A couple of questions about WWE

[TheAttachedMama]

Hi Everyone,

 

We are currently in week 7 of the WWE 1 workbook.   I have a few questions:

 

1)  Do you feel it is necessary to use a separate handwriting program in conjunction with the WWE copywork?  We worked on basic letter formation last year in kindergarten.  (Using HWOT.)   However, I am still seeing letter reversals and spacing/slant issues in their handwriting.  (Probably pretty typical for first grade.)  My question is...Can we just work on handwriting through copywork this year?  Or do we need another separate program?   (They also do some writing in All About Spelling 1).  Right now I am just watching them do their copywork and asking them to erase and try again if they have some issues with spacing or handwriting.  Is that enough?

 

2)  Should the copywork be on their reading level?  The copywork samples provided in the workbook are currently above my child's reading level.  Is this a bad thing?  And should I pull my own copywork from their readers or spelling book instead?  Right now I am reading both sentences from the WWE workbook aloud to the children and having them follow along with their finger under the word.  (Since they can't read the sentences independently.)    Then we circle the capital letters and I ask them why the words are capitalized.  Then we underline the punctuation and we talk about why that punctuation was used.  Then they copy the sentence. 

 

3)  Should I also encourage them to do some writing outside of WWE?  Like letters and things like that? 

[Walking-Iris]

Hi Everyone,

 

We are currently in week 7 of the WWE 1 workbook.   I have a few questions:

 

1)  Do you feel it is necessary to use a separate handwriting program in conjunction with the WWE copywork?  We worked on basic letter formation last year in kindergarten.  (Using HWOT.)   However, I am still seeing letter reversals and spacing/slant issues in their handwriting.  (Probably pretty typical for first grade.)  My question is...Can we just work on handwriting through copywork this year?  Or do we need another separate program?   (They also do some writing in All About Spelling 1)

 

2)  Should the copywork be on their reading level?  The copywork samples provided in the workbook are currently above my child's reading level.  Is this a bad thing?  And should I pull my own copywork from their readers or spelling book instead?  Right now I am reading both sentences from the WWE workbook aloud to the children and having them follow along with their finger under the word.  (Since they can't read the sentences independently.)    Then we circle the capital letters and I ask them why the words are capitalized.  Then we underline the punctuation and we talk about why that punctuation was used.  Then they copy the sentence. 

 

3)  Should I also encourage them to do some writing outside of WWE?  Like letters and things like that? 

 

- I do use separate handwriting programs or activities with my 1st grader other than WWE.  I like Handwriting Without Tears. Usually I have my kids work through the HWOT workbook in the beginning of the year until done. Then I spend the rest of the year using copywork, phonics work etc as handwriting practice. I use FLL which has some copywork or other writing activities at times. I also have my child do some simple copywork from OPGTR . There's handwriting practice in ETC and spelling (WRTR). And then there's his own writing for fun, as well as a bit of copywork at times when assembling his History Pockets. 

 

So I say yes...encourage writing outside of WWE. But don't try to do all of it in one day. We aren't really set to finish WWE1 this year because I space it out so he isn't doing too much each day. FLL has him practicing things like his address, phone number, names of family members etc. I usually just give him one sentence to copy from WWE, right now the easiest one.

 

I prefer him to slow down with WWE because I know WWE2 has more complex copywork and narration passages. My 6 year olds reading ability is not ready to go into WWE2 next year for 2nd. He gets a lot of benefit from the narrations, but thinking about it now, I don't think I will use WWE with my dd in 1st. My oldest started WWE in 3rd and progressed quickly. He's finishing up WWE4 this year. There's a big jump in difficulty from WWE1 to WWE3. I'm thinking a better progression for my dd will be Bravewriter Jot It Down (possibly The Wand as well) and FLL1 and 1st grade phonics and spelling. starting WWE1 in 2nd instead.

 

My ds can't read a lot of the copywork passages in WWE1, but he still gets benefit from the activity.

 

I also have JotItDown from Bravewriter that I've been using since he was a Kinder for other writing activities. 

 

So I feel he gets plenty of practice without having to do WWE daily or even finish it this year. 

 

My ds also had a lot of letter reversals that have cleared up for the most part with practice and constant gentle correction. I always have him write it again if it is reversed. Now the only real reversals he's still having are numbers, 2,3, 5, and 9. 

[Incognito]

 

1)  Do you feel it is necessary to use a separate handwriting program in conjunction with the WWE copywork?  We worked on basic letter formation last year in kindergarten.  (Using HWOT.)   However, I am still seeing letter reversals and spacing/slant issues in their handwriting.  (Probably pretty typical for first grade.)  My question is...Can we just work on handwriting through copywork this year?  Or do we need another separate program?   (They also do some writing in All About Spelling 1).  Right now I am just watching them do their copywork and asking them to erase and try again if they have some issues with spacing or handwriting.  Is that enough?

