Writing programs that aren't grammar courses?

[poppy]

I'm looking for a program that teachers writing in ways that aren't connected to grammar lessons .  My daughter (8) loves to write stories - I just want her to get lots of practice with that, without feeling like "school".  She is dyslexic and her spelling / reading is way behind grade level. I want a writing program focused on the creative process and on the elements of building a story.

 

Any tips?

[nature girl]

Bravewriter? We LOVE Jot it Down here, and it could be a perfect way for her to express her creativity. (ETA: It doesn't require any writing, although I did start having her write intermittent sentences while she was narrating stories for me to write. We're now using the technique for her to dictate plays that the family acts out, and she's become so proud of her writing. :) )

Edited April 16, 2016 by Anna's Mom

[fairy4tmama]

Write- On, it doesn't really focus on story elements but is FUN and Creative. The lessons are short and not overwhelming. My kids (all reluctant writers) actually ask to do it and ask to do MORE of it! I really think it's worth checking out.

[Guest]

Have you looked at any Evan Moor products?

How about Just Write by EPS Books?

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[OneStepAtATime]

My answer may depend on what you are using to remediate the reading and spelling...are you using a specific program for dyslexics?

[Jackie]

Brave Writer definitely separates writing from grammar/spelling and we enjoy the projects.

[poppy]

Thanks! I will look into all of these.

 

I've glanced at Bravewriter but was a bit intimidated by the whole "it's a lifestyle" thing with podcasts and videos and  and several text options for every age group.......... knowing I can just do "Jot it Down" makes it seem more viable.

 

 

My answer may depend on what you are using to remediate the reading and spelling...are you using a specific program for dyslexics?

 

Yes. I will probably use Barton, but maybe try All About Reading first.  She's doing  Wilson now (another OG program) at school and doesn't like it at all-- but is making great progress.  I think we need to continue with this sort of remediation, but it will be a slog, so I want to give her a joyous writing experience separate from that experience.

[OneStepAtATime]

Thanks! I will look into all of these.

 

I've glanced at Bravewriter but was a bit intimidated by the whole "it's a lifestyle" thing with podcasts and videos and  and several text options for every age group.......... knowing I can just do "Jot it Down" makes it seem more viable.

 

 

 

Yes. I will probably use Barton, but maybe try All About Reading first.  She's doing  Wilson now (another OG program) at school and doesn't like it at all-- but is making great progress.  I think we need to continue with this sort of remediation, but it will be a slog, so I want to give her a joyous writing experience separate from that experience.

IEW frequently works well for dyslexics since it is in small steps and helps them build up basic writing skills while scaffolding weaknesses, but it sounds like what you think she needs right now is something that taps her creative side, something more fun.  Bravewriter might do that but she will still be fighting her deficits and you don't want to undermine remediation.  It also sounds like you aren't that hip on Bravewriter.  Are you hoping to find a program to help you actually teach her to write creatively or are you hoping to just give her some scaffolding while she just writes for fun?

 

Maybe  you could scribe for her so she is working on the thought to paper process without reinforcing the poor reading/spelling practices the school is trying to remediate with Wilson.  Let her pick a topic she has interest in and just scribe for her so she isn't bogging down in also trying to remember how to spell something (guessing at spelling when she is still remediating with Wilson is actually going to slow down the remediation process and may ingrain bad spelling habits).  Maybe use Inspiration software together to help her organize her thoughts, work on research together so you can read the material to her, then work on getting a rough draft paragraph together.  Reread it together and help her work on proofreading.  

 

Honestly, I would be very concerned that using Wilson at school and Barton or AAR at home might be confusing and slow down remediation.  Is it possible for you to get Wilson at home, learn how to implement it, and reinforce what the school is doing?  You say she hates it but is making progress.  OG is almost certainly what she needs but the reason she needs it is because the normal phonics pieces are not intuitive for dyslexics.  That makes OG necessary but not easy.  There won't be any OG program she will probably "like" because learning to read is hard for a dyslexic brain.  And the early years are the most challenging.

