Squirkle Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 We are currently close to finishing ELTL 1 and I plan to continue on to ELTL 2. I happy with it but feel like I should add in more writing exercises/instruction beyond the copywork alone. I have the DVD of EIW grade 3 (but no workbooks yet) and was wondering if that would work. Or would it be too much combined? Or should I try something else completely? LA is my weak area so I really have no clue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommaOfalotta Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 We are using ELTL 3 and I pair it with Zaner Bloser Handwriting. I've used ZB from the beginning (although I used to pair it with FLL & WWE). ZB is strictly handwriting practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 We are currently close to finishing ELTL 1 and I plan to continue on to ELTL 2. I happy with it but feel like I should add in more writing exercises/instruction beyond the copywork alone. I have the DVD of EIW grade 3 (but no workbooks yet) and was wondering if that would work. Or would it be too much combined? Or should I try something else completely? LA is my weak area so I really have no clue. I think you should stick with ELTL and stop trying to figure out more stuff to add. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UCF612 Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 Does the writing increase in level 2? I know I read that level 1 is intentionally light and it increases from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirkle Posted January 31, 2016 Author Share Posted January 31, 2016 I've been checking out the preview for level 2, the grammar increases but I can't see that there is any additional writing, although the copywork selections get a little longer. I don't mean add more writing for handwriting/penmanship practise, I mean writing as in being able to compose their own sentences, paragraphs or even short stories and factual reports. I have no idea if these are age appropriate (D is 8 and F is 9) expectations as LA is my weak area having never been formally taught these skills myself. Unlike in say science or history, where I know the end goal and the content to cover to reach it. I'd love to just stick with ELTL alone and be confident that that is enough, as it feels so easy and stress-free at the moment. However I can't help the doubts creeping in, that I am somehow doing my kids a disservice by failure to teach them some important skill. I think my worries are mainly due to: a) Comparisons with the kind of work similar aged children in PS are producing e.g. Page long stories, with clear beginning, middle, ending. Alongside that are the targets for end of primary school here (UK) F is 18 months away from this and can do very little of that list. She has also mentioned going to PS for secondary, which she is far from being ready for at the moment. b)My personally experiences of not knowing how to write well at school. No one taught me how, I was just expected to do it. I avoided writing as far as possible, which lead to behaviour issues, truanting and ultimately leaving school aged 16 with poor results and having to accept a life of low-paid jobs. I want better for my kids but fear my lack of knowledge will hold them back. c) I see on posts here and other forums, people using multiple curriculum, or even putting things together themselves. I've never seen anyone just use ELTL, so feel I must be missing something out. And the reason why I'm asking here what I should be doing :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 c) I see on posts here and other forums, people using multiple curriculum, or even putting things together themselves. I've never seen anyone just use ELTL, so feel I must be missing something out. And the reason why I'm asking here what I should be doing :laugh: ELTL is relatively new, so it isn't surprising that you haven't seen anyone just using it. :-) Also, some people feel compelled to continually tweak everything they ever use. It is not necessary to do that. For myself, I prefer Writing Strands and Easy Grammar. The end. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zarabellesmom Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 (edited) I'm currently using ELTL2 with my second grader. I'm only half way through, but the only writing is still copywork, though sometimes the copywork is from their own oral narration. I've flipped ahead and don't see any additional writing exercises. This is the first year I've used it so I can't say how children do in the long run. I love the literature, the fables, poetry, memory work and the picture study is ok. I don't love the writing, or rather the lack. We do a little additional writing every day. Usually she writes a few sentences about some of the day's reading or she'll narrate something and I'll write it down. She then copies it into her notebook. Edited February 1, 2016 by ZaraBellesMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverFamily Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 I have never used ELTL so I can't give you advice on whether that is enough or not. What helps me the most when I start doubting myself on writing is to listen to Susan Wise Bauers conference talks. I also feel very inadequate when it comes to teaching writing but these lectures helped build my confidence. I highly recommend the following audio lectures... A plan for teaching writing: focus on elementary years A plan for teaching writing: focus on high school years The Joy of Classical Education Literary Analysis Here is the link to the store to purchase the mp3s... https://peacehillpress.com/a/susan-wise-bauer/ Julie bogart also has some great advice on her website for teaching writing. Here is a link to two of her great podcasts... http://blog.bravewriter.com/2012/05/30/03-jot-it-down-stage-of-development/ http://blog.bravewriter.com/2012/06/19/04-partnership-writing-stage-of-development/ Hopefully some of this will be helpful. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 I did EiW3 with my then 7 year old a few years ago. We did the entire thing in two school terms as an afterschool activity. I can't say whether you should do it in addition to your other programme but I can say that it wouldn't be too time consuming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 Not familiar with that book and no clue how old your kid(s) is/are. We only did copywork for quite some time and that worked out just fine. I think the only time I'd consider doing something else is if you were fairly certain your kid was going to be placed in a public school at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyseal Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 (edited) We've used ELTL 1 and 2, and are now using 3. The writing is starting to ramp up now in 3, and yes, it is behind where our PS is at this point. If my DD went to PS, she'd be in for a big challenge. Anecdotally, I eat lunch weekly with a bunch of PS moms, and several complained just a few weeks ago about how classroom teachers at our local elementary only seem to have time for reading, writing, and math assignments, leaving little time for meaningful depth in science or social studies (this was their assessment, and I have no idea of how accurate it is from the school's perspective). The writing assignments, in my view, are extremely ambitious. Certainly well beyond what I was doing at that age. ANYWAY, I'm rambling on here; ELTL is *intentionally* gentle. Kathy Jo is upfront about this aspect of her curriculum. The program isn't an intense intro to writing, and that's because philosophically, that's just not where Kathy Jo lands. However, when you consider the complexity and depth of the literature selections, it seems to me every bit as rigorous as a more intensive early writing course. If you consider exposure to high quality, advanced literature a vital component of a rigorous writing education, ELTL is a good choice. I've added some Brave Writer to my DD's assignments, but mostly to increase the fun, creative aspects of writing and not because I find ELTL wanting. Based on SWB's recommendations, I'm pleased with my DD's progress. I dip in and out of FLL3 for some reinforcement as well, and don't find the assignments wildly divergent from ELTL3 in terms of quality and expectations. (FWIW, after we finish ELTL3, we're going to do Treasured Conversations, and from there, I'm not sure. Either we'll stick with ELTL or move on to CAP.) Edited February 4, 2016 by greyseal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirkle Posted February 4, 2016 Author Share Posted February 4, 2016 Thanks for all the replies. I think I am comparing too much between PS and what we do, which looks nothing like PS intentionally (because we tried it and it just didn't work out for my kids). I think I need to chill out a bit more over writing but at the same time I don't think I'll be able to let it go until I *prove* to myself that we don't need to add more. So I've decided to re-jig the timetable for the rest of the year. Currently our LA looks like this: Mon-Fri- ELTL (literature, lesson and copywork) and AAS; Thu- the picture study or narration exercises from ELTL; Fri- Comprehension exercises. After Easter I will try adding in EIW (as I already have it) to see how we like it. If the kids hate it or I find its too much or its not bringing anything useful to our HS. So our LA will look more like this Mon, Wed, Fri- ELTL (literature, lesson and Copywork) and get the picture study narration done on the Friday, even if that means we take a little longer that day (the reason why we started doing it on a 4th day originally) Tue, Thu- AAS, it means doing it less often per week but I'm happy they are retaining things well at the moment. We should then be able to try out EIW Mon-Thu, to see how it fits for us. I'll leave it off the schedule for Friday as ELTL will take longer but if I find we have extra time, we will do comprehension exercises after. I don't mind dropping these for a while as we are getting through the 4 book very quickly right now, at a rate that means they will be finished with them all well before the end of primary (KS2)school. So we will try that schedule for the term after Easter up until July, that gives us 12 weeks for a decent trial run. If it goes ok we will continue with it for summer, then reassess for September. I think from looking at the previews we would be able to complete EIW in that time, so I'll know whether I want to order level 4. If it doesn't work I'll drop EIW from the summer schedule and fill that time with AAS and comprehension instead ( I wasn't planning to do either of them over summer, when we have a 'lite' schedule). Any thoughts? ( or just tell me to stop messing with things and just get on with it, if you like :coolgleamA: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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