Shellydon Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 The literature part of of an English credit seems easy, but the composition part is a struggle for me. Can you recommend a composition curriculum that for 10th-11th grade writers who have had some experience, but need some more direct instruction. Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 My kids have done great with Brave Writer online classes. They are expensive, but they are fantastic. It's amazing how far they've taken my kids. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 Or the Lively Art of Writing with the workbook a board member wrote. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/471529-lively-art-of-writing-formatted-workbook-and-key-x-post I'd REALLY like to teach a class with that book someday! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 If you are looking for stylistic type instruction vs basic writing skills, I like Patterns in College Writing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 We've really appreciated Bravewriter online classes - as a pp said, expensive but well worth it. Dd has done Kidswrite Intermediate, Expository Essay, Passion for Fiction and Writing the Short Story. She'll be doing the advanced Expository Essay class in the spring. We liked LIvely Art of Writing with the workbook, as suggested above, as an introduction to essay writing, followed by Writing With a Thesis to expand that all writing is thesis-driven in a sense; it all has a rhetorical purpose. This book takes you through the different types of essays (compare & contrast, descriptive, narrative, persuasive, etc.) and shows how to make them all strong, thesis-driven pieces. My dd has worked through both of those books in their entirety. She's now working through They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic writing, which guides a student to joining the Great Conversation via their writing - it shows them how to acknowledge and respond to what others have written or said about their topic and connect that to their thesis. I'd recommend all three, they've been excellent, and each has built on what came before. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mschickie Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 I have also used Jensen's Format Writing. This gives a systematic way to approach and write different style essays. You could also look into on line course such as the ones through So Verbose http://www.soverbose.com/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellydon Posted January 17, 2017 Author Share Posted January 17, 2017 Thank you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 (edited) The Lively Art of Writing A solid writing resource. The go-along materials created by WTM board members Still Waters and mjbucks1 are what turn the book (a writing resource) into a curriculum. WTM board member Quark reformatted those go-along materials and uploaded them here: student workbook (free google doc link) teacher book (free google doc link) The Elegant Essay (1 semester program) Written to the student, with a teacher book. The focus of the program is the parts of an essay, and then writing a descriptive and then a persuasive essay. The Power in Your Hands (1 year program) The high school sequel to the middle school program of Jump In. Written to the student and can be done largely by the student (if not a struggling writer). Much more in-depth than The Elegant Essay, but also much more "chatty" in tone. Covers the brainstorming/organizing and proof-editing stages of the process of writing; the parts of the essay; essays of different types (persuasive, descriptive, narrative), plus specific essay types of: process ("how-to"), position, comparison, definition, and literary analysis; and other types of writing, including: note-taking, writing letters and e-mails, newspaper writing, etc. Jensen's Format Writing Dry and NOT at all in-depth with instruction or teacher support, BUT it does provide info about some important real-life business types of writing that I've not seen in any other program. I would say that the teaching format would fit for a student who is very sequential/analytical and thinks/works well from traditional formal outlines. I see that there is now a revised edition, and a DVD supplement which is described as having 12 lectures that overview the sections of the book with some teaching and explaining, "...but it is also motivational for the student." While not a Writing/Composition program, Windows to the World (a 1-semester Literature program) has a unit with one of the clearest step-by-step instructions in how to write a literary analysis essay that I've seen. WttW is by the same author as The Elegant Essay. Edited January 17, 2017 by Lori D. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 I'll be the odd one out and recommend IEW. Get TWSS and whatever else seems to fit your child (ask them at IEW for recommendations). I have been teaching it for a co-op this year and am impressed with the results. Disclaimer - I owned the materials previously, did not go "all in" and the results were less than stellar. It took having the pressure of teaching the class to keep *me* on track to be able to teach the way it was intended to be taught. You might consider getting a friend or two to join your children in learning the method. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellydon Posted January 18, 2017 Author Share Posted January 18, 2017 Thank you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 I also recommend The Power is in Your Hands by Watson. It is a research paper writing book. For creative writing, Watson also has Writing Fiction. Oldest dd particularly liked the Writing Fiction book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoKitty Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 I have heard good things about EIW high school levels. But haven't used them myself. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Get ... whatever ... seems to fit your child... Yes -- I really think this is key: get what fits each student. Writing at the high school level is about being able to develop and support an argument, and that comes out of how you think. And different writing programs come at writing from different ways of thinking. :) Lots of good programs and resources suggested in this thread. Another idea that might fit a more logical/STEM type of thinker is The Lost Tools of Writing. I suggest looking over all of these suggestions with your students and see what "clicks" for the students. :) BEST of luck! Warmest regards, Lori D. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat in MI Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Essentials in Writing is what is working best for my dd. Easy to use and covers the different essays and research papers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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