 

 It is like learning to play a musical instrument, it takes time to build up even basic skills.  It takes work.  It takes training your brain and body.  Now if you also are tone deaf, that makes learning a musical instrument even harder.  Impossible?  No.  Others have done it.  But it is harder.

[Ellie]

Writing Strands. Your DD would start with Level Three.

[AdventuresinHomeschooling]

You might consider Writing and Rhetoric Fable. It includes copywork and dictation and a teensy bit of grammar in the form of change the adjectives or verbs to change the meaning of the sentence. But it is not tied to a grammar program. It is something you do together , and you can easily adjut some of the answers to be oral vs. written. The biggest assignments in each chapter will either be summary of a fable, amplification or change the ending type of things. Then at the end of the book, it will help her write her own fable.

 

Another fun book we really loved that is not a full curriculum but would be great as a supplement is the Usborne Write a Story book that goes through all the parts of a story. Might be a good summer project.

[AdventuresinHomeschooling]

Duplicate post

Edited April 17, 2016 by AdventuresinHomeschooling

[SilverMoon]

Not an actual curricula, but great guidance through building the parts of a story, the NaNoWriMo workbooks (free) have been thoroughly enjoyed by my creative writers. They can be used again and again for different stories, and they can type planning answers and ideas right into the document. My kids liked to type the story in Word and keep the NaNoWriMo pdf open at the same time.

[fairy4tmama]

Not an actual curricula, but great guidance through building the parts of a story, the NaNoWriMo workbooks (free) have been thoroughly enjoyed by my creative writers. They can be used again and again for different stories, and they can type planning answers and ideas right into the document. My kids liked to type the story in Word and keep the NaNoWriMo pdf open at the same time.

Thank you for posting this !

[Carol in Cal.]

I did this.

I used Writing Strands, The Writers' Jungle, and selected writing lessons from  Rod and Staff.  RS is a grammar course but the writing portions of it are distinct from the grammar lessons.  I also used ideas for teaching writing using literature and history and science from TWTM, and also at the 4-6 grade level, ideas from "Teach Like Your Hair Is On Fire" by Rafe Esquith, a 5th grade teacher.  Also, to some extent, Junior Great Books. 

 

For poetry there was "A Crow Doesn't Need A Shadow" as well as some selections from Junior Great Books.

 

 

[Carol in Cal.]

ALSO!  Classical Writing--I wish we could have done that, but I couldn't make it work with our schedule after starting back to work fulltime, but it doesn't include grammar, teaches writing very precisely, and has poetry as well as narrative and expository writing segments.

 

AND!  Editor in Chief was extremely helpful in tying grammar and usage and spelling to writing instruction--very practical, as it involved correcting mistakes in written work, exactly what most people need from a grammar program.

[poppy]

Thank you so much, everyone, lots of food for thought and ideas! I love this board.

 

OneStepAtATime, I especially appreciate the detailed advice about remediation. My daughter is in public school doing Wilson now. In 3 months, we move and start homeschooling.  I don't plan to do two programs concurrently.    I am going to talk to her reading instructor to get her recommendations about levels, transitioning, other options. I've looked a little into Wilson, but, it requires in person ($$$) teacher training at each level, it's probably not viable for me.   I am also probably going to ask the new district about maybe implementing her IEP (to see what they use and can offer).  My daughter loves reading, but her skills are so poor, and being responsible for teaching her to read is the only part of HSing that really scares me.

 

[SilverMoon]

ALSO!  Classical Writing--I wish we could have done that, but I couldn't make it work with our schedule after starting back to work fulltime, but it doesn't include grammar, teaches writing very precisely, and has poetry as well as narrative and expository writing segments.

 

Unless there are two curricula with the same name, I think you're thinking of something else. Perhaps Writing & Rhetoric or Classical Composition? Classical Writing was fabulous for my creative writers, but grammar is deeply woven into it. Spelling and/or vocabulary too.

