TOG Writing Aids VS. SWI A, B, and the continuation courses

[Jeana]

Hello ladies! I am now looking at my writing curriculum. I am not confident with writing instruction and have loved Student Writing Intensive. I had planned on using the contuation course next. Now that I have TOG I was wondering about the Writing Aids component. How have people found this? Would you still use the contuation course and use writing aids as enrinchment? I haven't really used a program for my coming up 10 yr old. I had thought about getting the Student Writing Intensive A for her but then I thought if I bought writing aids I could just begin with that and go all the way through. How have you found the instruction? Is it clear and concise? We have tried Writing Strands and it didn't click as much as SWI B for my son. Any opinions would be welcomed. Thanks, Jeana

[Jeana]

bump

[Jeana]

: ) Anyone

[Quiver0f10]

We use TOG and use IEW for writing. This year we are doing year 1 and used the Ancient History Base Writing. For fall I plan on the Medieval writing lessons and to add in some writing aids lessons along there way. I don't think we will do all of the WA, but I plan to pick and choose a few over the year.

I haven't actually used the WA yet, but I feel that I needed more hand holding as writing is my weakest area. Sorry I couldn't answer your specific question on SWI courses as only my high schooler has used those, but he didn't use TOG.

[Riverfront Headmistress]

The plan for our upcoming year is to use ToG year 1 alongside IEW Ancient History.

[Leanna]

I have been teaching 2-3 levels of kids in our co-op for the past three years. I used IEW with all three groups the first year. When Writing Aids came out, I LOVED it for the clear assignment instructions and the rubrics. I used it for all three groups the second year.

My oldest group(11th grade now) did fairly well with WA and I felt like I was able to grade more objectively using the rubrics. This class was full of natural writers and I would call our experience with WA a success.

With the second group (9th grade now), I used WA, but learned to slow down the pace of the TOG assignments because I think the assignments in TOG are given in rapid succession and the students need more time to revise and refine their writing. Ironically, as I am trying to get this group to refine their writing, I find that I am often deleting IEW "dress-ups" that the students have intentionally inserted into their writing. I am considering using another program with this group next fall to work on writing style. In the winter/spring I then plan to go back to Writing Aids for the assignments, but to give the assignments at a slower pace and allow time for more revisions.

The third group (mostly 7th grade now) was taught by another teacher this year. I will take this group back next year, and most of the moms are agreed that we are frustrated with Writing Aids for this group. They need more instruction on HOW to write before they move through the WA assignments. I may not use IEW with this group due to the frustrations I am having with the writing style of the older group. If I do use IEW, I won't over-emphasize the "checklists".

I hope my ramblings haven't confused you.:)

[lovely2behold]

I would be curious about this as well. I am starting TOG Yr 3 with my oldest being 10 and I am wanting to know if WA is what I should start with or use IEW instead.

[Jeana]

Thanks ladies. You are all wonderful.

[Pine Ledge Academy]

I have used TOG WA this past year but have needed more help on the how to write, so I am using TWSS now, and I "think" I will use this as a prep course from now til next year, then back to WA. I love the WA assignments, the variety, but I think the TWSS shows one where to begin, and the how and whys, and then the WA tells one where to go with it...if that makes any sense!

[tullyfamily]

I have never used WA but we are using IEW for writing- it goes with our science & TOG. (We use TWSS, SWI & will use SICC next year.) From what I saw, WA does not teach one how to write (seems to primarily give lessons) as well as IEW. This what I have loved about IEW- I am learning how to write w/ my children! But I am a big fan of theirs... so maybe I am not a very unbiased person. :) (Oh, and by the way- we are in our first year of TOG. LOVING it!)

Heather

[Jeana]

Great review of all of my ideas Heather. Good to see someone using what I am planning on and doing well with it.

[iwka]

I am using WA level 5 with a 5th grader this year. She has learned a lot, but I am looking into incorporating at least the basics of IEW next year.

And this is what I posted at the TOG forum:

My dd11 is a good reader, has little experience in writing, her spelling is right "on the level", she narrates well, she has good imagination, but when it comes to writing she is somewhat disappointed in her "lack of tools". She gets easily discouraged, although I go with her through every detail of her Writing Aids assignments. I understand that it takes time to get use to writing, and she is starting to appreciate all of the steps and preparations in the writing process (pre-writing), but in my opinion she is lacking basic skills (like using stronger verbs, particular nouns, combining sentences, avoiding repetitions etc.) As I looked through IEW website, I thought the clear steps presented in their samples would help her, but I don't want to spend money or burden my kids with just more "stuff."

I just got Easy Grammar 5 for her, and we are using Daily Grams with her from the beginning of the School year.

We are in Y3 U2 W15, she did not do any writing for U1, we just wanted to take it easy and implement gradually every component of TOG.

My ds9 is a right brain child and is struggling with even basic spelling, so I am not doing any Writing Aids assignments with him yet, concentrating on grammar, handwriting and spelling, but I am a little scared about him not being able to "write a paragraph" yet. He is a very good "story teller", retains the information well from reading, and can narrate back pretty well, summarizing or giving the details.

English is not my native language and I am not confident about me teaching writing and composition to my kids.

My question is to all who are or did use IEW and Writing Aids. What is the difference between them? What does IEW has that WA does not and vice-versa.

Should I just stick to Writing Aids and hope that in time it will get better, as my kids grow? Should I educate myself in the writing more? If so, how? Should I add something to my kids' writing lessons?

Also, how do yo incorporate IEW with TOG?I've got some advice and I think I will look into IEW this summer.

[FlockOfSillies]

WA left me lost, and writing is one of my strengths. It was completely over my dd's head, because she didn't know what was expected of her. The schedule is laid out in TOG, true, but I found the instructions to be something like this:

1. Teach your child to prepare to write a paragraph.
2. Teach your child to write the paragraph.
3. Teach your child to write an essay.

I need a lot more in between those steps, kwim? I can talk about writing, but I'm always concerned that there's something I'm missing in my explanations or even my expectations.

I'm using SWI-A and the theme based lessons book (no TWSS for us), and it's going really well. Lesson plans, DVDs -- it's laid out much more usefully for us and my dd's writing has blossomed.