Have WWE wkbk, would now rather choose the reading passages

[Guest Timncar]

I've been homeschooling my 7 y/o DD for six weeks. We're using FLL2 and WWE2, among other things, of course. . .

 

I researched what materials to use extensively (including on these forums) before I settled on the above, so it seemed like a great idea to get the workbook for WWE instead of the text. However, the reading passages seem to be a real problem for us. DD loves to read, but the passages in the workbook are just not holding her attention. Then she has a really hard time answering the questions.

 

However, in FLL, we have come across two reading passages where she then had to answer questions, and she did so much better with those. Both of these reading passages were noticeably more "fun" and I could tell she was engaged with the story, as opposed to the ones from WWE.

 

This makes me think I should have gotten the WWE textbook after all and chosen my own reading passages. We have no shortage of material to select from. But I'm assuming the workbook has an approach where they cover certain kinds of reading, etc. I don't know if I can just go off and choose my own reading passages without some sort of guide?

 

I would appreciate any guidance/insights any of you could give me.

 

Thanks!

[acurtis75]

How strong is her reading? After wwe1 we skipped straight to wwe3 because dd was bored with me reading to her. The selections in level are designed to be read independently and are a little longer and more interesting. You mighty try looking at a sample online.

[NittanyJen]

There is nothing wrong with choosing your own passages.

 

You can either :

 

A). Keep the workbook, and use it as a model for what passages to select if you wish to follow her grammatical emphasis (ie, if the workbook suggests pointing out using a comma before starting quotes, pick a copy work sentence that includes a short quote). If it's poetry weeks, choose some good poetry. Don't sweat too much over thinking there is some overly scientific process involving rotation of fiction and nonfiction aligning with the movement of the planets, or having a certain vowel count, because there isn't. You might increase the difficulty or length slightly over time, and just try to mix up the genres a bit over the course of a year.

 

B). Sell/donate/trash the workbook and buy the hardback book that serves as a 4-year overview of how to self-implement the program, complete with suggestions on hat to emphasize in which weeks, and how lengthy a selection to use, and sample weeks. It is a well-written resource for those who wish to choose their own writing passages.

 

Good luck with whatever you find to work for you!

[hollyhock]

Agreeing with previous posters.

 

The WWE text does give some guidelines for what to look for in the passages you choose, however this just includes grammar elements and passage length. Certain kinds or types of reading aren't really specified. I believe it says, or it's assumed, that you are choosing passages from either science, history or literature.

 

I am using WWE 2 and 4 with my boys and I always choose my own passages. I try to alternate between science, history and literature and make sure we do some chronological narratives and some descriptive passages. But that's about as specific as it gets.

[jplain]

Playing devil's advocate, maybe it is still worth using the workbook, despite the fact that the excerpts aren't her cup of tea, simply to help develop her attention span. After all, one shouldn't expect perfection, or it's probably too easy. Skill at recall and narration are meant to be developed over the course of the book(s).

 

My 8yo daughter enjoys WWE passages, and she's a voracious but dreamy reader. Once in a while she does have trouble with the questions. (And honestly, sometimes *I* can't answer the more detailed ones if I'm not already familiar with the original work! :D) My solution has been to stop and be very deliberate about asking for her attention before I start a passage. She knows the passages are short, and agrees that she can pay close attention if she puts her mind to it.

 

On the other hand, I wouldn't allow it to turn into a battle. If it really is unpleasant, by all means choose your own! :)

[nikkid]

Not sure this totally helps, but when my dd was doing FLL 2 last year I found WWE 2 dictation to be too long for her and that frustrated her--we needed to work up to it. So we happened to come across a cheap copy of WWE 1 and used that copy work for dictation instead. (We had done the textbook WWE 1 but not the workbook so most of the stories and copywork were new.) It seemed like the passages were more fun, but I guess it depends on the reader. My dd is very curious so loves new stories but it was sometimes frustrating that I had to answer with "to find out what happens next, check it out at the library" but it has motivated us to get audio books for the car that we ended up loving that we wouldn't have found otherwise.

Good luck to you!

[NotSoObvious]

Playing devil's advocate, maybe it is still worth using the workbook, despite the fact that the excerpts aren't her cup of tea, simply to help develop her attention span. After all, one shouldn't expect perfection, or it's probably too easy. Skill at recall and narration are meant to be developed over the course of the book(s).

 

My 8yo daughter enjoys WWE passages, and she's a voracious but dreamy reader. Once in a while she does have trouble with the questions. (And honestly, sometimes *I* can't answer the more detailed ones if I'm not already familiar with the original work! :D) My solution has been to stop and be very deliberate about asking for her attention before I start a passage. She knows the passages are short, and agrees that she can pay close attention if she puts her mind to it.

 

On the other hand, I wouldn't allow it to turn into a battle. If it really is unpleasant, by all means choose your own! :)

 

:iagree:

[razorbackmama]

We chucked the workbooks somewhere in WWE 2 or 3, I can't remember. The passages actually were much longer and more difficult in the workbook than what they are suggested to be in the textbook. I have yet to figure that one out!

 

The textbook doesn't really specify a TYPE of book, since like a PP mentioned, they are assuming you're pulling from your science/history/lit. But it does give guidelines as to length of passages and what grammar elements to look for.

 

I found it MUCH easier to work with just the textbook, especially once I compared the 2 and found that the workbook's passages were much longer (particularly the dictation!!!).