2nd grade Language Arts - should I add WWE 2?

[SewingMom2many]

For 2nd grade language arts I was wondering if this looks about right, too much, too little?

 

Logic of English along with Rhythm of Handwriting (grammar, spelling, reading, handwriting)

Essentials in Writing (writing)

Independent reading - his choice of books with my guidance

Literature - family read alouds which will include classics

Also adding in things like Daily Word Ladders, Banagrams puzzle book, Mad Libs, etc. as time and attention span allow

 

I'm debating adding in WWE2 for narration and copywork.  Would that be too much? 

 

Last year we got a very late start on WWE1 (late as in the springtime lol) things came up and we never got very far so if I do add in WWE, should I be using WWE2 if we didn't finish WWE1 last year? 

 

[Sherry in OH]

Two writing programs for second grade seems like a lot.  I would start with one program and do that program for 6 to 8 weeks.  If at that point you feel your child needs more, add components from the second program.  Be aware that that there is a jump in skill level between WWE1 and 2.  Unless you feel your child is ready for that jump, continue with level 1. 

[SewingMom2many]

Thanks for your reply, I hadn't thought of doing one at a time I was thinking about doing one program 2x a week and the other 3x a week.

 

The reason I was going to do both is because I thought it was pretty important to do narration and copywork and the other program doesn't cover that. Will it be ok if we skip this?

 

[CountryGirlShake]

The WWE2 has plenty of narration and copy work, doesn't it? Quite a bit more than WWE1

[Sherry in OH]

There are people who successfully combine multiple programs.  You know your child and her abilities best.  Two writing programs plus a handwriting program plus a phonics/spelling/grammar program plus assorted other materials would be too much for my second grader.  Even if I thought he could handle the workload, I would be concerned about confusion due to stylistic differences among the various programs. 

 

If you really want use Essentials in Writing, then do that for the writing portion of language arts.  You can incorporate narrations into other subjects.  Pause every so often while reading history, for example, and ask her to tell you what she remembers about the passage.  Handwriting programs are copywork.  If you feel the need for more, copy sentences from her readings or literature.  Or, have her copy a poem to memorize. 

 

On the other hand, if you really want to do WWE, then skip or delay the second program. WWE was designed as a four day a week program.  You could use the fifth day for your language arts extras.  Balance the copywork in WWE with the work in her handwriting program so that she doesn’t have to write too much on any given day.  Sometimes less is more.

[SewingMom2many]

Sounds like it's going to be too much. I think I'll stick with Logic of English for spelling and handwriting and use Essentials in Writing for grammar and writing.

If it's not necessary to do separate copywork then I'll just skip that. I always had the idea that it was supposed to be done in addition to everything else.  That's a big relief actually because I think it's kind of boring but I didn't want my kids to miss something they should be doing.

Thank you!! 

[Walking-Iris]

I don't think any kid "should" be doing copywork. If it isn't your thing, no worries. There's more than one way to get to the same goal in language arts. 

 

I never did copywork with my oldest. Just couldn't get into the idea of it no matter how much CM material I read. I like it now, and my 1st grader likes it. My oldest loves dictation. But skipping out of copywork in the early grades did not hurt my oldest one bit.