remedial writing skills with a 9th/10th grader?

[Sharon37127]

WWYD? I have a just finished 9th grader that hates and is deficient in writing skills.  He's my oldest and I feel like I've "done everything wrong" with him.  I would kind of like to go back to square one, run through a series of skills (curriculum or not) this summer.  It's everything- coming up with what to write, getting ideas on paper, organized...  It is so stressful for him (and me). He loves to read, reads like crazy and is very artistic.  It doesn't help that I am a numbers person and I feel like so much of writing is subjective.  I think BOTH need to learn together.  I do want him to be prepared for community college composition. 

 

What resources are there that are-

 

remedial,

high school (not juvenile in nature),

mastery-focused (not necessarily review included- you get the skill and move on)

include all steps of writing- ideas on paper, organize, and properly formatted &

preparation for SAT writing and entry-level college composition?

[freesia]

Have you tried IEW? I would do SWI-C with him. There is a schedule with it to do it as an intensive (I think the original intensives were 4 days long--so they can be adjusted for whatever time you need).

 

My second choice would be Sharon Watson's Jump in or Power in Your Hands.

[Denise in IN]

Another option would be Meaningful Composition.  You can find it at characterinkblog.com (sizable samples are available) or Rainbow Resource.  The books are grade/skill level specific and some are also topic specific (ie just creative writing, or essays only).  The author calls it a directed writing approach, and the instruction is very much step by step.  It works well for my boys who need very clear instruction and don't love to write.    

 

You might look at the MC books 8-1 Bridging the Gap, or 9-1 Writing for High School.

[Julie of KY]

What worked for my high school non-writer was Brave Writer online courses.

Does he know spelling and grammar as well as vocabulary - if not, you might work on copywork and dictation over the summer. It's amazing how much can be learned through this.

 

I'm like you in that I (and my son) are number people and I had no idea how to teach writing. It's been amazing how far he's come with Brave Writer and comparatively painlessly (when compared to other things we tried).

 

 

[Haiku]

Writing Skills from EPS may meet your needs. It's a workbook.

[Junie]

We're using WWS in high school here.  The readings are not babyish at all.  In fact, I feel like they are more age appropriate for 10th grade than they are for 6th/7th.  Ds15's writing has improved a great deal using this program.  (We're about halfway through.)

 

Let me know if you have specific questions.

[theelfqueen]

My 10th grader is going to be do WWS this year... I get to blame the public school (where he was til 1/4 of the way through 9th) for his lacking skills... I looked at a number of programs and liked WWS's systematic approach.

 

[BlsdMama]

How comfortable do you feel in correcting, guiding, and grading his work towards improvement?  How comfortable do you feel in helping to jump over the hurdle of "what comes next" in essay writing?  

 

Frankly, I'd choose IEW SWI C, follow it up with every one of the assignments - you will want to watch the TWSS or at least SWI C with him.  After that, you could watch IEW's High School Essay Intensive - it's pretty handy for test prep for essay writing, however, another option is not doing the writing portion the SAT/ACT unless it's necessary to his college goals.  But basic essay writing is necessary so  I want to clarify that. ;)

[Lori D.]

:grouphug:  Sharon   :grouphug:

 

First, PLEASE don't beat yourself up! Writing "clicks" for students at VERY different times, and many students only start to get Writing sorted out along about 9th, 10th, 11th grade.

 

I honestly would suggest outsourcing, and let someone with experience/wisdom in teaching and mentoring writing walk with your DS for 10th grade. That will greatly reduce the stress that both of you are feeling -- because stress absolutely shuts down any ability to move forward in a weak area or an area the student doesn't grasp right away. The Brave Writer online classes get high reviews from people on this board. Or perhaps a good local tutor.

