Does this writing program exist?

[The Girls' Mom]

I have a dd that, if I ever had her tested, would be in the Asperger's spectrum. (Her father too, for that matter) It isn't severe, but it does rear its ugly head often, especially during school work.

 

Anyway, we just nailed down why the melt downs occur over writing assignments. The process of choosing WHAT to write about is just too much for her. She has pretty much zero imagination when it comes to writing. Creative writing is not her forte.

 

She does ok when given specifics. Like, write a report about the sleeping habits of a cat. She will do it willingly and well. But if I said, pick an animal to write about, the choices are overwhelming. She also hates writing about her favorite (fill in the blank here). There are many things she doesn't HAVE a favorite of. In her mind you either like something or you don't..:tongue_smilie:

 

Her latest meltdown was over this assignment from our history: Create an object lesson to explain something from the Bible. She knows the Bible inside and out...but picking something that has nothing, in her mind, to do with the story or wasn't IN the story made absolutely no sense to her.

 

So....after all of that, what I am looking for is a writing program that lays it out for her. We could care less if it has creative writing in it. Essays and reports are fine. Being specific about what to write ABOUT is the priority. Does one exist at a middle school level? Or am I just going to have adapt something?

 

We aren't interested in IEW. It is too expensive, and she doesn't do well with DVD courses. Something simple would be great.

[Mom22ns]

Have you considered Writing With Skill? Students don't pick topics and everything is very concrete.

[fluffybunny]

My son has Aspergers, and we used WWE4 last year, and have just started on WWS. There is no way he is independent, and I need to stand over him the whole time, but it seems to work for us, for reasons Momto2ns pointed out. He also loves the stories, as well as the SOTW series.

 

We haven't got to the 'choose a topic' stage yet, if it even exists in WWS1, but if we do I will definitely be either choosing for him, or giving him an option of two or three.

[redsquirrel]

We are heading into the home stretch of WWS and so far, not picking of topics. Yes, some opinion is asked for, sometimes a choosing between options. It might still have too much wiggle room, but it might be worth investigating. It is prob workable.

 

WWE 1-4 has no choosing etc. That is all narration, dictation and copy work.

[The Girls' Mom]

I actually have the 10 week sample of WWS. I had dismissed it because at my first glance I landed on lessons about figurative language and metaphors. I've looked more closely at the table of contents, and it looks like it could work. Even better hearing that other kids with her issues do well with it. Thank you!

[materursa]

We aren't interested in IEW. It is too expensive, and she doesn't do well with DVD courses. Something simple would be great.

 

If you are still interested in the way that IEW teaches then you could use one of their theme books rather than use the DVD programs. Just an option.

HTH,

Amanda

[Crimson Wife]

Have you considered Writing With Skill? Students don't pick topics and everything is very concrete.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

Read the passage, then write based on the information given. You can skip over the short sections on literary analysis and poetry and still have a very complete writing program.