Highschool writing programs

[Love2Smile]

Which do you like better?

Writing Strands
LLATL
Wordsmith Craftsman


Which teaches more incementally and gives a firm foundation?

I am looking for something ideally that could be used all throughout jr. and sr. high
Is there enough writing instruction in the LLATL programs?

[LisaNY]

None of the above. I am a big fan of Put That in Writing. It has given both of my daughters a solid foundation in writing skills.

[mama25angels]

I'm not sure, I would look at all three of them and decide from there. It doesn't have to be an all or nothing deal with Writing Strands and Wordsmith Craftsman. Writing Strands is only a semester program and with Wordsmith Craftsman, I think, you can pick and choose the assignments you want her to do using the instructions from the book. If I were you i'd also get the Write source book with whatever program you decide to use.

[Karin]

Since Wordsmith is the very first writing program ever that dd hadn't balked at and it saves me one writing battle, I plan to do Wordsmith Craftsman next year. However, after that we'll move onto something else. Writing Strands was a huge flop here, and I haven't tried that third choice. We still haven't found something great for expository writing, but one thing at a time here.

[Love2Smile]

Since Wordsmith is the very first writing program ever that dd hadn't balked at and it saves me one writing battle, I plan to do Wordsmith Craftsman next year. However, after that we'll move onto something else. Writing Strands was a huge flop here, and I haven't tried that third choice. We still haven't found something great for expository writing, but one thing at a time here.
Why was Writing Strands a flop??

[Karin]

Why was Writing Strands a flop??

Dd says she didn't like it because she didn't like anything. She liked it better than WriteShop. She did all of Writing Strands 3 and I gave it up during Writing Strands 4. I think the structure was too vague for her, in part, and she hates assigned writing in general. WriteShop also failed, in part because it was too teacher intensive for her learning style for most subjects. My second one didn't do well with it either. I think part of it is the set up. Wordsmith and Wordsmith Apprentice have all those thinking exercises right in the book (well, one of mine has to write it in a notebook since 2 of them are doing Wordsmith Apprentice this year.)

[Love2Smile]

Thanks, I think i'll stick with a mix of Wordsmith and LLATL, they are both by the same publishers and Cathy Duffy likes them!

My older one is finishing up Wordsmith and starting LLATL Gray, next year i'll have her do Wordsmith Craftsman take a year off of LLATL and in 11th do LLATL Gold series

My 6th grader was doing Jump In, it has been alright, but I don't think she is ready for some of the writing. I'll have her start Wordsmith Apprentice in 7th along with parts of LLATL Tan and alternate back and forth.

LLATL and Wordsmith really are the only things we have liked.