Help in choosing curriculum!

[MominOhio]

Hello,
I'm really having a hard time deciding on a good grammar/ writing program to complement TOG this coming year. We will be starting our second year of TOG in August and this last year was our first year of using any formal writing and grammar program (I have two UG and one LG). We used Easy Grammar, which my children did fine with and I saw a lot of improvement in some areas. What I am concerned about is that since we have been so relaxed with language up until recently (lots of dictation, reading good literature etc...) my children never had a really good foundation in sentence structure, writing good paragraphs, writing out their thoughts clearly etc... So, this past year, writing was a bit of a struggle for my oldest in particular, who has a harder time organizing his thoughts with his writing. Can anyone recommend a really good, foundational writing program that would include grammar and maybe even spelling that would complement Writing Aids? I really enjoyed having our children write about what they were reading this past year with TOG and plan on continuing this year, but was hoping for some more guidance in the fundamentals for my children. IEW sounds a bit daunting to me, but I've heard good things about Rod and Staff. Any suggestions would be so helpful! Thanks so much!
~Mary

[DanaCinTN]

Hi Mary,
Did you try the writing assignments with Tapestry? They provide a really solid incremental approach to writing and you can easily back down a level if needed. We also sell Easy Grammar, which is an excellent complement to TOG.

Writing Aids is the "handbook" that enables you to teach the various genres that are assigned in each Week-Plan.

Blessings,

[MominOhio]

Thanks Dana,
We did most of the writing assignments through the year for Y1 along with Easy Grammar. But, most of the assignments tended to be a major frustration for my oldest son, even though he mostly did Levels 2 & 3 this last year as a 4th grader and I would even simplify these assignments for him. He really liked the graphic organizers, but when it came time to put his thoughts down in an orderly fashion he really struggled. I'm concerned that since we haven't ever done a formal writing program that I have slighted him in some way and we need to back up and go over any basics we might have missed. He is an avid reader, loves math, science etc...but getting his thoughts out, whether in speech or writing has always been difficult for him. Is this just normal for some boys? Would you possibly recommend going over some of the basics even suggested at Level 1 in Writing Aids, at an accelerated rate for him to help him along? For some reason, I've been thinking we need a separate English program but after reading your note, I'm starting to think we might be able to just work with Writing Aids (by the way, this is a huge relief!). Any additional thoughts about how to get the most out of Writing Aids for a struggling little writer would be helpful. Thanks again!
~Mary

Mary,

(Edited to add: I have taught writing in the past, not only to my own daughters but also to groups of junior high and high school students in our homeschool enrichment group. This is what I've learned.)

Some kids just have trouble figuring out just what to write. IEW is excellent, but it is expensive. You might try just having him learn to write the way Ben Franklin did. Pick a short passage - an encyclopedia article or a short story (like a fable) - and have him choose a few key words from each sentence (you'll have to help with this at first so he chooses the most helpful words). The next day, have him rewrite the sentences, preferably without looking at them again, just from his key words. Little by little you can guide him to improve his sentences from there, but at least that gives him something to start with, rather than a blank page.

Usborne books often have great short paragraphs to work with; you might try that. This way you could be using TOG material and once he's over the writer's block a bit, you could transition back to TOG writing assignments.

The other thing that's important is to remember that fourth grade is still on the young side for writing, especially for boys. Just mastering the fine motor skills to make the letters is difficult up until about that point. Keep working at it - don't quit - but be patient with him and with yourself. Many people don't even have their kids write at all until around ten, and then only a little. Have him narrate - "tell back" what he reads, or what you read to him. If he narrates every day, in one subject or another, he will eventually learn to write as well.

Don't know if that's helpful or not. I'm not sure you'd get much help from any formal program other than IEW at this point. (IEW does the kind of keyword outlines I was mentioning above, along with much more.) But patience and consistency are probably the most significant things that will help him eventually figure out how to write.

Best wishes!

[teriskidz]

Hey, Mary.

I wholeheartedly agree with everything Dana and Deanna have said. I think you'll find you have all the tools you need in TOG's writing component to help him become a better writer.

If I could only give you one piece of advice, it would be to relax. He is very young and has plenty of years to develop this skill. If he is frustrated with writing, I would suggest that you only identify one or two things at a time to work on, and then find several things to complement. The spelling may be horrific and the content short, but if you are working that week on writing complete sentences, just correct any issues with that and look long and hard for things you can commend. I have found that most students blossom under that approach. He may not become a great writer overnight, but hopefully, he will enjoy writing more in the meantime.

Our youngest son is now entering 10th grade, and he didn't really begin to write well until about 8th grade. My experience over the years has led me to conclude that his experience is pretty typical, especially for a boy.

Hope that helps. He'll be fine . . . and even if he's never a great writer, he can still grow up to be a wonderful, godly man.

Grace to you,
Teri

[MominOhio]

Thanks so much for all the practical and heartfelt advice ladies! I frequently feel inadequate when it comes to teaching my children and think if I find just the right curriculum it will make up for my weaknesses; I need to just remember that the Lord will fill in the gaps that I miss and my job is just to be faithful to do what He has called me to do. I learned to relax in the younger grades and it looks like I'm going to need to relearn that as they approach the upper grades . Thanks again!
Blessings,
Mary

[Rhoda in Chesapeake, VA]

Hi Mary,

I thought I would give you our experience with IEW. I used just the Student Writing Intensive (SWI)Group B with my 5th, 7th, and 9th graders. Up until this, the kids dreaded writing assignments. The program is so gentle in approach, the teacher engaging and funny, and guides the student with incremental steps that my kids loved writing this past year. There was no more moaning when it came time to do writing. It might be something you could use to help your son get a jump start then get back on track with Writing Aids.

God bless,

Rhoda