Writing Program roll call.

[Mynyel]

I need one for ds11. He isn't on level so I need it at about a 4-5th grade level.  What programs are out there that have baby steps and hand hold a lot?

 

Please? :)

[texasmama]

Writing Tales 1 and 2. :)

[threeofakind]

Essentials In Writing! :001_smile:

[twinmami01]

IEW

[Ellie]

Writing Strands, Level 3 (experience levels, not grade levels). He might be able to get away with Level 4.

[mysticmomma]

Writing strands.

[AmyontheFarm]

With IEW you are expected to help the child and walk them through each tiny step.  My son went from crying because of writing class to asking to do IEW next.  They have a bunch of webinars on their website.  Check out the ones by Andrew.

[AmyontheFarm]

Also now that you have some suggestions, google the curriculum name and Well Trained Mind forum together you get a bunch of reading as people discuss and debate the different curriculums.

[Parrothead]

I've always liked classical writing.

[Crimson Wife]

The Paragraph Book series from EPS. Teaches paragraph writing from soup to nuts.

[BakersDozen]

I second The Paragraph Book series.  We used this before IEW.  IEW was sent back.  ;)

[Annie Laurie]

Evan-Moor Writing Fabulous Sentences and Paragraphs

 

ETA: Two of my kids use IEW, but believe it or not, it was still too much for one of my kids. He is a very concrete thinker and he's thriving with the Evan-Moor program I just named. It's a bit public schooly, but I think it does a good job of breaking things down into very incremental and understandable steps that are effective.

[PeterPan]

Well what does he LIKE?  He could do Writing Tales 2 at that age, yes.  I used it with my dd as part of a co-op class I taught and LOVED it.  One year we outlined articles from Muse magazine.  (We choose not to ruin our content subjects by interjecting too much writing into them.)  You could take your target skills and apply them to something he will enjoy.  One year we used the Mrs. Renz 4th grade book projects ideas and had fun.  Narration, yes, but in a more creative, engaging context.  If he's into the stock market, I'd have him buy stock with imaginary money and write reports to his investment backers.  Narrations, by another name.  ;)  So just depends on what he likes.  

 

Around about that age we also enjoyed Wordsmith Apprentice.  It's something you can just hand him and let him do.

 

We did WWS1 for 8th (age 13), and it was straightforward for her at that point, meaning she could comfortably double lessons, etc.  I really don't think it's necessary to do it sooner.  It seems like writing phobic kids really benefit from time to mature, mull, and maybe write things that mean more to them.  At this point my dd, who had been extremely writing phobic, now writes sheets and sheets for herself.  Part of unlocking that was getting her an ipad so she can type on her terms, and part of it was having something she wanted to say.  Imitation, narration, copywork, these all just give them the physical ability.  They're fine, and at 11 yeah we were still doing quite a bit of dictation and imitation.  We did extensive dictation through 7th actually.  I'm talking like a page written a day.  But I made a total goal for her writing (say 3/4, 1, or 1 1/2 pages a day, depending on her age) and we hit that in however many ways.  After that we stopped.  She didn't necessarily do a lot of history narrations, lit narrations, etc.  She's a kick butt writer now btw, got 3rd at state for her documentary with the script she wrote.  But you can see the type of stuff we did leading up to this.

 

We'll see how it goes as my boy gets older.  For now, I have him talk into a microphone, because getting out thoughts is a huge thing.  My dd was, for years and years, as writing phobic as ANY boy people talk about on here, I kid you not.  And in 8th she just BLOSSOMED.  Kids are all different, so my experience may or may not apply.  :)

[ProudGrandma]

what is WWS1? I have a writing phobic dd13..so this thread is interesting to me.  thanks.  I would love to hear morea bout wordsmith Apprentice, writing Tales and the paragraph book series.  thanks.

[birchbark]

Understanding Writing.

[HSinNH]

Writing Strands, Level 3 (experience levels, not grade levels). He might be able to get away with Level 4.

 

:iagree:   The writing from DD10 had improved dramatically since beginning this program.

[Melissa in Australia]

I recommend Writing With Skill

[Holly]

Write On! isn't as popular as some, but it's inexpensive and my DD was "okay" with it (which says a lot)!  She's cried over everything else. :blush:  http://www.kid-friendly-homeschool-curriculum.com/homeschool-writing-curriculum.html

[ProudGrandma]

what makes this one better than the others?  I looked at a firends copy and honestly, I was confused by how to do the program.  My friend was just reviewing it, so she actually didn't start the program either...

[BlsdMama]

I want my dd (11) to use WWS1 next year, so we are using WWE 4 this year. I am also using one of I E W´s theme based books with DD(9) and DD(11) simply because it fits well with history, teaches them to outline, and is relatively easy to add to our day.