PR and IEW

[nknapp5]

We have just started phonics road 1 and I'm only 20 weeks into it. I have been wanting to get IEW because I have friends that say they love it. I was wondering if I do both if that would be too much. I didn't know how much phonics road was into writing.

[podoba01]

I would be interested to hear what everyone has to say. I am interested in both programs, but I have a little while before I need to make a decision.

[melmichigan]

We use a mix of PR, IEW, and WWE/WWS without a problem, YMMV. :)

[lindsrae]

We use a mix of PR, IEW, and WWE/WWS without a problem, YMMV. :)

If you don't mind, can you explain how this works? One of the things that drew me to PR was the all-in-one LA claim...I'll never have to think about LA again! But I'm feeling a little disillusioned with PR...I can't quite put my finger on why, but maybe its just not a good fit for us. Hope this isn't too much of a hijack!

[lexi]

I also would love to hear how you combine them. We use PR and it's working well for us but I have a supplement problem-I feel like I have to supplement everything! I can't decide if I should add WWE to PR for a more rounded program. I really really want to buy it.......And I was already planning to add in IEW in a year or two because it looks so good. I'm not sure I can do anything without supplementing....:lol:

 

:bigear:

[LoveBaby]

I am using Phonics Road 1-3.

 

My 1st grader is using Phonics Road as is with no supplementing at all. At least he is now, I tried to do a hodge podge over the last several months and it was just frustrating to both of us. And he lost some momentum that he had gained when I was focusing solely on PR.

 

My 4th grader who is a struggling reader is in PR 2. The only other LA that I have him do is read everyday from the Elson Readers and answer the comprehension questions and do the worksheet. We practice his summarizing skills ala WWE through that.

 

My 6th grader is in PR 3 and is taking IEW SWI-B at co-op. If she were a 4th grader doing level 3 - then I wouldn't supplement, but that isn't the case for her.

 

 

To the OP - if you child is doing well with reading/writing *and* you have extra time on your hands to do IEW, then go for it. It isn't necessary since PR 2 will pick up on the writing skills, but if you have time, it won't hurt either. KWIM?

 

Because I'm teaching so many - I have been required to drop a lot of my grand ideas of supplementing since it meant we weren't doing any one thing really well - just a lot of things poorly! ;)

For my younger kids who will go through Phonics Road from the beginning and will finish PR 4 by 5th grade - they will all move into IEW TWSS with one of the themed books for middle school.

 

lindsrae - can you share a bit about how you are using PR and what it is that is bugging you? Maybe we can help!

[melmichigan]

I have kids in all the levels. I supplement for various reasons, none of which relate to the program itself with the exception of narrations. Narrations are the only thing I find lacking in PR.

[lindsrae]

I'm wondering if PR is just too much same-old, same-old for my eldest DD. When I first looked at it I thought--"Fantastic! Now I don't have to make another LA decision for years and years!" But DD gets bored/tired/frustrated with spelling the words, reviewing the sounds, even illustrating the readers. I started using WWE1 because I already had it on the shelf, and I felt that she needed work on listening comprehension and on writing complete sentences instead of just the single spelling words. I also feel like there isn't enough reading to reinforce her skills in level 1, so we have been reading early readers from the library. So my first frustration is that I felt as if I had found a truly "all-in-one" program, and now I am scrambling to supplement

 

And I know Mrs. Beers to very explicit in her directions on the video, but I am not an auditory learner, so I really missed the boat about reinforcing the phonogram sounds while spelling. DD has been saying the letters while she spells instead of the phonogram sounds; now that I realize my mistake and try to make her say the sounds, she balks at it. It is just becoming a battle to get her to get her work done. (It isn't just with PR--she isn't in love with doing school, but it seems that PR is the biggest battle.) I don't know if it's because she is a Wiggly Willy and this isn't just a good program for her; maybe it's me and I'm getting the new curriculum March itch; or...I don't know :)

 

We spent last week doing a review of words she had missed in the past and was having trouble with, and that went over like a lead balloon. I need to do better about incorporating a little review every day (something else that I missed when I watched the videos through the first time). So I chatted with her a little about PR and told her the doing spelling was not negotiable, but if PR wasn't working we could try something else. (What, I'm not sure...AAS maybe.) She was, of course, ready to go with something new.

 

Here's the central issue, I guess. I don't want to make the investment of PR 2 if we are going to struggle through it next year. I looked at the materials for PR2, and it looks so wonderful, and I love how everything is integrated--the grammar, spelling, lit study, etc. I am excited about it, but I'm afraid because of my lack of implementation and understanding in watching the videos of level 1, I could royally mess up level 2. So I want to do it, but I am afraid of spending the money and it being a flop.

