write it out first.

FYI: When my kids are real young, narrations were them retelling something to me and I wrote or typed it in. Next step was for them to trace some or all of it. Next step was to copy some or all of it. Next step was to construct an outline or list of what to cover with me and then write/type it up. After this they were able to just go get it done.

[Jenny in Atl]

I started CW a little early (2nd) but found dd7 was not ready. So for the last half of this year, I had her write a journal instead. She is given a topic or she comes up with one herself. Then she writes at least one paragraph about her subject. Yesterday, she wrote about the blue birds she saw in our yard. We then edit together for spelling, capitalization, content, etc. She then writes it out, as neat as possible, in her journal and draws a picture to go along with the story, in a give space above the text. Fi has really enjoyed this, and I think it has helped her to feel more confident about restarting CW next fall.

[Beth in Central TX]

I do narration and dictation only in 1st and 2nd grade. Before CW came out with their workbooks and IGs, I used Writing Strands and Imitation in Writing. I did not like WS at all. I did, however, like IW.

 

I will start CW in 3rd grade with my youngest, but I also plan to use two of the IW programs: Writing Trails in History along with SOTW Vol III & IV and Men of Science in 3rd & 4th grades. These books will be done in place of narration and dictation in history and science. I will continue sporadic narrations & dictation in reading and spelling for these grades.

[Kimber]

We floundered for the years before CW. This is why I actually started CW or WT in 2nd. But with my ds5 who is in Kindergarten now, I plan to use WWE for 1st and 2nd then maybe switch to CW Aesop. I plan to just buy the WWE parent guide and use FLL also with him.

[TracyR]

I don't use CW but WT's , I used copy work and dictation for writing practice before moving on to a writing program .

[chai]

Doing copywork, dictation and narration will get your child ready for the CW series. We did FLL in first grade. You really don't need anything else.