My first grader needs to write more, but I don't know where to begin. (m)

[Kisa in CA]

Please help me.:001_huh: I need something structured. It has to spell it all out on a daily basis. We have focused on reading and spelling but I don't know how to get him writing more and also not make him hate it. Also, I don't know what to expect in the way of spelling and grammar. Do I have him make all the spelling corrections? He will sit and write an entire story, (which excites me because his brother never did this,) but it will be full of spelling and sentence errors making it a challenge to decipher. I guess I'm having particular difficulty knowing how to correct and teach one so young.

 

I did a lousy job in the area of writing with my oldest, so I want to do better with this one but just don't know where to start. And here we are at the end of 1st and I've done almost nothing. Oy!

 

Thank you so much for taking time to respond.

[yslek]

Have you looked at Writing With Ease (WWE)? If you get the workbook (probably level 1) you would have 36 weeks worth of lessons (4 lessons/ week) all laid out for you. :)

[TN Mama]

Have you looked at Writing With Ease (WWE)? If you get the workbook (probably level 1) you would have 36 weeks worth of lessons (4 lessons/ week) all laid out for you. :)

 

:iagree:

[Colleen in NS]

Please help me.:001_huh: I need something structured. It has to spell it all out on a daily basis. We have focused on reading and spelling but I don't know how to get him writing more and also not make him hate it. Also, I don't know what to expect in the way of spelling and grammar. Do I have him make all the spelling corrections? He will sit and write an entire story, (which excites me because his brother never did this,) but it will be full of spelling and sentence errors making it a challenge to decipher. I guess I'm having particular difficulty knowing how to correct and teach one so young.

 

I did a lousy job in the area of writing with my oldest, so I want to do better with this one but just don't know where to start. And here we are at the end of 1st and I've done almost nothing. Oy!

 

Thank you so much for taking time to respond.

 

I would use Writing With Ease. Do a board search and see the details about it and what people have to say about how it helped their kids and how gentle and easy it is to use and teach.

 

About spelling and grammar: I only correct these on my kids' "formal schoolwork writing," meaning their copywork, dictations, narrations, and outlines. Or if I've assigned a letter-writing project. But if they write things on their own, I leave it alone and just gush over the fact that they wrote a cool story or poem or list or whatever. I've found that by doing consistent spelling and grammar lessons over the years, that these skills start to carry over into their writing, both formal and for fun writing.

 

hth

[MomLovesClassics]

My daughter loves WWE!

[Guest bluerose]

this is the first time to ever be on this web site.....i could not figure out how to post a ?, I could only see how to respond

how do i ask a question?

[Kisa in CA]

There is a New Post button up above, just like the Post Reply button down below.:)

[Kisa in CA]

this is the first time to ever be on this web site.....i could not figure out how to post a ?, I could only see how to respond

how do i ask a question?

 

Ooops... it is actually titled "New Thread". That means start a new post.

[siloam]

Kisa,

 

For a 1st grader I would also recommend WWE. But if he does write a story on his own (not for school) I wouldn't correct anything for now. He simply does not have the background in phonics or spelling to get it right yet. WWE actually has them only do copywork. Even if the child does a narration, you the parent write it out with correct spelling, and have them copy it. Anything for school I would suggest you follow the same format, write it out for him and then have him copy it.

 

With my older kids I will spell any word for me they ask, though I might do it by waking them through it-giving them the sounds and helping the choose the right letters to make those sounds (and some days I just spell it). If they misspell it in dictation or narration I simply point it out to them and discuss any rules that might apply. Ideally I would add it to their spelling words, but reality is I rarely remember to. :D

 

Heather

[Kisa in CA]

Thanks everyone! I guess WWE is the way to go. So, all I need is the TM right? I think my son uses much smaller paper than is used in the workbook.

[Ummto4]

According to WWE, it's best to work on the skill of writing (i.e. the physical action of writing, including the mechanics) and the skill of story-telling separately.

 

The TM does not contain ALL the lesson. It only gives you samples of how your narration lesson should be and what kind of copywork you should assign every week.

