Writing Tales & Treasured Conversations ?differences?

[faithmom]

I am new to the "classical writing" style and I don't know which one would be the best for us (5th grade--not much exposure to writing). I want step-by-step instruction and something that doesn't assume that I know how to teach a reluctant non-writer.  After viewing the samples of the two curricula, I still am not getting a feel for the differences between them.  Can someone shed some light on this?  (I've read most of the 10 pg thread on TC.)

 

Thanks!

 

[Penelope]

Tc has more step by step instruction for scaffolding the writing of paragraphs IMO.

 

TC is also a better choice if you want to incorporate grammar instruction into your writing work, because it goes further and a little deeper and has more emphasis on it in the first third of the program, with more explanation.

 

They are both good if your child likes to add creative touches to their writing but needs some help and needs to be given specific topics to write about.

 

WT is very similar to the first two books of Writing and Rhetoric, and to Classical Writing Aesop in regards to the writing part.

WT is basically rewriting short fables and fairy tales with a little bit of copywork and grammar thrown in. If you did use WT I would think level 2 would be better for a fifth grader. They are very similar but level 1might be much too simple. You might have the same issue with using TC with a fifth grader, though, depending on how much grammar you have already covered and how comfortable your student is with writing varied sentences and beginning paragraphs.

[RootAnn]

Treasured Conversations isn't based on the "classical writing" model at all.

The idea of Writing Tales is the first part of the "progym" model - now commonly referred to as the 'fable' level by several programs (Classical Writing, Classical Composition, and CAP's Writing & Rhetoric).

 

Both of them hold your hand as a teacher, but teach different things. 

 

What skills are you hoping to teach? What do you want her to come out of the time spent being able to do?