WWE and FLL

[deemk]

I am looking for some thoughts on using Writing With Ease and First Language Lessons. I started homeschooling prior to discovering WTM. I wish I would've discovered it sooner because it just fits so well with my own philosophies - some that I never even knew I had, but that were in there nonetheless.

 

I started my first grader on First Language Lessons about half-way through his first grade year. But I intend on schooling through the summer so I'm sure we can finish the first grade section prior to the fall and not be 'behind' at all. I have recently discovered Writing With Ease. I'm not sure why I didn't see or hear of it before when I read WTM. I must've missed the references to it, or perhaps the book was published before the WWE was. I have been using Zaner-Bloser handwriting but it's not, of course, a writing program. It does help him see punctuation and capitilization, but does not teach writing techniques.

 

So my questions... If I want to start WWE (it looks so wonderful!), can I start now? And how often each week does the book suggest you do the program? Technically if I start year one in 2nd grade, then he's a year behind, right? I've seen some of the samples and the beginning copywork looks like it would be really easy for him. This is the same thing I've found with First Language Lessons and we do one lesson a day (on a 4-day school week). He breezes through them and picks up the concepts with ease. I could easily even do 2 lessons a day but I don't want him to get burned out.

 

Has anyone started WWE after first grade? If so, how has it worked?

[laylamcb]

I am looking for some thoughts on using Writing With Ease and First Language Lessons. I started homeschooling prior to discovering WTM. I wish I would've discovered it sooner because it just fits so well with my own philosophies - some that I never even knew I had, but that were in there nonetheless.

 

I started my first grader on First Language Lessons about half-way through his first grade year. But I intend on schooling through the summer so I'm sure we can finish the first grade section prior to the fall and not be 'behind' at all. I have recently discovered Writing With Ease. I'm not sure why I didn't see or hear of it before when I read WTM. I must've missed the references to it, or perhaps the book was published before the WWE was. I have been using Zaner-Bloser handwriting but it's not, of course, a writing program. It does help him see punctuation and capitilization, but does not teach writing techniques.

 

So my questions... If I want to start WWE (it looks so wonderful!), can I start now? And how often each week does the book suggest you do the program? Technically if I start year one in 2nd grade, then he's a year behind, right? I've seen some of the samples and the beginning copywork looks like it would be really easy for him. This is the same thing I've found with First Language Lessons and we do one lesson a day (on a 4-day school week). He breezes through them and picks up the concepts with ease. I could easily even do 2 lessons a day but I don't want him to get burned out.

 

Has anyone started WWE after first grade? If so, how has it worked?

 

You're right: WWE was published after the second edition of TWTM.

 

Like FLL, WWE schedules 4 lessons/week (copywork, narration, copywork, narration). In fact, you can substitute some of the WWE lessons for some of the FLL lessons so that your son isn't doing narration upon narration. In the early weeks, a WWE takes only a few minutes longer than a FLL lesson (and you KNOW how quickly those fly by).

 

Someone recently reminded me of something: Resist the urge to think of your first grader as "falling behind." I do this, too, but really, if he didn't do EITHER FLL or WWE--or anything else but phonics, math, and penmanship/copywork--he'd still be doing just fine.

 

:001_smile:

[deemk]

is copywork a substitute for penmanship? if i start WWE would i remove the zaner-bloser handwriting that he's been doing? or would that still be separate? and if i start WWE now, and have already been doing FLL for a couple months, will i still be able to skip some FLL based on the WWE lesson for the day? or would they need to be going alongside each other for that to work right? i currently have him reading out of a book out loud to me each day and then discussing that. from what i can tell from the WWE sample pages online, i would be able to eliminate any separate reading, correct? it looks like it provides certain literature passages and narration exercises specifically related to that.

[Sara in WA]

We use WWE, FLL and Zaner Bloser. Don't through Zaner Bloser out the window yet. I find ZB is great for teaching and reminding proper spacing, size, slant, shape, etc. What I do is make sure there is some type of handwriting each day. So, if WWE is oral, then I pull out Zaner Bloser. If WWE include copywork, I tell my 1st grader to do her best and if it's lovely, then we will skip ZB that day.

 

I also find ZB nice because it can be done independently. My 2 oldest can read the directions on the pages, do their work and have me check it. As I juggle 4 little kids, having some independent work is key to our survival :)

[Friederike in Persia]

We use FLL, WWE and a handwriting programm. I find that the key is to not be afraid to skip some of it. FLL and WWE are similar in many ways.