AmyontheFarm Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Ds11 who left the spec-ed classroom in Sept. to be homeschooled. My son's disabilities mean that it actually HURTS to use a pencil and write. We try to keep actual pencil work to a minimum, opting for typing whenever we can with the exception of his Saxon math. He is currently doing S.O.S. Language Arts - partially because of his disability and because a dear friend gave it to me to use for free. gotta love free! :001_smile: I am looking for advice on a writing curriculum for my son. If you ask him to tell you a story, it's at the grade 5 level, easily according to his public school teachers. If you ask him to write a story it come across at a grade 2 level, maybe. The school wouldn't let him use a computer to write because it wouldn't be fair to the other students. :001_huh: We've been learning grammar rules - he was never taught these in the spec ed classroom. His spelling is improving - thank you spellingcity.com Now, it's time to help him get his creative ideas in his head down onto paper using a computer and then to be printed. He will be homeschooled through high school and we are not expecting him to attend university because of some of his delays. So, he's needs to write well enough to pass a GED at the end of the day. I prefer an open and go style of teaching. I'm not opposed to presenting a lesson to him daily, but he's happy to just read it and do it himself. I need suggestions from you as to what writing/language arts curriculum to use through the rest of grade school and high school. Being at home these past 6 months he's completed Saxon Math 3 and is now happily walking through Saxon Math 5/4 with ease. He's capable of learning, he just learns better in a home environment compared to the classroom structure. Because I know he's missed a lot being in the spec ed classroom lets pretend he's just in grade 2 and head out from there. What do you suggest I check out? Toss me the names of writing programs you like or dislike and why? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Well, no suggestions on curriculum, but have you considered letting him dictate what he wants to write into a tape recorder and then letting him listen back to it as he writes it down or types? If you want to work on the actual physical aspect of writing, there is Writing With Ease, which focuses on copywork, narration, and dictation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 You might try posting this in the special needs forum.... There are a lot of great software programs out there, but I haven't used them personally (yet) in our home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 We are also looking at a speech to text program that would allow him to speak his story and it would type it into the word processor. But, I need a curriculum to actually follow for my sanity. I'll look into Writing with Ease. He's doing some writing now by answering starter questions for me. I expect 3-5 paragraphs of 6-8 sentences each. If he doesn't have anything to write about the topic, he's expected to research it quickly and spit back information about it. Well, no suggestions on curriculum, but have you considered letting him dictate what he wants to write into a tape recorder and then letting him listen back to it as he writes it down or types? If you want to work on the actual physical aspect of writing, there is Writing With Ease, which focuses on copywork, narration, and dictation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 The school wouldn't let him use a computer to write because it wouldn't be fair to the other students. :001_huh: NO, NO, NO! This is a kid who needs a neuropsych evaluation so that he can get these exact accommodations for writing in a 504 plan or IEP!! There are many of us over on the SN board who have students that are writing assisted due to LDs. Our neuropsychs have listed Co-Writer, Write Out Loud, and Dragon Speak as just a few of the programs that ds IS allowed to use due to his issues. Good for you for homeschooling him, but please look into an evaluation so that he can get the computer assisted accommodations that he needs whether you decide to put him back in school or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddle Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I concur with Fairprospects. Also, with my dyslexic kiddo who also has dysgraphia, we separate out the "writing process" from the "grammar, spelling, mechanics of writing part"...... We do Sequential Spelling and we just started IEW with me scribing the keywords/paragraphs for her. Also, we do have Dragon Dictate for when she wants to use her creative process (she loves to tell stories). We did public school through this year (beginning of 3rd grade) and in 2nd grade we got a 504 accomodations plan so that she could have us scribing for her and doing some of her work orally, in addition to NOT being graded down on her spelling or neatness of handwriting. Good luck! There's a LOT out there that can help you in your homeschooling journey and to tailor your program to suit your child's needs, including any learning issues they have! Hang in there. Paula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heathermomster Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 (edited) We are also looking at a speech to text program that would allow him to speak his story and it would type it into the word processor. But, I need a curriculum to actually follow for my sanity. I'll look into Writing with Ease. He's doing some writing now by answering starter questions for me. I expect 3-5 paragraphs of 6-8 sentences each. If he doesn't have anything to write about the topic, he's expected to research it quickly and spit back information about it. Given the severity of your child's handwriting problems, you need to hire an OT. Speech to text software such as Dragon Speak works well and cost under $40 USD. For typing instruction, check out BBC Dance Mat typing, Typing Instructor, and Mavis. The company Alphasmart sells a device called a NEO2. The NEO is an extremely durable, portable word processor that works off AA batteries. My 7th grader has used one in class since 4th grade with the spell checker turned off. He types his work, walks the NEO over to the HP all-in-one printer, connects the Alphasmart with a USB to the printer, hits the send button, and out pops his work. Truly, the NEO use is simple. ETA: For handwriting, check out Dianne Craft and