Help with a writing program

[tots2teens]

I am looking for some help/guidance/suggestions for a writing curriculum/program for my 12yo dd. She has been in public school but I just recently pulled her out to homeschool. She is in 7th grade now but her writing is terrible! I'm just not sure where to start. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

PS...this is my very first time posting so I hope I did it right :confused:

[dtsmamtj]

First off, welcome to the world of homeschooling and to the WTM board. There are a lot of wonderful people on this board. Now, if I could afford IEW that would be my first choice. Since I can't we have found good success with Essentials in Writing and Meaningful Composition.

 

T

[5LittleMonkeys]

First, WELCOME!

 

Second, what areas of her writing are "terrible"? Is it mechanics (grammar, punctuation, spelling), structure (straying from a topic, organization,), or style (repetitive sentences, limited vocabulary, lack of strong stylistic techniques), or all of the above?

 

I think it is important to determine the specific areas that need work before you begin so you can create a list of priorities to focus on one at a time and not overwhelm her with correcting everything right off the bat.

 

Of coarse you also need to consider what your goals are for her. Do you want to focus strictly on academic writing, do you want her to be able to write creatively, a combination of the two. Do you have an idea of what type of writing you want her to be doing by a specific grade level? You don't have to answer me...just suggesting that before you pick a program you need to have an idea of your goals so you know if that program is going to help her meet them.

 

I use and love Institute for Excellence in Writing, specifically the Teaching Writing with Structure and Style program. It is expensive but well worth the cost as it has taught me how to teach ALL of my children through several grade levels how to write using the content of the subjects we learn about (science, history, geography, literature). There is a teacher's dvd set and\or a dvd set in which Mr. Peduwa teaches directly to your child.

 

Basically, the program teaches the child how to pick out and organize information from one or many sources and compile that information into a structurally sound composition. Along the way they are taught stylistic tools that, once practiced and mastered, they can use to create a composition unique to their own style and voice. There is an element of creative writing in the program but it focuses more on academic writing. You can do a search here and read about the experiences many have had with it (good and bad...as there will be with all programs).

 

Some other programs that are popular here for that age level, and that I have either used or would consider using for middle school are:

 

Writing With Style written by Susan Wise Bauer (our hostess). This is meant to be started by a 5th\6th grader, but many here have started it with 7th, 8th and even 9th graders. This is a work in progress though and the next level isn't due to be out until spring 2012. (I think...I could be totally wrong on the date.)

 

Classical Writing. A program based on the progymnasmata. There is a learning curve involved in teaching this and you would be prudent to learn what you can about the progymnasmata before attempting it. They have an Older Beginners level that will get a 7th\8th grader up to speed in their program in one year.

 

Lost Tools of Writing. A program many who follow a classical approach use. I'm still researching this program and so will reserve commenting on it, lest I give misinformation. I know that 1ToGo on this board is using it and would probably be happy to share her experience with you.

 

There are ofcoarse hundreds of other programs out there, and I'm sure others will chime in with their favorites. The trick is finding the one that is a good fit to her needs and your goals.

 

 

Good luck with finding the perfect program for you and your daughter!

Edited May 6, 2012 by 5LittleMonkeys

[momto2blessings]

I'm not sure what you're looking for, but my 12yo dd recently starting using Write with the Best and it's going wonderfully: http://www.edudps.com/WWTB.html. She's finally enjoying her writing projects and not dreading writing like before. We both dreaded the last program, actually:) I like that it teaches a lot of helpful points, but does not take a ton of time so there's still time to write written narrations in other subjects. Just what we like:) Blessings, Gina

[Pen]

I am looking for some help/guidance/suggestions for a writing curriculum/program for my 12yo dd. She has been in public school but I just recently pulled her out to homeschool. She is in 7th grade now but her writing is terrible! I'm just not sure where to start. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

PS...this is my very first time posting so I hope I did it right :confused:

 

Hi. Welcome.

 

Writing has been an area that my son has been struggling with as well. He is younger and likely in a different situation (including some dyslexia type issues), so what applies to him may or may not apply to your daughter, but I will share what I have thus far learned, often the hard way. It would probably help people to give you more and better ideas if you clarified what you mean by her writing being terrible--very specifically what she can do, cannot do, and what the areas of trouble are.

 

I have not found THE magic curriculum for him, but have found that a variety of different approaches are gradually seeming to help. Doing it, even a little bit, as close to every day as possible, seems to be very important for him. Using areas of strength and interest to write about seems to help also. Having him tell me his thought (IEW approach) and then write it helps. And since for him the mechanics are a problem, having me scribe so as to separate articulating an idea in a complete sentence from the mechanics of getting it onto paper seems to help.

 

Programs that seem helpful are down in my sig. We will soon add a try with Writing Skills.

