Has anyone combined Writing Tales and Int. Language Lessons? sm

[Allison TX]

I am still tring to figure out what to use for LA for my 4th grader. I have Rod and Staff sitting on my shelf, and really thought I would give it another try this year, but I can't get excited about it. I really like Writing Tales and Intermediate Language Lessons, and I own both of them. Would it be doable to use both? If so, would you schedule 2 weeks of one then 2 weeks of the other? Or try them both daily? If I don't use both, which would make a more complete writing/grammar program? I will aslo add in spelling, extra copywork, and extra dictation. Please help! :confused:

 

Allison

[Kfamily]

DD did Writing Tales 2 (we are finishing it this year) and ILL. I love both books as well. We did written narrations and dictation too. I personally think this would be fine for a 4th grader. I used WT2 and grammar is nicely integrated, although for my rising 6th grader I need to put more in front of her now. This year I plan on allowing ILL to be part of her independent work. The grammar in ILL is not sufficent for a 6th grader.

 

HTH

[Allison TX]

Thank you Kfamily!:001_smile:

Did you schedule both programs daily or did you alternate?

 

Allison

[PeterPan]

Allison, do you have WT1 or WT2? I ask because the models are longer in WT2 and the grammar more complex. Did you know R&S has inexpensive workbooks, just $2.50? You could do everything orally except when there's a workbook page. Then just do the first few exercises on the workbook page and call it good if she gets them right. Grammar, but less tedious. ;)

 

If you're doing WT2, I would plan on 3 days a week and do ILL the other 2. If you're planning on WT1, you might be able to get away with 2 days a week and do ILL 3 days a week. I wouldn't alternate by weeks, because it will be hard to keep momentum jumping around so much. You'll also just lose the flow of your progress. (The skills should build, so you want to be continually adding to your pile of things you continue as you edit, which you'll forget and slip on if you take long breaks, just my two cents.)

 

It seems like you're having to add an awful lot to that LA mix. What is ILL giving you? It's so easy to get busy and duplicate things. Make sure you've streamlined enough. The other thing you could do with a 4th grader doing WT1, depending on the maturity, is to do both the rough draft and final in one week. You can't do that with WT2, because the models are so much longer. But with WT1, that would probably be no problem for a 4th grader. In that way you'd complete WT1 for a semester and be free to do ILL the other semester.

 

WTM for 4th has recommendations on how much copywork, how much dictation, etc. I'm thinking it was 2-3 days a week on the dictation. I wouldn't add more copywork than what WT has, simply because I think it's more age-appropriate to move on to dictation. You really don't NEED ILL in that mix though, and I'd really think about what it's getting you, where you're duplicating. WTM suggests *a* writing program (not 3, hehe) done 2 days a week. Then you have dictation and some basic other writing like book summaries, history notebooking, etc. You might find your ILL is squeezing out time to do something more important like non-fiction writing, notebooking, and paragraphs.

[Allison TX]

Thank you OhElizabeth! :)

I will be using WT 1. I bought it to use for 3rd, and found it was too difficult for him. We tried again in the Spring and it was a much better fit, although we only completed the first 2 stories. I really don't want to use R&S and that's why I was thinking of adding ILL. I'm not sure if the grammar in WT 1 will be "enough" for a 4th grader. What do you think? :confused:

I am planning on copywork once a week (Bible verse), and dictation three times a week. If I am also using WT, what else do I need to add?

I think you may be right about duplicating and that is the last thing I want! I am adding a K'er this year and am still trying to figure out how to schedule all three kids!:tongue_smilie:

 

Allison

[PeterPan]

Well what comes to mind for grammar for your ds is Shurley. It's what I've been using with my dd. Have you ever looked at it? You just parse 3 sentences a day, no diagramming, etc. You just need a light touch on grammar alongside WT1, nothing heavy.

 

WT1 also has copywork, so that plus your Bible verse plus 3 days of dictation has you doing copywork/dictation every day. Are you doing handwriting on top of that? Spelling? I said this before, but I suggest you look through the LA and history chapters in WTM to see about quantities, how the different aspects of LA are divided up. That way you can see if you're on-track.

 

Since R&S didn't work for you, sell it and move on. Shurley would work, GWG would work. You just want a light touch to go along with your WT.

[Allison TX]

Okay, I just checked WTM recs for 4th and it looks like I'm on track if I can find a grammar program I like.:) I will take a look at Shurley. I had heard it was a time consuming program which is why I hadn't looked at it previously. Thanks!:001_smile:

 

Allison

[PeterPan]

Now would I be using Shurley if it were time-consuming? LOL It depends on how you do it. There's the basic set-up you buy (tm, workbook, cd), but then there's an extra "practice" workbook that has the sentences from the tm, the sentences you're supposed to parse. That's what we do, and that's ALL we do from it. Takes 5-10 minutes max, easy peasey. Took me quite a while to figure out that I could take from it what I wanted (the parsing) and leave all the other stuff (vocab, writing assignments, conventions, etc.). If I feel inspired, occasionally I'll open up the main student workbook and do a few of the subject/verb agreement or whatnot exercises orally. Usually though, she already knows them from the other things we're doing. Like I said, with WT all you need is a light touch on the grammar, enough that you're prepared for WT2. You still have to buy the tm, or you won't know the method, but doing it with the tm and that practice workbook has been the perfect amount for us.

[Allison TX]

I'm going to try and get a copy of the Shurley TM and practice book. Sounds like it will be a really good fit with WT.:) I appreciate all your help! Thank you.:)

 

Allison