If starting WWE with a 3rd grader, which level would be best?

[Mommy7]

My ds frustrates easily and I am wondering where to start with him. He has had very little writing. Thanks!!!

[happygrrl]

I just got my copy of WWE... in it there is a section about placing your child into the proper level (or partial level) regardless of their grade level. After administering the questions listed, you would be able to decide exactly where to place your student, and then you could structure your lessons appropriately. I hope that makes sense!

[siloam]

My ds frustrates easily and I am wondering where to start with him. He has had very little writing. Thanks!!!

I would just start with level 1. That is what I did with my 3rd grader. She did the first 12 weeks as scheduled, then I started having her do both copywork and narration in a single day. She struggles with narration through so she has really needed the practice, but what we have done so far has been pretty painless.

Heather

[ELaurie]

and it has been a perfect fit for him.

The book contains sample lessons for WWE levels 1 - 4; you can use them as a placement guide. abbeyje recently suggested using the level 1 samples from the book to provide an into to prepare one's dc for level 2 work, and I thought it was a great idea.

[abbeyej]

My recommendation for older ones is to buy just the textbook. It gives you the theory (very concise -- nothing major to wade through) and advice on placement. Read through that and select the level (1-4) that seems appropriate. If you're unsure, go down a level. And do the first lesson from that level with your child.

The main text includes 5-6 complete scripted lessons for each level, and between those lessons it includes instructions on creating your own lessons. (So maybe lesson 1 is scripted, then you have instructions for lessons 2-6, then 7 is scripted, instructions for 8-12, etc, etc.) If the lesson is too hard, you can back up a level. If it's just challenging enough, you can work right at that level (and either design your own lessons according to the instructions or order the appropriate workbook). If it's a little easy, then just do the scripted lessons in the text, and skip the instructions on intervening lessons until you reach the point where the work is "just a little challenging". (And then you would either write your own lessons according to the instructions, or purchase the appropriate workbook.)

[Novafan]

Checking the textbook first is a great idea.

I started my 3rd grader with level II. He could have even backtracked a bit and done Level I, but is fine now with Level II.

[fivekiwis]

I'm in the same boat, it sounds like. My 3rd/4th grader loves to read but we haven't done a lot of writing, I bought WWE recently and we started using it just last week. We started with level 1. It's not super challenging, but if it were I think I would get a lot of resistance, so that's a good thing for us. My plan is to keep going with level one and do 2 workbook pages a day, four days a week (rather than one page a day, four days a week, as the workbook inicates.) I might start skipping forward later if it seems appropriate, but I'm in no rush.