The Governess Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 My 4th grader is using WWE 3 this year. We aren't doing the dictations; she struggles with spelling and is a perfectionist, and many of the sentences were just too frustrating for her - even after telling her that she didn't need to worry about spelling. I do dictate 1-2 of her own sentences back to her and she is able to write those down just fine. She also writes her own illustrated summaries twice a week after reading SOTW and doesn't seem to have a problem getting her own thoughts down on paper. She is using R&S 3 as well, and is doing all of the written exercises in a composition book. And she also does writing here and there for literature (comprehension questions and journals) and science (workbook). So there's some background on the writing she is doing this year. I'm not really a big fan of WWE 4, and she's definitely not going to be ready for WWS next year for 5th. My oldest is working on WWS 1, so I'm familiar with the content, and I think 6th or maybe even 7th would be a more appropriate grade for this child to start it. So I'm trying to decide what to use for the next year or two that will be good preparation for WWS. I have Killgallon's composing sentences book and will likely use that for sentence-level structure. We will also probably continue writing summaries and journals across the curriculum. But I'd like to add in something that helps with organization of ideas, and paragraph or simple essay-level structure, that will give her some skills that she can apply to WWS when we get there. What have you all used to get ready for WWS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 We're planning to use WWE4 in 5th grade (I do WWE one level down from grade level). I haven't found anything else I like as much. If you like R&S, I'd just continue with that next year and not worry about a separate writing program for the year or two between WWS and WWE. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalusignan Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 We're a few years off from this, but I'm following along because I've been curious about this and what people do during that time. I like the concept of IEW, so I'm curious if others have used IEW in-between WWE and WWS and if it was a success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourisenough Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 We're a few years off from this, but I'm following along because I've been curious about this and what people do during that time. I like the concept of IEW, so I'm curious if others have used IEW in-between WWE and WWS and if it was a success. With DD10 (need to update my sig - she just turned 11), that is exactly what we did: WWE 1-3, 2 years of IEW theme books (via CC Essentials), and now we're doing WWS. She is super independent with the WWS/Expository Writing 1 class and really seems to enjoy the work. She was very well-prepared by the sequence we followed. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted November 9, 2015 Author Share Posted November 9, 2015 Regarding IEW... I did use this with my older dd last year and we both really disliked it. She already wrote very nice sentences and hated having to rearrange them just to be able to check boxes. I didn't like all of the rules - her writing actually sounded better without all of the dress-ups/modifications. So, I'll probably go in a different direction next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirstenhill Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 We didn't use WWE, but I thought that Treasured Conversations was great preparation in 5th grade for my DD. She is doing well with WWS 1 this year in 6th grade. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MASHomeschooler Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 Paragraph Writing Made Easy (although it's short) CAP's Fable (and continue on with the series until you feel she's ready for WWS) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaConquest Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 We haven't done it yet, but I plan to do some Bravewriter online classes, Treasured Conversations, Killgallon, and CAP W&R. We will likely finish WWE3 in second, so I want to take two years before we attempt WWS1 in 5th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 I'm using some CAP books. We are doing Narrative right now. We will also use Treasured Conversations. My dd finished WWE 3 in 3rd grade and then did CAP Fable. We are doing Narrative 1 and 2 this year and hopefully TC. We will do a few more CAP books next year for 5th and then try WWS in 6th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted November 10, 2015 Author Share Posted November 10, 2015 Thanks all. I looked through your suggestions and I think Treasured Conversations is very close to the type of program I am looking for! I think it will be a perfect bridge to WWS. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Treasured Conversations would be my first suggestion, and CAP W&R Narrative 2 would be my second. It really helps to have paragraphing skills solid before beginning WWS. TC will definitely get you there. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 I'd look at School Composition from William Henry Maxwell. It's free from Google Books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 I used Treasured Conversations, most of Killgallon books, a few levels of CAP, and Attuneup (summer course called Fabulary) before enrolling in WWS1 this year with WTMA. DD is a 5th grader and I think she is over prepared. Initially I enrolled her in WWS2 but given all the other classes for this semester, and given the syllabus for WWS2, I kind of wanted to make sure she has the foundation required for WWS2 with some extra time for other things. Last year we did go through several weeks of WWS1, but she is a creative writer and didn't like it at all, but it helps now that she is in a class with an outside teacher. I forgot to mention that we enrolled in Time Capsule for 6 weeks this semester, and DD wanted to continue since the teacher incorporates history into writing and it's just a more interesting class to her. But we have so much going on right now that I had to drop something. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanabug Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 I have a 4th grader, but we were tired of WWE and didn't want to continue with the same format in WWE4. We are doing Treasured Conversations followed by The Most Wonderful Writing Lessons Ever. Since the first 8 weeks of TC are mostly grammar, we went through them very quickly (we're also doing FLL4 as our main grammar). My dd is a reluctant writer, and I have seen her writing abilities grow by leaps and bounds with TC. I would highly recommend it for learning to organize ideas into a coherent paragraph. Lana 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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