 

It means you have to piece together your own material.

 

If you don't want to do that, buy the workbook.

 

My son is going to finish first grade soon ... For writing, we do narration as suggested by SWB (through WWE) and Charlotte Mason two times a day across curricula, spelling (using Spelling Plus Dictation) and copywork for his content subjects.

 

Occasionally, my son likes to write stories, and I don't correct for anything. I just let him read his own writing for me. Or sometimes he tells stories (orally) on the fly, which turns out to be stories he has heard before, but with different ending, different characters, slightly different plot or even different point of view. He's a pretty chatty boy though (although language-delayed).

 

You can also try like this: show your ds a picture, and tell him to tell you about the picture or make a story from the picture. Or, you can try making stories together. You can start it, then your son adds one sentence, and then you add one more sentence, etc. It's fun.

[Colleen in NS]

So, all I need is the TM right?

 

That's all I use. And I just use our content reading for practicing the skills on.

[Kristen in NC]

I have never seen WWE, but it's obviously very popular (and I'm sure very good). I did have a chance to review the new Write Shop Primary program if you're looking for any other possibilities to check out.

 

Review of WriteShop Primary

[siloam]

Thanks everyone! I guess WWE is the way to go. So, all I need is the TM right? I think my son uses much smaller paper than is used in the workbook.

 

There are three pieces. If you just want the ideas and you will find your own copywork and narration material or if you have an older child who can learn it just by the samples in the book (6 weeks of each level is included) then you want the WWE hardbound book.

 

If you want the scripted product that has 36 weeks of work already chosen for you then you would buy the workbook. You could substitute your own paper, but there isn't a separate TM, you get the worksheets either way.

 

Heather

 

[Kisa in CA]

Thanks Heather. I guess I need both since I want everything laid out for me. Sad to say, but that's the only way things actually get done at my house. I just didn't want to spend that much money on only writing. :001_huh: I'm off to the used curriculum board...

[Lovedtodeath]

You don't need both. The workbook has everything. The TM is mostly explanations, and you can get that from the samples on PHP site.

[Kisa in CA]

Thanks Carmen. I think I will order the textbook from the library, just so I can have it on hand for a while. That saves me $20! Thanks!

 

Your verse blessed me today!

[siloam]

Kisa,

 

Don't feel bad about needing it all laid out either. The most important thing is that it gets done, not the means by which you do that. :D

 

Heather

[Carol in Cal.]

and would like to encourage you to do a couple of other things that should help his writing later.

 

One is the copywork. Don't wait for WWE, just start giving him a beautifully written sentence to copy perfectly, every day.

 

The other is to talk about what you're reading with him, and encourage him to summarize it to you orally. You don't have to write all of these down, and if you do, and make him copy them, you might start getting very short summaries; so go ahead and just talk about the books. That way he develops the summarization skill and also you're teaching him how to compose sentences in his head about a topic that he has heard or read about. Very useful building block for later.

[ChristineMM]

Your child is young. Schools for grade 1 generally look for 1-2 sentences in an assignment. Big whoop. There is also an overfocus on making kids do creative writing in early elementary education right now. If you have a typical girl this will be super easy as they usually like to make up stories and then tend to be long winded.

 

Fine motor skills are still developing at grade one age so expecting penmanship by hand for over ten minutes at a session is pushing it. In other words for grade one the assignments should not be huge.

 

Oral narration will set the stage for moving content and ideas in her mind and summarizing them, organizing thoughts to be communicated clearly. I hope you are using narration.

 

We followed many Charlotte Mason principles in the early ed years blending with WTM. My older child was not a workbook loving kid so I avoided lots of workbook busywork with him.

 

HTH

[Suzannah]

It looks like you already have your answer here, but we have just thoroughly enjoyed Julie Shields' history copywork books (Julie in GA from the boards here). You can order a hard copy I think, but it's also available as a download from http://stores.lulu.com/julieshields . It comes in different styles too (Zaner-Bloser, Italics or HWT.)

 

Blessings