 

Homeschoolers VERY often do better with writing for someone other than mom, precisely because of that subjective nature of writing. I struggled to get our DSs up to speed with writing in the high school years -- and I AM a natural writer, editor, and Literature person. It is the one regret that I have, that I did not do 1 semester or 1 year, of outsourced Writing for DSs. Now, having taught middle/high school Lit. & Comp classes for the past 4 years, I am not only seeing a very wide range in abilities of students ("click" with writing at very different ages), I'm also repeatedly hearing from parents how "s/he will write for you, but not for me", or "s/he is getting writing now with you." I think that contrast speaks not so much as to my teaching ability, but to how difficult teaching writing at home with your own students -- that what I couldn't do as well as I would have wished for my own DSs, I am able to do for other students. It's a funny old world… ;)

 

 

What resources are there that are-

remedial,

high school (not juvenile in nature),

mastery-focused (not necessarily review included- you get the skill and move on)

include all steps of writing- ideas on paper, organize, and properly formatted &

preparation for SAT writing and entry-level college composition?

 

As far as meeting most of your requirements for a program to use at home, I'd suggest Sharon Watson's The Power in Your Hands. It is written to the student, it is high school level (not juvenile), it is not remedial but it does not assume prior knowledge so it includes all the steps of writing.

 

Getting solid in basic writing and the writing process WILL prepare your student for entry-level college composition. Taking an online class that focuses on essay writing and research papers with citations in grade 11 or 12 will also help.

 

As far as preparation for SAT essay writing -- that is a specific type of writing: timed essay from a prompt. What helped us most was doing a weekly timed essay from a past prompt, slowly working our way up in length and in amount of time, and in what aspect we focused on. In this past thread ("Preparing for essay exams") I explained how we built up to "full strength".

 

 

...I would kind of like to go back to square one, run through a series of skills (curriculum or not) this summer...

 

I would ONLY do something this summer if your DS is TOTALLY on board and WANTS to do something about Writing this summer. Since you are both stressed about the Writing, JMO, but I think the best thing to do rigt do is give yourselves a break, take some time away from all school until the fall, take a few deep breaths, do some FUN things together to de-stress, and come into 10th grade FRESH and new energy and enthusiasm for tackling the Writing.

 

Then this fall, I'd try out The Power in Your Hands for awhile, and then at some point in 10th grade, sign up for a Brave Writer class or two (classes are only 6 weeks long) -- Kids Write Intermediate and then Expository Essay, and in 11th grade, you might consider SAT/ACT Essay and MLA Research Essay, or possibly College Admission Essay.

 

Wishing you the very BEST of luck in finding what is the best fit for your family! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Lori D.

[coloradomomof5]

We outsourced writing mid year. After research we went with Home2Teach. Yes. My kids put in more effort for someone other than me. Yes. Some were behind and other ahead.

 

We will continue to outsource but I am not married to H2T. If someone has another option and why they love it I would be very interested.

 

I sure wish the Sharon Waton's material would be an online class.

[coloradomomof5]

LoriD what do you like about the Brave Writer?

 

What would you recommend for Spelling/vocab for a 9th grader and grammar as well. He is working on Saxon grammar and plan to finish 8th next year. I have been told it is very complete but who knows? I like it because each lesson includes vocab and review but student is not thrilled with it.

[Hilltopmom]

Bravewriter online classes were great for my inexperienced, reluctant, doesn't listen to Mom teen.

 

We did do 2 levels of Essentials in Writing beforehand, but BW made a huge, huge difference! Great teacher feedback & the " class experience" of seeing each other's work & feedback.

[MerryAtHope]

I like the idea of outsourcing too, but if that's out of the price range, Essentials in Writing helped my oldest a lot.

[freesia]

I, too, have a Ds that stepped it up when we outsourced. First I sent some papers to Write at Home ( you might consider doing this with whatever you choose ), then he did Attine-up Essay Practicioner--but that is usually offered in Spring), this past year my friend graded his papers and I graded her sons.

