Recommendations for adding writing for 1st grader

[didadeewiththree]

We made a switch from the The Phonics Road(which proved to be too fast paced last year) to Saxon Phonics 1 this year for my six and a half year old first grader. Besides this program, which takes at least 30-60 minutes to complete, should we add in some extra writing?

 

He has a new journal which he likes to draw and write in, and I have him do some simple copy work from time to time for history or science, but not everyday.

 

Any recommendations for actually writing and maybe some added grammar? I think I have handwriting covered with WRTR and Cursive First instructions while we are doing Saxon.

[nukeswife]

Honestly with a child that age, I'd just focus on the phonics and making sure they are forming their letters correctly. I'm not a huge fan of super early writing or grammar.

[didadeewiththree]

Thanks, it makes me feel better to know that I am not short changing him:)

[boscopup]

If phonics is taking that long (and probably involves physical writing), I would probably hold off until next year. Maybe do some oral narrations (a la WTM). WWE is great for that age, but when my son did WWE, he was not doing a separate phonics program (he did AAS, writing on the white board, but that didn't involve a lot of writing until the end of the year, and it wasn't on paper).

[alisoncooks]

You'll get varying answers... but I don't do any formal writing for my 6yo/1st grader other than a VERY brief copywork each day + the writing in our phonics lesson.

[lindblomnest]

Do you mean that the phonics lesson takes 30 minutes? That seems like a long phonics lesson to me. My first grader does about 10 minutes of work on phonics (we us OPGTR) and one page in HWT each day. But, maybe I'm not doing enough...

[Mama Anna]

Here's where we get into all the comparisons . . . :D :tongue_smilie:

 

I try to keep writing to a minimum at that age, also. Her Language Arts consists of:

 

Phonics (OPGTR): no writing

Grammar (FLL) 3x/wk: very occasional copy work. Like 3 words every few lessons.

Handwriting (ZB) 2x/wk: 2 pages

Copywork (based on WWE) 2x/wk (around Handwriting): 1 short sentence

Letter 1x/wk: Greeting, 1 sentence, closing.

Spelling (SP): 5-10 words/day (No, they're not new ones every day!)

 

She'll occasionally need to write a word or two in history or science, but I do as much of that through dictation as I can. My reasoning is that I want to make sure she doesn't grow to hate writing because I push it too much. I also want to try and make sure there's no excuse for sloppiness. If she can give me a little that's very neat, I feel better than getting a lot that's barely legible. (We just keep working on that "very neat" part.)

 

HTH!

Mama Anna

[didadeewiththree]

Do you mean that the phonics lesson takes 30 minutes? That seems like a long phonics lesson to me. My first grader does about 10 minutes of work on phonics (we us OPGTR) and one page in HWT each day. But, maybe I'm not doing enough...

 

Yes, at least that long. By the time we get to the worksheet, which is 20 minutes into it, he is pretty much spent and ready to run off. Today I tried doing the worksheet first, and we only made it to one side.

 

Usually there is an alphabet warm up, some oral drilling of sounds with picture cards, some written also, although I tend to skip that since he knows it, then boardwork, letter tile work, perhaps some bingo, plus letter instruction, new concept introduction(like a new letter's sound, is it voiced or unvoiced, etc) A lot of stuff he already knows so I try to go through it quickly where he knows it. The worksheet isnt too much work, just coding vowels in cvc and ccvc words and I have him read them, then he reads a sentence to me, and tries to sound out and write some new words like "bag" by sounding them out. He is writing individual sounds and words, but isnt writing any sentences, nor is there any instruction on how to write a sentence yet.

 

I guess this sounds like enough maybe, after writing all of that!

 

My third grader is at the end of Saxon 2, after I went back and wanted to review things we didnt have mastery at yet. It has her copy down like one sentence, which I feel isnt enough for her. Maybe I need to be adding the writing in for her instead!

[Shelsi]

Yes, at least that long. By the time we get to the worksheet, which is 20 minutes into it, he is pretty much spent and ready to run off. Today I tried doing the worksheet first, and we only made it to one side.

 

Usually there is an alphabet warm up, some oral drilling of sounds with picture cards, some written also, although I tend to skip that since he knows it, then boardwork, letter tile work, perhaps some bingo, plus letter instruction, new concept introduction(like a new letter's sound, is it voiced or unvoiced, etc) A lot of stuff he already knows so I try to go through it quickly where he knows it. The worksheet isnt too much work, just coding vowels in cvc and ccvc words and I have him read them, then he reads a sentence to me, and tries to sound out and write some new words like "bag" by sounding them out. He is writing individual sounds and words, but isnt writing any sentences, nor is there any instruction on how to write a sentence yet.

 

I guess this sounds like enough maybe, after writing all of that!

 

My third grader is at the end of Saxon 2, after I went back and wanted to review things we didnt have mastery at yet. It has her copy down like one sentence, which I feel isnt enough for her. Maybe I need to be adding the writing in for her instead!

 

Don't be afraid to go "off-roading" from a program and fit it to your needs. If he already knows something, and you know he really knows it, it's OK to skip that activity. The curriculum police won't come knocking on your door :)

 

Secondly, you can either do the lesson in many short pieces or spread them out to last more than 1 day.

 

My dd's LA lessons would take 25 mins if she could just sit there and concentrate and do them. But she's 5 so that's not happening any time soon. Instead we do one activity (takes about 5 minutes) then we take a break for a good 20 minutes or more. Sometimes it's an hour or more because I'm helping my 3rd grader. Then I go back and do another part of the lesson with dd. So instead of taking 25 minutes for the day, our "lesson" takes more like 2 hrs if you add in all the breaks.