Writing/LA/Handwriting help needed

[sflood]

My daughter is finishing third this year and we will be starting 4thid summer. This was our first year homeschooling and previously she was in public school. This year we did R&S English 2 as a review and are now going to finish R&S English 3 at the end of 3rd. She also did R&S 3 spelling this year and their 3rd handwriting.

 

First, I don't like their handwriting, it was not a good fit for either or is so I was thinking of doing HWOT 3. She has the ideas of cursive, but needs more practice and she needs practice writing overall because her print is sloppy. Can anyone tell me what they think of HWOT is it a good program?

 

Second, we've never done copy work, dictation, narration and I really want to start, but I'm lost. I really need help in all areas of that.

 

For LA I'm thinking of switching from Rod and Staff to CLE, but know that the writing is light so I've thought of WWE. Would that be a good idea or should I just stay with Rod and Staff.

 

I'm not sure what areas of writing of writing are light or what I should worry about covering. We like rod an staff, but I wanted to try the CLE since it can be a little more independent, but at the same time the writing issues worry me because I don't want to leave things out.

 

Sorry to sound confusing, I'm confused myself. I see FLL, WWE, CLE, Rod and Staff, etc mentioned and I like many of them, but I'm not sure how and what to implement to get. Well rounded language arts/writing and to cover dictation/ copywork and narration.

[Walking-Iris]

Well I can help a bit. I really like HWOT. If you want to improve her printing you could just have her work through HWT 2nd grade and then do the 3rd grade cursive. I think HWT is a great program.

 

Also I started using WWE late in the game. Midway through my ds's 3rd grade year. I would suggest getting the text at first. There are sample weeks for all 4 years and evaluation tests. (Those are available online---i just don't have the link right now) I worked through the sample weeks (starting in WWE1) with my ds and gave him the evals to find a good fit. According to the evals he was WWE3 then, BUT the reading selections are sometimes hard and I knew he needed work on listening comprehension so I backed up and had him work in WWE2. I just doubled up lessons and did two days in one. He's in WWE3 now.

 

WWE will help you with copywork, dictation and narration. BUT if you're like I was and you don't really "get it" or understand the importance of it, I would suggest looking into something like Bravewiter. Those two, BW and WWE together, are my personal favorite writing program. After I read The Writer's Jungle I really started to understand why I was even trying to do it. BW also gets my ds writing, whereas WWE is just dictation and narration skills.

 

Hate to give you another program to think about. Sorry.

 

I wouldn't worry about leaving anything out. I'm not familiar with Rod and Staff, but WWE will get you started. It's easy and pretty much open and go.

[happypamama]

I like HWOT cursive, and it seems to have worked for both of my kids who have used it/started it. It's set up so that the left-hand side of the book is the instructions on the letter, and the right-hand side is more practice on that letter. I have my kids do it so that they do two pages a day -- the right-hand side practice from one letter, and the instructions on the next letter. So each day they are practicing something they learned previously as well as learning something new.

 

If her handwriting isn't great, you might start HWOT cursive anyway. It's very systematic and easy to follow in its directions, and it might actually improve her printing. (It did so for DD, whose printing wasn't great.)

 

The only drawback to HWOT is that it's trickier to find copywork for it.

 

As for narration and dictation, I'd go with Writing With Ease, either level 3 or 4. (Level 2 has copywork some days, so you might look at that too, but it might be on the young side.)

[ByGrace3]

If you like R&S spelling and grammar stick with it. I personally don't like HWOT cursive but love their print. We switch to Zaner Bloser cursive. The 2nd and 3rd grade cursive books start with a review of print and then transition to cursive, so that might be an option. I think HWOT cursive is just not "pretty" lol because there is no slant.

 

WWE is great for writing, you can stick with R&S spelling and grammar and add in wwe and handwriting and will be all set. With lots of reading of course. :)

[Lulamae]

We use A Reason for Handwriting. It works for us. My daughter especially loves it becuase on Fridays she gets to decorate the finished page.

 

As for writing, I may be in the minority but I'm not a fan of WWE3. We used it with my son this year and I'm disappointed with the writing instruction. It really doesn't have any. His narrations are all over the place, poorly organized. He did enjoy the reading selections though.

[sflood]

Thank you for the help ladies. Walking-Iris I don't really get the why and how either, I really should look more into it and I'm trying.

[Walking-Iris]

Thank you for the help ladies. Walking-Iris I don't really get the why and how either, I really should look more into it and I'm trying.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/article-index/

 

This is an index of articles on WTM website. Maybe something in here will help. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/why-do-copywork-and-dictation/

 

http://www.amblesideonline.org/FAQ.shtml#language

 

There may be more tidbits within Ambleside's page.

 

http://simplycharlottemason.com/basics/started/charlotte-mason-method/

 

This may help. The main thing ime was when I just jumped in and started doing it, even when I wasn't sure why, I started to see the benefits and help it was giving my ds and then the whys started to make more sense to me...as I had the experience. That make sense?