 

But then if I don't go with PR, ACK! The decisions I will have to make! I have to choose spelling, grammar, lit study, composition all on my own. I guess I would probably go the WWE/FLL/AAS route--I really like the scope and sequence of WWE, but FLL rubs me the wrong way, and AAS seems so expensive for just spelling.

 

Ok, now that I've completely hijacked this thread and poured out my whines to the Hive, I'm going to go do laundry. Thanks!

[momofabcd]

I'm wondering if PR is just too much same-old, same-old for my eldest DD. When I first looked at it I thought--"Fantastic! Now I don't have to make another LA decision for years and years!" But DD gets bored/tired/frustrated with spelling the words, reviewing the sounds, even illustrating the readers. I started using WWE1 because I already had it on the shelf, and I felt that she needed work on listening comprehension and on writing complete sentences instead of just the single spelling words. I also feel like there isn't enough reading to reinforce her skills in level 1, so we have been reading early readers from the library. So my first frustration is that I felt as if I had found a truly "all-in-one" program, and now I am scrambling to supplement

 

And I know Mrs. Beers to very explicit in her directions on the video, but I am not an auditory learner, so I really missed the boat about reinforcing the phonogram sounds while spelling. DD has been saying the letters while she spells instead of the phonogram sounds; now that I realize my mistake and try to make her say the sounds, she balks at it. It is just becoming a battle to get her to get her work done. (It isn't just with PR--she isn't in love with doing school, but it seems that PR is the biggest battle.) I don't know if it's because she is a Wiggly Willy and this isn't just a good program for her; maybe it's me and I'm getting the new curriculum March itch; or...I don't know :)

 

We spent last week doing a review of words she had missed in the past and was having trouble with, and that went over like a lead balloon. I need to do better about incorporating a little review every day (something else that I missed when I watched the videos through the first time). So I chatted with her a little about PR and told her the doing spelling was not negotiable, but if PR wasn't working we could try something else. (What, I'm not sure...AAS maybe.) She was, of course, ready to go with something new.

 

Here's the central issue, I guess. I don't want to make the investment of PR 2 if we are going to struggle through it next year. I looked at the materials for PR2, and it looks so wonderful, and I love how everything is integrated--the grammar, spelling, lit study, etc. I am excited about it, but I'm afraid because of my lack of implementation and understanding in watching the videos of level 1, I could royally mess up level 2. So I want to do it, but I am afraid of spending the money and it being a flop.

 

But then if I don't go with PR, ACK! The decisions I will have to make! I have to choose spelling, grammar, lit study, composition all on my own. I guess I would probably go the WWE/FLL/AAS route--I really like the scope and sequence of WWE, but FLL rubs me the wrong way, and AAS seems so expensive for just spelling.

 

Ok, now that I've completely hijacked this thread and poured out my whines to the Hive, I'm going to go do laundry. Thanks!

 

Okay, so if you are concerned about PR2 and learning how to teach it from the videos, take a look at Logic of English www.logicofenglish.com. It's the same method presented a little differently, but imo much more clearly so I could see the big picture. It doesn't have lit study, but it does include everything else L.A. wise and it's soooooo easy to implement. It would take you 40 weeks to complete with your dd, but she will have a solid grounding by the end. I was also doing PR1 with my dd. I was having a hard time seeing the big picture. So I jumped ship to LOE. I wish there were more levels because I would certainly continue on with LOE, but I'm most likely returning to PR3 when we are finished.

[Joyoflearning]

duplicate post

Edited March 6, 2012 by Joyoflearning
duplicate post

[Joyoflearning]

I'm wondering if PR is just too much same-old, same-old for my eldest DD...

 

And I know Mrs. Beers to very explicit in her directions on the video, but I am not an auditory learner, so I really missed the boat about reinforcing the phonogram sounds while spelling. DD has been saying the letters while she spells instead of the phonogram sounds; now that I realize my mistake and try to make her say the sounds, she balks at it. It is just becoming a battle to get her to get her work done. (It isn't just with PR--she isn't in love with doing school, but it seems that PR is the biggest battle.) I don't know if it's because she is a Wiggly Willy and this isn't just a good program for her; maybe it's me and I'm getting the new curriculum March itch; or...I don't know :)

 

We spent last week doing a review of words she had missed in the past and was having trouble with, and that went over like a lead balloon. I need to do better about incorporating a little review every day (something else that I missed when I watched the videos through the first time)...

