What writing program before IEW?

[Samiam]

I want to do IEW but after looking at samples, I don't think either of my boys will be ready for SWI-A in the fall. We are currently doing WWE. Just not sure WWE is offering enough.....maybe I'm losing sight of the end results that WWE is headed for. I am thinking of continueing WWE 2 next year, but adding something else in the mix, something that requires more creativity, yet not overwhelming...what would you use if you knew your end path was going to be IEW?

[boscopup]

I used WWE1 and 2, then did IEW SWI-A. It was a good transition. I think many people do through WWE3 before doing IEW, and I think that would have probably been a good idea, but we were just needing something different for a bit. We've now done almost half of SWI-A and are finishing up the end of WWE2, then we'll do one more unit of SWI-A this year and do the rest next year. I plan to use WWS in 5th or 6th... whenever my son is ready for it. IEW is being used as an interim program to get pen on paper (and it worked fabulously for that).

 

Have you listened to SWB's audio lecture on teaching writing in the elementary years? I found it VERY helpful in seeing the path that WWE takes. She outlines the path from grade 1-12 briefly, then goes deep into the elementary portion of it. I think WWE is one of those programs where it is very helpful to see where you're heading, because it isn't completely obvious when you look at the program itself. :)

 

Do your kids like creative writing? If they do, hopefully someone has some other suggestions for you. If they don't, I wouldn't push it on them at that young age. My oldest does NOT like creative writing, and he shuts down immediately when he has to do it. The IEW unit that deals with writing from the brain will probably help, but we'll do it next year in 4th. This year, the most creative we got was rewriting a story and changing the characters/setting while keeping the plot the same. Even that took some wrestling to get out of him, and not THAT much was changed. :tongue_smilie: My son is exactly the child that SWB describes - writing phobic and hates creative writing. He does much better with expository writing, which is what he'll need in college anyway. But as I said, if your kids actually like creative writing, there are some options out there that use it. I just haven't looked hard at those (I might need to with my second son... he's much more creative and likes to write stories, even though he's not really reading or writing much yet).

 

Some other ways I get my oldest writing in semi-painless manner...

 

1) Notebooking (draw a picture and write 1-2 sentences about something he read)

2) Writing letters to people (Granmama is getting letters from all 3 kids Monday - I'm sure she will call and be so happy she got letters :D)

3) Using a textbook grammar program, where he has to write out the answers to the exercises on paper (gradually increasing his writing stamina)

[delaney]

I think they will be fine with SWI-A. I had my 5th grade public schooler do it when I yanked him mid year and it was EASY to follow. He actually still remembers some of it now.

[Mrs Twain]

I threw my little 1st grade daughter into SWI-A with my then 3rd grade son because Andrew Pudewa said on the TWSS that he sometimes starts his writing techniques with 1st graders. She could read well, which helped of course, and she managed to do the assignments fairly well. Now as a 2nd grader she is finishing up the last half of SWI-A. Her writing is not as good as my now 4th grade son, but she can understand and apply the concepts. All that to say that you may be surprised by what your children can do.

 

Before IEW, I draw from a variety of programs for writing lessons, including WWE, Winning with Writing, journaling, and Evan Moor writing or reading comprehension workbooks.

[bethben]

I do copywork/narration when they can read well. When they can read to learn, I just start with IEW. My 2nd grader is doing it currently. We take it slllooooowww. He is only working on two dress ups and two IEW units - Key Word Outlines (unit 1) and stories (unit 3). It works just fine.

 

Beth