mommyx4 Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 My twin boys will be starting 9th grade in the fall. They both excel in math, but struggle in writing....really, really struggle. I have signed them up for Writing ER with Landry Academy that will begin this fall. This class is basically a remedial writing class for high school students. However, I'd like to begin to help them before that. Right now, they are assigned a 5 paragraph essay for their present Landry class on Alice in Wonderland. I've been trying to help my son, but to be honest, his essay is horrible. I really don't know what to do. He can squeak out a halfway decent paragraph here and there, but it's a battle. I think part of this is not trying, when I give him 45-1hr to work, he will work for 15 minutes. Then, I look it over, tell him what needs in improvement, he will then rewrite in 5 minutes. Repeat.repeat.repeat...until I'm so exasperated. This is the first essay he has written with regards to literary analysis, so I think some of this is really new and confusing to him. I guess what I'm looking for is some help. What do I do? Is there a curriculum I can purchase that we can do when Landry ends (early May) that can walk him step by step in how to write an effective paragraph? Or should I focus more on literary analysis? I really don't know what to do. Thank you so much for any input or advice. I really appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 :001_smile: I'm gonna give you a bump. I don't have high school boys, and I don't pretend to be a writing expert, but if literary analysis is new to him, then it's going to be hard to write about. It's always difficult to write about what you don't know. And it's even harder if the process of writing is difficult to begin with. How can one organize thoughts when one doesn't know where to start? Can he talk it out? Instead of writing, is he able to figure out what he wants to say? Can he do a very basic analysis: characters, plot, setting, mood and style? Sometimes just picking the story apart is a good place to start. It can give you ideas of what you might wish to focus on for a topic. There is curriculum out there for paragraph work. What about KIllgallon Paragraphs for High School? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Essentials in Writing really helped my kids with learning how to write a good paragraph and essay. Personally I would find it more important to focus on paragraph-writing skills than literary analysis, because the former is foundational to all kinds of writing assignments. Anyway...hang in there, many a junior high student needs lots of help in their writing. They'll get there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad S Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 (edited) Quote from above: ...but if literary analysis is new to him, then it's going to be hard to write about. It's always difficult to write about what you don't know. There is curriculum out there for paragraph work. What about KIllgallon Paragraphs for High School? Essentials in Writing really helped my kids with learning how to write a good paragraph and essay. Personally I would find it more important to focus on paragraph-writing skills than literary analysis, because the former is foundational to all kinds of writing assignments. Anyway...hang in there, many a junior high student needs lots of help in their writing. They'll get there. I agree that literary analysis is probably not a good place to work at this level. Personally, I would not use the Killgallon reference, which I see as more polishing paragraphs and sentences once you're already "going" a bit. You might want to have your DC read MC Thompson's Paragraphs book this year, which, gives some nice thoughts about paragraph structure. There are probably others. My DS struggled a bit with writing and still finds it difficult, though he's made progress. You may want to cross-post on the middle school writing board too if you haven't. It seems that there are far fewer people on the high school board than the middle school board. I remember a lot of discussions on WWS (parts to whole), LToW (whole to parts), Bravewriter, etc. You might to look into Bravewriter reviews in your case?? We used Writing With a Thesis this year, which might provide a nice read for your DC in 9th after your DC gets a little more practice. I wish I had a magic solution (and wish I had one previously for my DS). ETA: tried to make it clearer that the top of the reply was a quote, which didn't work for me using the "multiquote" feature. Edited February 26, 2016 by Brad S 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvonne Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 (edited) What's the topic/thesis of the essay? What exactly about the Alice in Wonderland book? Is the problem with figuring out what he wants to say--content? Or is the problem with communicating what he wants to say clearly & effectively in writing--mechanics of constructing an essay? Can you talk him through what he's trying to say? Help him plan out a sort of outline, (or "framework," for those who are adverse to the idea of an "outline :) ) ? Does he have a thesis? Does he have, say, three points to support that thesis and a quote from the text for each of those three points? Anyhow, that's where I usually start with my children. Most of the time, when they're having trouble with a writing assignment, it's because they try to start writing without even knowing what they want to say! If I'm asking them questions, they _have_ to think. And, with enough questions, I can lead them through to what their big picture, or "angle," is going to be and points to support it. Edited February 26, 2016 by yvonne 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deee Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 We're using Bravewriter's Help for High School this year. DS15 is in year 10. He is behind in writing. He hates the physical act of writing (he has dyspraxia) but he hates the mental act of thinking even more! Help for High School isn't fun, but it is working. I'd love to use Writing with a Thesis next, but its expensive and postage to Australia is staggering. D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 1. For the basics of writing a paragraph and an essay, I'd suggest Writing To The Point. You can get an older edition of the book if you like, or refer to the the method as described in this blog. The book explains how to organize sentences into a paragraph and how to write transitions between paragraphs. 2. Then for practice in writing literary analysis essays, I'd suggest listening to SWB's lecture - What is Literary Analysis - and refer to the lecture handout. I'd love to use Writing with a Thesis next, but its expensive and postage to Australia is staggering. I got an older edition which is quite affordable. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deee Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 Nan, you are brilliant! I just picked up a copy for under $15, including shipping. Thank you so much!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nansk Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Nan, you are brilliant! I just picked up a copy for under $15, including shipping. Thank you so much!!!! :D Thanks should go to regentrude and other forum members who posted about older editions and links to the bookfinder site. :) Before I found these, I also balked at int'l shipping charges. It takes 15-21 days for these books to reach me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad S Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 FYI, there's a wonderful thread on an evaluation of writing curricula at: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/348864-my-evaluation-of-numerous-writing-curricula/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Reported. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalphs Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 Hugs!Dd here was a reluctant writer, so Dh and I decided to use SWB "The Complete Writer" series.https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Writer-Writing-Ease/dp/193333925X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472484322&sr=8-1&keywords=the+complete+writer+2008Through the instruction SWB provides, Dd has grown from a reluctant writer to a confident writer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CinV Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 Reported new spam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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