 

Currently, however, we are on a break from all these writing programs per se. Instead, my son is writing about one sentence per day in answer to questions on a reading passage about science, using a Spectrum Science workbook. For him this is progress, particularly since it needs to be a well thought out sentence, and often with clauses to show a relationship between parts of the sentence. (Forgive my own run-on sentence there.) For example, something like: "Because both black and navy are dark colors, they absorbed similar amounts of heat and caused the ice to melt at about the same rate." He works these out while swinging on a swing. I have a feeling the swinging is helpful.

 

In the winter we did some writing by candlelight, which I also think helped to make it a little different, a little special, and a little bit fun.

Edited May 7, 2012 by Pen

[fiddle]

We also just pulled oldest dd out of ps this year in 6th grade and her inability to do any expository writing (reports, etc.) was so frustrating to me! Our school district expected the kids to write but never truly showed them *how* to outline, etc.

 

We started with IEW Student Intensive B so that she can learn to start summarizing info, etc. We use a different program for grammar. Next year, we'll continue IEW (not sure which program yet), and start some literary analysis through Lightning Literature, and continue our grammar program. Depending on how I see progress or not after using IEW, I may also use one of the many resources to focus on writing solid paragraphs.

 

The goal is just to use these middle school years to get dd ready for high school writing. But she had such meltdowns about writing (she was fine just answering reading comprehension questions or test questions, but couldn't handle larger projects) that I went with IEW because it is a gentle approach well suited for reluctant writers.

 

I plan to use Lost Tools of Writing after a couple years of IEW, but I felt that both LTOW and WWS would have freaked out my dd and were too advanced for her to start with.

 

Good luck! I had the hardest time deciding on a writing curriculum- there are so many choices and each with its unique twist!

 

Paula

[tots2teens]

First, THANK YOU all for your responses! This forum is amazing & I am so thankful to have found it!

 

First, WELCOME!

 

Second, what areas of her writing are "terrible"? Is it mechanics (grammar, punctuation, spelling), structure (straying from a topic, organization,), or style (repetitive sentences, limited vocabulary, lack of strong stylistic techniques), or all of the above?

 

All of the above!! She just completed a TLP for Island of the Blue Dolphins and the last assignment was to write an essay on survival. Here are the first two paragraphs-

"All you need to survive is food and water they say. but that is not all you need you need alot of stuff.

One thing you need to not lose your mind and sanity is someone to talk to. She had Rontu a dog and she had 4 birds and 3 otters. She had alot of animals to talk to."

 

Oh My...:sad:

 

Hmmm, I don't know how to quote more...pwhaley said, "We also just pulled oldest dd out of ps this year in 6th grade and her inability to do any expository writing (reports, etc.) was so frustrating to me! Our school district expected the kids to write but never truly showed them *how* to outline, etc. "

I totally agree! She did a lot of writing at school but apparently they never really taught her "how". And, she always got A's and B's on her report cards! Makes me wonder if they ever even read anything she wrote!

 

Anyway, I am so happy she is homeschooled now! I will look into IEW and WWS. Looks like I have a lot of research to do :001_smile:

 

Thank you!!!

[cougarmom4]

I had great success when I pulled my then sixth grader out of ps (partly due to the lack of writing instruction) using Jump In: A Workbook for Reluctant and Eager Writers by Sharon Watson. If I recall correctly, I believe it was intended for grades 6-8. I loved the style it was written in and how it was directed to the student. It laid everything out and covered exactly what I felt he needed: brainstorming, organizing your thoughts, opinion paper, persuasive essay, book report, book response, compare/contrast...

 

Good luck!

[MerryAtHope]

We're enjoying Essentials in Writing (www.essentialsinwriting.com), you might take a look at that one.

 

Merry :-)

[Momling]

First, THANK YOU all for your responses! This forum is amazing & I am so thankful to have found it!

 

 

 

All of the above!! She just completed a TLP for Island of the Blue Dolphins and the last assignment was to write an essay on survival. Here are the first two paragraphs-

"All you need to survive is food and water they say. but that is not all you need you need alot of stuff.

One thing you need to not lose your mind and sanity is someone to talk to. She had Rontu a dog and she had 4 birds and 3 otters. She had alot of animals to talk to."

 

Oh My...:sad:

 

Hmmm, I don't know how to quote more...pwhaley said, "We also just pulled oldest dd out of ps this year in 6th grade and her inability to do any expository writing (reports, etc.) was so frustrating to me! Our school district expected the kids to write but never truly showed them *how* to outline, etc. "

I totally agree! She did a lot of writing at school but apparently they never really taught her "how". And, she always got A's and B's on her report cards! Makes me wonder if they ever even read anything she wrote!

 

Anyway, I am so happy she is homeschooled now! I will look into IEW and WWS. Looks like I have a lot of research to do :001_smile:

 

Thank you!!!

I'd consider The Paragraph Book series for explicit paragraph writing instructions. I'd also include something to help with writing mechanics / grammar like "Writing Skills 1" (both by EPS).