Writing Help!!!

[Big Buckin' Longhorn]

I don't know how to teach writing. I think I'm a decent writer. Nothing spectacular; however, I find myself overly critical of my son's writing. I feel like he has missed the whole boat. He just doesn't seem able to get his thoughts across via the written word.

 

Sometimes my spouse feels as if I am forcing him to write in my style, rather than focusing on actual structural and grammatical errors. I don't do this intentionally, but I do acknowledge that it is highly possible. Does this make sense?

 

Is there a book, curriculum or program that lays it out very simply. It must be simple to implement. I am easily overwhelmed and we haven't had much success in this area in the past, which has led to me just putting it on the back burner. Now he is 15 and looking at possibly going off to community college next year, and I really feel as if I've let him down. I do want him to have at least a basic working knowledge of how to write a good essay and research paper before going to college.

 

I'm just not sure what to do.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance.

[laughing lioness]

Buy IEW's Combo pack: TWSS with SWSS-C. You watch TWSS and have him do SWSS-C. Get Continuation Course C once you are done with that.

Edited January 8, 2009 by laughing lioness
added info

[MaryM]

WriteatHome.com workshops on Essay and Research Paper. Amazing results from these people and it takes YOU out of the picture!

 

Mary

[Christy B]

I can relate!

 

I'm currently researching high school materials, and Jensen's Format Writing looks like it would perfectly fit your needs. I'm considering this one for my high schooler.

[DB in NJ]

Format Writing is a bare bones writing program.

 

I would also look into Put That in Writing. Very easy to implement, no planning needed from you.

 

We're using WriteShop this year, and I *LOVE* it, but it does require some work on the part of the teacher.

 

Another option would be to get IEW SWI C (no need to use TWSS with it, regardless of popular opinion) :D Just let him work his way through the student DVD's.

 

Hope you find something that works for you!

[Michelle in AL]

Imitating writing has worked the best for my kids and the students I teach. The simplest, yet very effective curriculum I've found to do this is Write With the Best by Jeanne Dixon. You'd have to get vol 1 & 2. They have samples on thier web site.

 

I haven't used IEW, that might be better if you need a crash course. I haven't used it because it seems to contrived~paragraph must included 2 dual adverbs and a sentence beginning with a prepositional phrase. I'm just funny that way.

[xxxxxxxx]

It got us past the rough start.....

 

 

I can relate!

 

I'm currently researching high school materials, and Jensen's Format Writing looks like it would perfectly fit your needs. I'm considering this one for my high schooler.

[Jenn in CA]

I do want him to have at least a basic working knowledge of how to write a good essay and research paper before going to college.

 

My son has a tough time w/writing too. This is the "sink or swim" method but it worked great and was simple to implement. I enrolled him in the freshman English Comp class at the CC. He's 15. In this class, they typically want to *teach* you how to write, not just see how well you can write. He learned a lot and I picked up a lot of tips and such for my younger kids.

 

It was a lot of work for him (and me), but he ended up w/an A. The really nice thing was that, even though I "tutored" him *a lot,* and it still took me a lot of time, someone else was creating the assignments and grading. That was soooo helpful.

 

I would definitely not have any of my kids enroll in a CC class that required writing without having them take this class first.