[Sharon37127]

 

:grouphug:  Sharon   :grouphug:

 

First, PLEASE don't beat yourself up! Writing "clicks" for students at VERY different times, and many students only start to get Writing sorted out along about 9th, 10th, 11th grade.

 

I honestly would suggest outsourcing, and let someone with experience/wisdom in teaching and mentoring writing walk with your DS for 10th grade. That will greatly reduce the stress that both of you are feeling -- because stress absolutely shuts down any ability to move forward in a weak area or an area the student doesn't grasp right away. The Brave Writer online classes get high reviews from people on this board. Or perhaps a good local tutor.

 

Homeschoolers VERY often do better with writing for someone other than mom, precisely because of that subjective nature of writing. I struggled to get our DSs up to speed with writing in the high school years -- and I AM a natural writer, editor, and Literature person. It is the one regret that I have, that I did not do 1 semester or 1 year, of outsourced Writing for DSs. Now, having taught middle/high school Lit. & Comp classes for the past 4 years, I am not only seeing a very wide range in abilities of students ("click" with writing at very different ages), I'm also repeatedly hearing from parents how "s/he will write for you, but not for me", or "s/he is getting writing now with you." I think that contrast speaks not so much as to my teaching ability, but to how difficult teaching writing at home with your own students -- that what I couldn't do as well as I would have wished for my own DSs, I am able to do for other students. It's a funny old world… ;)

 

 

 

 

As far as meeting most of your requirements for a program to use at home, I'd suggest Sharon Watson's The Power in Your Hands. It is written to the student, it is high school level (not juvenile), it is not remedial but it does not assume prior knowledge so it includes all the steps of writing.

 

Getting solid in basic writing and the writing process WILL prepare your student for entry-level college composition. Taking an online class that focuses on essay writing and research papers with citations in grade 11 or 12 will also help.

 

As far as preparation for SAT essay writing -- that is a specific type of writing: timed essay from a prompt. What helped us most was doing a weekly timed essay from a past prompt, slowly working our way up in length and in amount of time, and in what aspect we focused on. In this past thread ("Preparing for essay exams") I explained how we built up to "full strength".

 

 

 

 

I would ONLY do something this summer if your DS is TOTALLY on board and WANTS to do something about Writing this summer. Since you are both stressed about the Writing, JMO, but I think the best thing to do rigt do is give yourselves a break, take some time away from all school until the fall, take a few deep breaths, do some FUN things together to de-stress, and come into 10th grade FRESH and new energy and enthusiasm for tackling the Writing.

 

Then this fall, I'd try out The Power in Your Hands for awhile, and then at some point in 10th grade, sign up for a Brave Writer class or two (classes are only 6 weeks long) -- Kids Write Intermediate and then Expository Essay, and in 11th grade, you might consider SAT/ACT Essay and MLA Research Essay, or possibly College Admission Essay.

 

Wishing you the very BEST of luck in finding what is the best fit for your family! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

I truly appreciate all of your posts, but this one was so encouraging to me.  Thank you. 

[Lori D.]

LoriD what do you like about the Brave Writer?

 

What would you recommend for Spelling/vocab for a 9th grader and grammar as well. He is working on Saxon grammar and plan to finish 8th next year. I have been told it is very complete but who knows? I like it because each lesson includes vocab and review but student is not thrilled with it.

 

No personal experience -- Brave Writer came along too late for us to be able to use it in our homeschooling as the first levels released were elementary/middle-school levels, and DSs were into high school at that point. BUT, I have purchased BW's Faltering Ownership level to possibly use some of the ideas in future co-op classes.

 

What I like about Brave Writer, from reading about the material on the website, flipping through the level I purchased, and from what others on this board have said about using the programs or taking the online classes, is that it is a very helpful program for struggling writers, and for those students who do not match up well with more traditional methods of teaching writing -- for example, teaching the traditional outline for organizing thoughts.