HWOT. Edited April 9, 2012 by Heathermomster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 NO, NO, NO! This is a kid who needs a neuropsych evaluation so that he can get these exact accommodations for writing in a 504 plan or IEP!! There are many of us over on the SN board who have students that are writing assisted due to LDs. Our neuropsychs have listed Co-Writer, Write Out Loud, and Dragon Speak as just a few of the programs that ds IS allowed to use due to his issues. Good for you for homeschooling him, but please look into an evaluation so that he can get the computer assisted accommodations that he needs whether you decide to put him back in school or not. He already has had an evaluation, a psych evaluation and an IEP. But because he wouldn't squish himself into one of their nice neat little boxes they were frustrated with what to do with him. Some history, in JK they wanted him to not learn to actually write with a pencil because of the pain it can cause. They wanted him to only use a computer and I said, NO! I wanted him to be able to write a grocery list, sign his signature on important documents and write love notes to his kids and wife some day and be able to read his writting. Because I wouldn't let him exclusively use a computer from day one, apparently I upset the apple cart. Then in grade two when I said ok, lets start the computer because he was starting to fall behind his regular classmates I was told that he wasn't too far behind and maybe he'll catch up, lets give it a year. That's when things started to spiral and the desire to homeschool rooted deep in my soul. My husband and I kept trying to work with the school until finally, my husband said to just bring him home. I'm loving homeschooling my kids! This has been the best 6 months of my life! We don't think our son will ever go back to traditional school. Our dd9 might go back, but she's loving this and her two best friends are also homeschooled so, we'll worry about that in grade 7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 Given the severity of your child's handwriting problems, you need to hire an OT. Speech to text software such as Dragon Speak works well and cost under $40 USD. For typing instruction, check out BBC Dance Mat typing, Typing Instructor, and Mavis. The company Alphasmart sells a device called a NEO2. The NEO is an extremely durable, portable word processor that works off AA batteries. My 7th grader has used one in class since 4th grade with the spell checker turned off. He types his work, walks the NEO over to the HP all-in-one printer, connects the Alphasmart with a USB to the printer, hits the send button, and out pops his work. Truly, the NEO use is simple. ETA: For handwriting, check out Dianne Craft and HWOT. He is using Mavis Beacon to learn to type. He has his own laptop with the font size larger (he wears glasses for an eye condition also) I need to get him a speech to text program. My province will pay for one, once I jump through all the hoops they put out for me, or I can pay out of pocket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merry gardens Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I second the recommendation for an OT evaluation. An ot evaluation would give you a better idea of what you can and should do in the way of accomodations and hand strengthening. There are things that can be done to strengthen hand muscles. Different writing instruments, writing accesories (like grips or weight) and some specialized writing programs can help too. OT's are familiar with these things and would likely be able to help your ds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomatHWTK Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 (edited) If you switch to keyboarding for the output, the what do you feel would still be lacking as far as composition skills? You said the verbal storytelling was at the 5th grade level, right? Do you want to move forward with longer and different types of composition? Does he need work with grammar? Are you looking for a textbook type approach to teaching 5th grade composition? Do you really feel like if typing were allowed he would need to start at the 2nd grade level? Here are free workbooks that cover a grammar and some composition: http://macmillanmh.com/languagearts/2001/teacher/teachres/workbooks.html These could be open and go depending on what he already knows. Here are some free textbooks: http://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com/catalog/disciplines/2/titles Edited April 9, 2012 by MomatHWTK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 Do you really feel like if typing were allowed he would need to start at the 2nd grade level? Here are free workbooks that cover a grammar and some composition: http://macmillanmh.com/languagearts/2001/teacher/teachres/workbooks.html These could be open and go depending on what he already knows. /QUOTE] I looked through the grade 2 Macmillan link and there are about 6-12 pages I can see he needs review on. I'm betting if I just help him shore up his weaker areas he can progress quite quickly through the grades. Thanks for those links, they will certainly be used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 Do you really feel like if typing were allowed he would need to start at the 2nd grade level? Here are free workbooks that cover a grammar and some composition: http://macmillanmh.com/languagearts/2001/teacher/teachres/workbooks.html These could be open and go depending on what he already knows. /QUOTE] I looked through the grade 2 Macmillan link and there are about 6-12 pages I can see he needs review on. I'm betting if I just help him shore up his weaker areas he can progress quite quickly through the grades. Thanks for those links, they will certainly be used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 IEW Institute for Excellence in Writing would, I think, help toward GED type writing, etc. And it favors keyboarding skills when possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 (edited) My message double posted. I don't know why. Hmmm. Maybe I have something else to say. Okay, there was a thread here recently about a Scholastic book on sale for $1 called Super Sentences and Perfect Paragraphs that could be helpful also. And maybe Excellence in Writing. Still I tend to think IEW likely to be best of these. Edited April 10, 2012 by Pen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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