Please help me move from the WWE workbooks to fleshing out WWE text on my own

[lorisuewho]

We have completed WWE 1 and 2 workbooks successfully. This coming year, I want to do more on my own. We are also doing ELtL level 2 (I chose this level because we have not covered any formal grammar before and so I can combine my boys.)

 

I'm reading through Writing With Ease Strong Fundamentals text for third grade, which is my target level for writing for next year. The procedure seems to be similar to the other levels:

day 1: narration

day 2: dictation

day 3: narration and dictation

day 4: dictation

 

So if I'm implementing this on my own, how combined does the narration and the dictation need to be in order to be effective for teaching writing?

 

In other words, we do a dictation-based spelling program. Can this count as the dictation days or does the dictation need to be directly related to the narration every time in order to be teaching these skills?

 

My current plan would be to cover narration (summation) through our literature and what we are doing in ELtL. Cover dictation through spelling lessons, and have one day a week where we do a notebook page (probably on Greek myths)where theynarrate back a myth, I write it down, and then dictate it back to them to create a page on that god or goddess.

 

Is having the majority of the dictation and narration not joined (and only combined one day a week) okay?

 

Does the question even make sense to anyone?

[hollyhock]

I think I understand what you are saying. And I think that it could go either way, depending on your student. By the end of 3rd grade, I usually have my kids at least *try* to start writing down their own narration. So for that, I think having the narration and dictation tied together helps get them there. They hear what they narrate to you and then they write part of it down. That naturally leads them into hearing themselves and writing it down without help.

 

On the other hand, it really is nice to fold those writing skills into other subjects, which is some of the point of SWB's writing philosophy.

 

As a compromise, what you could do is have narration and dictation together once a week and then do the rest how you want.

 

I hope that was a little better than "clear as mud." :)

[bpskowski]

It makes sense!  I found the four pages at the beginning of book summarizing each year very helpful.  On pg. 22, it tells you what to aim for in weeks 1-10, weeks 11-19, weeks 20-27 and weeks 28-35.  What your doing with the myths seems to fit in better with WWE's system of narration and dictation.

 

Last year I tried to do it on my own with history and it was disjointed and I feel it did not the accomplish the goal of helping him put his own ideas into words, then getting those words on paper.  I am back tracking with ds, but with my dds, I am going to use those beginning pages as a strict guide. 

[lorisuewho]

On the other hand, it really is nice to fold those writing skills into other subjects, which is some of the point of SWB's writing philosophy.

 

As a compromise, what you could do is have narration and dictation together once a week and then do the rest how you want.

 

I hope that was a little better than "clear as mud." :)

Thank you. This is what I'm thinking :o)

 

 

 

Last year I tried to do it on my own with history and it was disjointed and I feel it did not the accomplish the goal of helping him put his own ideas into words, then getting those words on paper.  I am back tracking with ds, but with my dds, I am going to use those beginning pages as a strict guide.

I'm worried about going it on my own also. A matter of fact, I purchased the WWE 3 workbook on sale just in case. Perhaps I should print out the chart to keep myself accountable as we start off the year.

Thanks for your thoughts!