POLL: When did you start a formal writing curriculum?

[Heather in NC]

Ok, I don't know how to set up one of those fancy polls but I would love to know at what grade/age do you start a formal writing curriculum?

My 9yo ds just has no interest whatsoever. We tried WS and CW and both were a flop. He will be in 5th grade next year and I am starting to feel massive pressure because he hasn't had much formal writing yet. I am thinking of trying IEW next year.

He is an excellent reader, a mediocre speller, has great vocabulary and grammar skills. He just HATES to write. So I guess I'm wondering how far behind we are.

[Beth in Central TX]

Hi Heather,

I started a formal writing program, Imitation in Writing, with my oldest sons when they were in 3rd grade. Since then we've moved to the CW series. I'll start my youngest son with CW in 3rd grade also.

[whitestavern]

We haven't begun a formal writing "curriculum" (my daughter is just 8) but I found a great book to spark an interest in creative writing. I think there are things in there that would interest your son enough to write. The book is called "Games for Writing" by Peggy Kaye and I'm sure you could find it in your library. That's where I found mine, but I ended up buying one because there are so many fun writing assignments.

[Ali in OR]

Planning to start next year--3rd grade. Just need to choose which program!

[Rhondabee]

Ok, I don't know how to set up one of those fancy polls but I would love to know at what grade/age do you start a formal writing curriculum?

My 9yo ds just has no interest whatsoever. We tried WS and CW and both were a flop. He will be in 5th grade next year and I am starting to feel massive pressure because he hasn't had much formal writing yet. I am thinking of trying IEW next year.

He is an excellent reader, a mediocre speller, has great vocabulary and grammar skills. He just HATES to write. So I guess I'm wondering how far behind we are.


I have CW Aesop and Homer, Classical Composition Fable, Wordsmith, and gave away Writing Strands. Haven't yet bit the bullet for IEW, and doubt I will.

I'm honestly finding that if I really take the time to understand R&S and really apply those lessons, that's all we can handle.

:)

[Cami in UT]

My ds9 will start a writing program next school year when he starts 5th grade work. He has had a pencil allergy and just this past month is finally getting over it. :) I'm very seriously thinking of IEW when we start next year.

I'm thinking I'll wait until 5th grade of ds7 maybe even longer depending how long his pencil allergy lasts.

Don't assume that my boys are not writing because they are. We do R&S grammar and do the writing assignments. I'm just not making them do a writing program until they can write 1/2 a page something comfortably. Last year we were in the ps district on-line school that used K12. Their writing program just about killed ds9. Way too many tears and pushing and . . . (I'm sure you know what I mean).

[BizyPenguin]

But then my ds went to pubic school two months into the school year and they did not teach writing formally. I'm actually using the writing portion of the 3rd grade Bob Jones English student text right now with my ds even though he's a 5th grader. They have a lot of good writing assignments in there which I feel are not necessarily grade specific and I don't want my ds to miss them. I tried Apologia's Jump In twice this year, but it was a flop. Bob Jones really holds their hands through the writing process and I like that you don't really need the TM to teach it. The explanations are all in the student worktext. Anyway, I think 3rd grade is a good time to begin a writing program, but if you're doing narration, dictation, and copywork across the curriculum, you can probably start a year or two later. Some don't even worry about formal writing until middle school. FWIW, my ds isn't crazy about writing either. Perhaps it's not a boy thing. HTH!

[Hoggirl]

Prior to Grade 4 we did do the writing assignments in the R&S grammar books. We tried Wordsmith Apprentice at the beginning of the year, but it was a bust. My ds thought it "babyish." We picked up IEW the last 9 weeks of school in grade 4 and spread out the 15 weeks of assignments over the last quarter of grade 4 and the first half of grade 5. We are now working on SICC-B. Loving IEW here!
Cynthia

[Wendy in ME]

Writing Tales 1 9yo ds in 4th grade.

[Plaid Dad]

We will be starting next school year - 2nd grade.

[Mom2boys]

Heather, your son sounds just like my oldest son. We started writing instruction this year (5th grade) with IEW's Ancient History Based Writing Lessons. This curriculum is working very well for my son. In my opinion, it could be taught without investing in the IEW Teaching Writing Structure and Style course.

[debbiec]

3rd Grade ~

[janainaz]

SWB is coming out with a new curriculum for elementary writing "Writing With Ease". It's due in spring. Has anyone looked it over? Well, so far I love everything they have written and their books have been giving me peace, so I'm going to use it.

I tried Writing Strands and I intend to keep it and supplement with it, but I/we need more structure. I don't know how to teach writing to a child. I need something more scripted.

My son is turing 8 and up until now, we've just been doing copywork/dictation and narrations. That's is so far!

[chiguirre]

I'm planning to use WWE 1 with ds next year. He'll be in 2nd grade, but his handwriting is about a year behind so I'd rather start slow and gentle. If dd is ready for a 1st grade program, she'll start it too.

[Vanna]

:) Shurley English has some writing assignments that just were not the best fit for my son whose imagination was not that great then. A friend recommended Imitation. We got the Aesop Fables one used and liked it a lot (a good, gentle start for 3rd gr.). We continued it in 4th and then this yr (5th gr) we started on Greek Heroes (since ds has great interest in Greek myths).

I wouldn't say it's the best out there, but it's gotten the job done in terms of getting him to write something.

HTH!

[Heather in NC]

Heather, your son sounds just like my oldest son. We started writing instruction this year (5th grade) with IEW's Ancient History Based Writing Lessons. This curriculum is working very well for my son. In my opinion, it could be taught without investing in the IEW Teaching Writing Structure and Style course.

It's interesting you mentioned that because that is what I am thinking of doing. A friend let me borrow her IEW DVDs to watch and I liked them but I need something laid out for me. We start our 2nd rotation of history next year going back to the ancients so I thought the theme-based Ancient History lessons might work well. Do you have them already? If so, what are they like?

[Heather in NC]

SWB is coming out with a new curriculum for elementary writing "Writing With Ease". It's due in spring.

I love all of her stuff too, so I will definitely take a look at this! Thanks!