 

Thanks!

 

I have felt very similar. DD has not been enjoying PR as much as I had hoped, but I think it's more of an attitude issue and not wanting to do the work. We are working on character training. Our issue is not just PR, it's most subjects. I am also getting the "It's March and look at all the pretty new curriculum bug" and I feel the need to supplement everything even an "all-in-one" like PR.

 

In PR 1, I have recently found a better groove. In order to save time from possible distraction (the manipulatives easily distract dd), I first review only the previous days words by her writing and marking them on her clipboard. Sometimes I give her little hints like starting to sing the rule tune. I make a note to myself if she spells any wrong. I then teach the new words on a white board with dd telling me how to spell the words and what markings to add and why. I then write and mark the words on a whiteboard while she writes them on her clipboard. (This allows for the phonogram and handwriting practice). I do make sure that she is continuously forming her letters correctly. On the day she learns the last of the words for the week, I reteach any words she may have had trouble with earlier in the week.

Here is the life saver: Recently I began plugging her list into spellingcity.com. She takes her test for the end of the "week" (whatever day that falls on) on the computer. She enjoys it more because she doesn't have to write all the words out and now it doesn't take up so much time. If she were to miss any then I would reteach those words with the words for the next week. While working on the next week in PR, she can review the words from the previous week on spelling city through free games that she enjoys. HTH

[yobella]

To the OP: Can you borrow the TWSS videos from one of your friends? Then you could use the info you learn to help teach from PR 2 and if you want you can add writing using your own sources as you have time.

 

 

To Lindsrae: if your daughter is only 6 1/2 you probably don't need to add anything else right now. I would just do PR, keep moving forward, and don't get hung up on too much review. Then see how things go from there.

[lindsrae]

I have felt very similar. DD has not been enjoying PR as much as I had hoped, but I think it's more of an attitude issue and not wanting to do the work. We are working on character training. Our issue is not just PR, it's most subjects. I am also getting the "It's March and look at all the pretty new curriculum bug" and I feel the need to supplement everything even an "all-in-one" like PR.

 

In PR 1, I have recently found a better groove. In order to save time from possible distraction (the manipulatives easily distract dd), I first review only the previous days words by her writing and marking them on her clipboard. Sometimes I give her little hints like starting to sing the rule tune. I make a note to myself if she spells any wrong. I then teach the new words on a white board with dd telling me how to spell the words and what markings to add and why. I then write and mark the words on a whiteboard while she writes them on her clipboard. (This allows for the phonogram and handwriting practice). I do make sure that she is continuously forming her letters correctly. On the day she learns the last of the words for the week, I reteach any words she may have had trouble with earlier in the week.

Here is the life saver: Recently I began plugging her list into spellingcity.com. She takes her test for the end of the "week" (whatever day that falls on) on the computer. She enjoys it more because she doesn't have to write all the words out and now it doesn't take up so much time. If she were to miss any then I would reteach those words with the words for the next week. While working on the next week in PR, she can review the words from the previous week on spelling city through free games that she enjoys. HTH

 

Thank you so much for this idea! I know one of the love/hate things people have with PR are the DVDs...i don't mind watching them, but it is so easy to tune out. I know I have missed stuff, and I wish there was a "guide" with reminders/suggestions in it. I need a lot of hand holding, I guess! Must be why I like the scripted lessons of RS math--it gives me confidence. :)

 

I looked at the Logic of English website; that looks really good too. Oh how I wish I had unlimited funds!! I am having such a hard time deciding what is best, and I hate to miss out on anything!!

[johnandtinagilbert]

You will find the approach in PR and IEW to be quite similar. Take a glance at my blog and you'll find many examples of PRs writing, especially in PR3. GREAT stuff that produces sound paragraphs.

 

The sentence analyzing is a focus early on and teaches children to identify the work of parts of speech, which will later encourage more vibrant sentences. It works. And the style is easily transposed across the board and applied in history, science, and other areas where writing for understanding is appropriate.

 

FWIW, I'm ending PR4 now and very pleased with my dds writing ability. She will easily head into WriteShop's high school level writing program. She will be in 7th grade.

 

If a child balks at spelling with sounds, I'd encourage allowing them to say the letters, but always with marking and identifying sounds. This still gets the daily review and practice of rules in spelling, without the grumpf. This will work in the purpose...that when they misspell they are able to identify the reasons for their mistakes. It takes their mind to the practice of analyzing spelling words, not just memorizing spelling lists (which eventually runs its course).

 

HTH,

Tina