 

2)  Should the copywork be on their reading level?  The copywork samples provided in the workbook are currently above my child's reading level.  Is this a bad thing?  And should I pull my own copywork from their readers or spelling book instead?  Right now I am reading both sentences from the WWE workbook aloud to the children and having them follow along with their finger under the word.  (Since they can't read the sentences independently.)    Then we circle the capital letters and I ask them why the words are capitalized.  Then we underline the punctuation and we talk about why that punctuation was used.  Then they copy the sentence. 

 

3)  Should I also encourage them to do some writing outside of WWE?  Like letters and things like that? 

 

1- Necessary?  Well, no, but we do it and I am glad we do.  Personally, the font in WWE does not match the printing style we have chosen.  We use copywork from Simply Charlotte Mason.  I tend to use WWE copying as them just doing it without me telling them anything about their letter formation, spacing, etc.  We talk about the capitalization and whatever the topic is in WWE.  In the copybooks, they are to be very careful on formation.  Theoretically - sometimes I don't double check them. :)

 

2- At reading level?  It is above one of mine and below the other, but that has been fine.  For the one that it is harder to read, it is easier to write, and the other it's opposite.

 

3- Other writing?  Sure, I don't consider WWE to be much writing.  BUT, I don't force my kids to write much.  My 2nd grader likes to write and does it on her own, my 1st grader only gets writing from WWE, copybooks, a neat fable workbook we have, and whatever else comes up in our studies (a music book comes to mind). 

 

I waited to do WWE1 until my target child was in 2nd grade - I'm not sure yet if that was the right choice, but it is serving a purpose.  We are discussing interesting snippets of interesting stories and whetting our appetites for some different books.  The kids are having to write more (I feel I had been letting them off too light as far as writing goes and it made them behind peers in Sunday School and the like, so this has helped as part of the fix for that issue).  The simple punctuation concepts are being reinforced.  I think my 2nd grader is in the mental space to absorb some of that reinforcement - my 1st grader is learning it some, but is struggling more with the physical task of the writing and focusing more on that.  The narration questions are good practice for getting them to answer in complete sentences.  I focus on that expectation in this subject, and don't necessarily in other subjects.

 

HTH

 

ETA: I should add - a bonus for me has been seeing what letters my children have internalized the formation of - since we use D'Nelian, and WWE is in a very different style (probably comic sans font?), I see which letters they are copying from the page in front of them instead of just writing the letter from their mind.  It has been insightful and encouraging to see their improvement through the weeks.

[hollyhock]

1. I think this depends on the child. With my oldest, I did HWT on the side. With the next two I didn't because they had mastered their letters. When my 4th begins WWE 1 in fall I have a feeling he'll need some separate handwriting practice. If you are still seeing some handwriting troubles, it might be a good idea to add some separate practice.

 

2. I am unsure on this one and I am interested in others' answers. I am leaning toward keeping the copywork selections at their reading level, or close to it. So far I haven't encountered this issue but I think it might happen this fall with my 1st grader, unless his reading improves dramatically by then.

 

3. In the first couple of grades, I wouldn't worry about adding any other writing. Letters and other types of writing can be done later, in 3rd grade and up, and are usually included in English programs in those grades. So I wouldn't bother right now, unless your child really wants to.

[My3girls]

1. We are using Zane Bloser so for us, yes, extra handwriting practice is necessary.

2. I think copy work selections should be at their reading level or close. We use the literature book we are currently reading.

3. We do a little extra writing in Zane Bloser and ETC, but that is it. In 3rd grade, we are adding in CAP.

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

Hi Everyone,

 

We are currently in week 7 of the WWE 1 workbook.   I have a few questions:

 

1)  Do you feel it is necessary to use a separate handwriting program in conjunction with the WWE copywork?  We worked on basic letter formation last year in kindergarten.  (Using HWOT.)   However, I am still seeing letter reversals and spacing/slant issues in their handwriting.  (Probably pretty typical for first grade.)  My question is...Can we just work on handwriting through copywork this year?  Or do we need another separate program?   (They also do some writing in All About Spelling 1).  Right now I am just watching them do their copywork and asking them to erase and try again if they have some issues with spacing or handwriting.  Is that enough?

 

Yes, I do, and I believe TWTM recommends this as well.

 

2)  Should the copywork be on their reading level?  The copywork samples provided in the workbook are currently above my child's reading level.  Is this a bad thing?  And should I pull my own copywork from their readers or spelling book instead?  Right now I am reading both sentences from the WWE workbook aloud to the children and having them follow along with their finger under the word.  (Since they can't read the sentences independently.)    Then we circle the capital letters and I ask them why the words are capitalized.  Then we underline the punctuation and we talk about why that punctuation was used.  Then they copy the sentence. 

 

I think they should be. I actually waited to start WWE until my oldest was more at the level of reading.

 

3)  Should I also encourage them to do some writing outside of WWE?  Like letters and things like that? 

 

The only other writing I insist on is thank you cards. All other writing is their own choice.