[Meadowlark]

Writing Strands. Your DD would start with Level Three.

I've seen you recommend Writing Strands over and over on this board.

 

Can you elaborate as to WHY? Why do you love it so much? What makes it better than all of the others? Genuinely curious. Looking at it, I wasn't impressed and wonder what I'm missing.

[Farrar]

Another vote for Brave Writer. If she's writing on her own happily (even if her mechanics aren't good), she might be ready for Partnership Writing. My kids were on the older end when Jot It Down came out so we didn't do it - only PW and now Faltering Ownership - but the projects might be more appealing. It just depends. Either Partnership or Jot It Down could be right. And you can absolutely do them without doing any of the other BW elements and without treating BW like a "lifestyle."

[Tiramisu]

I also recommend Just Write. Low stress. Lots of supports. Very inexpensive. It includes the topics you are looking for in very manageable chunks.

[Ellie]

I've seen you recommend Writing Strands over and over on this board.

 

Can you elaborate as to WHY? Why do you love it so much? What makes it better than all of the others? Genuinely curious. Looking at it, I wasn't impressed and wonder what I'm missing.

Writing Strands teaches children how to write. There are no gimmicks, no cute names for things, no made-up rules (e.g. every paragraph must have an opening sentence, a closing sentence, and at oneleast three supporting sentences.), no check-lists to go through for ever assignment, no frustrating insistence on brainstorming for every lesson. It just teaches how to write, in short lessons.

[OneStepAtATime]

 

Thank you so much, everyone, lots of food for thought and ideas! I love this board.

 

OneStepAtATime, I especially appreciate the detailed advice about remediation. My daughter is in public school doing Wilson now. In 3 months, we move and start homeschooling.  I don't plan to do two programs concurrently.    I am going to talk to her reading instructor to get her recommendations about levels, transitioning, other options. I've looked a little into Wilson, but, it requires in person ($$$) teacher training at each level, it's probably not viable for me.   I am also probably going to ask the new district about maybe implementing her IEP (to see what they use and can offer).  My daughter loves reading, but her skills are so poor, and being responsible for teaching her to read is the only part of HSing that really scares me.

 

 

:grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug:

 

Then get Barton, if you can.  Scripted, DVDs to support the tutor, lots of support on-line for tutors, everything clearly laid out, suggestions in the back of each TM for when a student struggles/hits snags, Spelling Success has some great card games designed specifically to be used with Barton so on days when things are going to heck in a handbasket you can pull those out and not feel like the day was wasted, etc.

 

And it would replace all other language arts until you get her through Level 4 so that might take other things off your full plate for the time being.  You could scribe for her as she writes some fun stuff, let her listen to audio books when you don't have time for read alouds, and just focus on Barton for language arts for the time being.

[u2006kids]

Barton is too expensive

[Carol in Cal.]

Unless there are two curricula with the same name, I think you're thinking of something else. Perhaps Writing & Rhetoric or Classical Composition? Classical Writing was fabulous for my creative writers, but grammar is deeply woven into it. Spelling and/or vocabulary too.

No, I meant Classical Writing, but I have the very earliest version, and that suggested outside grammar resources which I planned to skip.

 

The newer versions incorporate grammar flashcards and such, as well as application of grammar to the story models, so you're right, this would not be a good suggestion at present.  Sorry!

[Carol in Cal.]

Writing Strands teaches children how to write. There are no gimmicks, no cute names for things, no made-up rules (e.g. every paragraph must have an opening sentence, a closing sentence, and at oneleast three supporting sentences.), no check-lists to go through for ever assignment, no frustrating insistence on brainstorming for every lesson. It just teaches how to write, in short lessons.

Yup.  It's simple and basic and gets the job done.

Also, it is one of the few writing programs that teaches creative writing skills, like how to write dialogue, for instance.