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    Mia #33832 12/31/08 07:52 PM
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    HWT is a great program, but it isn't for composition. That is just strictly the act of handwriting.


    Kriston
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    Originally Posted by minniemarx
    I don't know if this is anything like what you're looking for (and I'm sure Kriston will have lots of ideas!),


    Nope! I was just going to ask around. As I say, I can't see paying for a writing curriculum for a 7yo when I designed more than one for college students! It really seems like I can handle a 7yo on my own! wink

    Those sound good, Minnie. smile


    Kriston
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    Here is the link to www.bravewriter.com online classes. http://www.bravewriter.com/program/online-classes/class-list/one-thing-freewriting/ Look at the freewriting course.

    Quote
    Rita Cevasco, Brave Writer instructor and professional speech pathologist, teaches this workshop in order to facilitate even greater facility with generating writing from scratch, particularly for reluctant writers and students with language processing disorders. Rita�s expertise makes her an invaluable resource for the mom wanting to help her language-impaired student.

    I don't know if this applies to you but might be worth an email to Julie Bogart. She is EXTREMELY helpful.

    hugs!

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    I liked the writing program my DD started last year in K and I hope the school continues it. Here's a link but it may be too pricey. There are some sample sessions on the web site though.

    http://www.unitsofstudy.com/

    inky #33851 01/01/09 07:50 AM
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    I read a wonderful book about the '6+1 writing traits.' Here's a link to more info: http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/definitions.php?odelay=0&d=1

    but there doesn't seem to be any 'approved' 6+1 website that I can find. There are plenty out there. What I like about 6+1 is that it indroduces a vocabulary about writing that you can look at the works of professional writers, and have a good conversation about them, or use it to talk reasonably about a child's writing sample.

    When I was a kid, my feedback about writing consisted of 'copy editing' type of stuff. This is important, but has almost nothing to do with improving communication on paper.

    Just having a vocabulary help tremendously.

    Best Wishes,
    Grinity


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    I completely agree, Grin!

    Teaching a child the different betweeen drafting, revising (fine-tuning ideas) and editing (fine-tuning grammar and spelling) is REALLY helpful, and it puts the focus solidly on the child's ideas without neglecting mechanics.


    Kriston
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    Thanks to Dottie's input, I am beginning to see that she isn't so much behind, as just on track for her age in that particular area. I guess we just aren't used to seeing that since she is advanced in science and math.

    I will definately have to look into some of these. I feel so inept in teaching writing. My oldest just turned nine. She would have been in fourth grade, they were hoping to move her to at least fifth grade if she stayed in public school. She is home and her WJ puts her at 8-10 in writing samples. So she's not as behind for her actual age, just for the grades she was grouped in for overall classes. Now that she is homeschooling it should be easier to meet her needs, I just don't where to begin. Hence the writing tutor, who is one of her past public teachers that she adored who will at least give me a starting point; definately not something I could afford long term.

    I really appreciate the input. I am going to spend a more time looking at the Voyages in English to see if maybe I'm using it wrong and look into others that you guys suggested.



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    Oh, and the twins just turned six. Normally I wouldn't worry about writing with them just yet and one is a struggling reader and the other reads very well but struggles with handwriting. (Fine motor problems.) I was told by the teacher consultant that the school is now teaching writing starting in K?


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    Pretty much anything that has her writing every day and thinking/talking about how to make her writing better is going to be a good program.

    I have a couple of strategies I use with DS7. The one I use most frequently is to have him write down words he doesn't know from his reading and then use them to write anything he likes. Usually they wind up being really silly, but that's okay at his age. I just want 3 lines of writing every day. (Last year I required 2 lines and next year I'll require 4 or 5.) Then we discuss what he wrote. I try not to come at this conversation as a judge but as someone asking questions to encourage him to think critically about his own writing.

    Other days I'll let him write absolutely anything he wants. Last year he wrote a book about Transformers. He would often write for an hour without stopping because he was so excited by his story. On these days, I don't require much critical thinking about his work. I just let him enjoy the process.

    One other strategy I have rarely used with DS7 yet (he's still pretty young!) but often used with my college students was directed freewriting. It might be good for your older DD. It's a kind of brainstorming exercise. I think Bravewriter uses a form of this a lot, too, though her version may be more polished and less brainstorm. I'm not sure.

    Anyway, freewriting involves asking a question and then having the student write as fast as possible about it for a short time--5 minutes, tops!--without stopping. Something along the lines of "What things scare you and why?" or "If you could solve one problem in the world, what would you pick and why?" The idea is to choose something meaty!

    If the student runs out of ideas while freewriting, then s/he writes "I don't know what to say" or something like that, but the pencil doesn't stop moving until time is up! The student shouldn't worry AT ALL about spelling or grammar. S/he doesn't even have to write in complete sentences. This is a great way to generate ideas at the start of a larger project. It's not so much writing as it is thinking on paper.

    From the freewrite, the student can then cull ideas for a more polished paper, taking time to think as needed. Multiple freewrites can be used to focus on various parts of the project. Ultimately, the goal is to move to a more organized arrangement of ideas. You should pay no attention to spelling or grammar, and you should discourage the student from worrying about them as well. (A good exercise for perfectionists! wink )

    Revising the work to be sure the ideas are arranged logically and explained as fully and clearly as desired is next. Still, focus is on the ideas and the organization, not on mechanics.

    Finally, proofreading should take care of grammatical and spelling errors. But there's no point in obsessing over how to phrase a sentence if the idea is crummy and is going to get cut from the paper! Sculptors don't polish until after they've cut away any stone they don't need. The writing process is very similar!

    FWIW...


    Kriston
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    Oh, for the twins, a line or two a day is probably fine. Most composition programs do very little with kids that young. If they write something every day, it probably doesn't matter much what they write.

    And yes, I wouldn't worry a whole lot about the fact that your older DD has some asynchronous development, especially in the area of writing. That's very common. Nothing wrong with being ND for your age! Since you're homeschooling, it shouldn't matter a bit. The grade skip might have made things hairy for her, but at home, it is very easy to serve her needs.

    No worries! smile


    Kriston
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