 

Brave Writer teaches the process of writing, but allows a bit more variety of how to come at the writing process, esp. the initial stages of thinking of what to say and how to organize your thoughts. It also encourages a lot of scaffolding/mentoring through the writing process. Both of those aspects are what I am seeing as being really helpful with students who are not natural writers.

 

I had a struggling writer (mild LDs in writing, spelling, math), and from the co-op classes in Lit. & Comp that I've taught, I've found that a fairly high number of the students are non-standard learners and have not clicked with traditional/formal writing programs. I also think a number of them are "late bloomers" with writing, and by high school both they and their moms have hit a frustration point

 

I also think Sharon Watson's materials (Jump In (gr. 5-8) and Power in Your Hands (gr. 9-12) also have some great ways (for struggling writers or students who don't click with a strictly traditional program) of approaching thinking about what to write and how to organize your thoughts. We used Jump In with our struggling writer, and would have used Power in Your Hands if it had been around when he was in high school.

 

Not at all knocking the traditional formal logical/sequential types of Writing programs -- I've culled loads of great tips and ideas from numerous Writing programs, to help meet individual needs of the different struggling writers I've encountered, both in my own home and in the co-op classes I've been teaching.

 

JMO, but that's what makes it super hard to recommend any one Writing class or program to someone with a struggling or delayed writer -- it may take a variety of different methods and ideas to "click". Or, it just might be a matter of time and patience for the Writing portion of the student's brain to develop in its own unique timetable. Or, it might be that the student needs an outside/objective teacher/mentor to help walk them through the process… So very tricky and individual...

 

Hope that helped answer your question. :) Warmest regards, Lori D.

[LinRTX]

You have some great advice already. But don't be discouraged. Many time it all come together later than you expect. I tried for years to teach my oldest to write. Nothing worked. His writing was awful. In desperation, I did dual credit English at our local CC when he was in 12th grade. His first paper was so good I actually have saved it. He wrote about his baby sister (they are 14 years apart). It was so wonderfully done. I asked where he learned to write like that. His answer: Mom I just did everything to told me to do for years.

 

Sometimes its maturity; sometimes it just writing for someone else.

[Guest2]

Maybe Home2Teach? It would depend on where he places in the writing testing. The paragragh class was a complete Godsend (both times). That said, the instructor wasn't as positive as I would have liked. I think my DD1 learned so much from the daily revisions that she had to turn in. My DD1 gained confience and skill and is doing well in cc with essay tests. The lower levels of Home2Teach don't have much feedback, so I am not sure I would start Home2Teach much lower than the paragraph class. We like it being a live course.

Edited June 25, 2016 by Silver Brook

[coloradomomof5]

We use H2T. I disagree. I feel like lots is being learned in the classes below essay. MLA format, editing, vocab, spelling, word choice just to name a few. We have had one teacher that was less than great but the others have been positive and quick to respond. Class is all by typing so that takes getting used to but also builds their skills. We have taken 6 classes and are signed up for more. Their writing progression is unique but they seem to be working through all the items needed.

[Guest2]

We use H2T. I disagree. I feel like lots is being learned in the classes below essay. MLA format, editing, vocab, spelling, word choice just to name a few. We have had one teacher that was less than great but the others have been positive and quick to respond. Class is all by typing so that takes getting used to but also builds their skills. We have taken 6 classes and are signed up for more. Their writing progression is unique but they seem to be working through all the items needed.

We like them too, but if the OP's child is a tenth grader and places into Foundations1,her dc might not get to the paragraph class until late 11th or 12th grade which seems a little late. I have kids in the Foundations classes and there is only one actual writing assignment per week( the other two assignments are vocabulary and typing practice). The paragraph class was not always postive, but a good learning experience overall. The younger classes seem to be positive, but not much feedback. If it were my student, and he/she didn't place into the paragraph class, I would consider Bravewriter first, and redo the writing test later if I still wanted to do Home2Teach.

Edited June 25, 2016 by Silver Brook