Entries Tagged 'WriteShop' ↓

Who knew you could find a grammar lesson in the pages of a Pottery Barn catalog?

Browsing the latest edition, I enjoyed identifying a wide range of sentence variations on page after page. Between PB’s concrete word choices and interesting sentence structures, no wonder their products sounds so enticing!

In our junior high/high school WriteShop curriculum, we teach students to use a nice assortment of sentence variations. Among top reasons, using a variety of sentence types:

• Peppers a composition with interesting phrases
• Adds zest to otherwise dull writing 
• Expands sentence length
• Offers alternatives to the subject-verb sentence structure
• Improves the rhythm of a sentence or paragraph
• Often helps eliminate a “to be” verb
• Brings maturity to the writing

Just a few of the many sentence types I spotted in the August 2008 Pottery Barn catalog:

Paired Adjective Sentence Starters

Clever and versatile, our modular Daily System is the ultimate home-office assistant. (p. 108)

Soft and weighty, our cotton velvet is saturated with intense color made even more dramatic by its deep matte texture. (p. 117)

Present Participial Phrase Sentence Starters

Standing more than five feet high, our cylinder lamp creates a striking setting for seasonal displays. (p. 12)

Combining linen’s distinctive texture and appeal with cotton’s natural wrinkle-resistance, our drape has an easy elegance. (p. 134)

Past Participial Phrase Sentence Starters

Woven of incredibly soft cotton yarn, our velvet pillows are available in an array of saturated colors. (p. 8 )

Rendered in warm ivory and pale espresso stripes, our hand-tufted wool rug brings a bold look to your room. (p. 53)

Defined by clean, minimalist design, our Landon Collection lends a modern aesthetic to the bath. (p. 78)

“-ly” Adverb Sentence Starters

Originally popular in coastal countries like Belgium and the Netherlands, the sandrift gray finish is created by brushing the ash-framed furniture with washes of eggplant, taupe and blue… (p. 22)

Beautifully crafted of birch and birch veneers, the table has a turned pedestal that rests on a scrolling three-footed base. (p. 56)

Subordinate Conjunction Sentence Starters

Although the design was originally European, and based on the classic Windsor chair, ladder-back chairs have become American icons… (p. 51)

Since then, this highly comfortable and durable design has been a favorite at cafés all over the world. (p. 57)

As in nature, our cheetah-pattered wool rug has markings that graduate from small to large, close-set to widely spaced, all set off by tonal variations in the neutral colors. (p. 107)

Prepositional Phrase Sentence Starters

In the tradition of Scandinavian design, we’ve brought graphic appeal to the simple forms of flowers and leaves. (p. 12)

Like well-traveled furniture pieces that have been painted and repainted over time, these cabinets have a richly layered finish. (p. 32) 

For graphic impact, nothing beats our stoneware in black and white. (p. 67)

Appositives

Hand quilting and tonal pick-stitching, two techniques that have been used for over a thousand years, require detailed hand work… (p. 37)

Canopies, or four-post standing beds, were originally introduced in the 15^th century. (p. 92)

Transition Words

Each piece is shaped from copper with rolled-in edges, then coated with a layer of tin. Next, the surfaces are meticulously hammered for rich texture. Finally, the pendants are plated with silver and rubbed with a blackened finish that accentuates each indentation. (p. 65)

Sentence of Six or Fewer Words

High function meets great style. (p. 109)

Give your windows modern style. (p. 139)

Isn’t it fun to find “school exercises” in real writing? It’s all about application!

If you’re already a WriteShop user, you may want to print out this blog post for ammunition in case your teen moans and complains over an assignment. After all, if the copywriters at Pottery Barn use sentence variations to increase the appeal of their descriptions, it only makes sense that our kids’ writing can improve with simple changes too. Showing examples from real-life writing encourages them that the skills you’re teaching will make a difference in their writing style.

. . . . .

Do you struggle with teaching and grading writing? Does your teen’s writing need a boost? Consider adding WriteShop to your curriculum choices for this school year!

As part of most lessons, WriteShop teaches—and offers practice in—a new writing skill, including a wide array of sentence variations that help to enhance a student’s paper with fresh style and vigor. When combined with strong, dynamic word choices, sentence variations give dull writing new life.

For more information, visit our informative website at http://www.writeshop.com/.

To most parents, the process of editing and evaluating your student’s compositions does seem like an overwhelming, subjective effort. It’s usually pretty easy to spot spelling and grammar mistakes and other problems with mechanics. But grading for content and style is another thing altogether!

Have you ever said anything like this?

• I can’t quite put my finger on what’s wrong.
• I’d say this essay feels like a B+.
• I love the story, but I don’t exactly know why. It just…sounds good.
• I hate grading. I’m always afraid I’ll either be too easy or too hard on my child.
• I never know what I’m supposed to be looking for.

Christy’s Story 

I have a junior high boy who hated writing because he (and I) felt it was so subjective. WriteShop…breaks it into objective little pieces with skills to practice, examples for visual learning, and student checklists so a reluctant writer has a clear path to follow. It takes the guesswork out!

For the parent, there [are] Teacher Writing Checklists to make specific, encouraging comments to help the student revise his work. The best part is the objective scoring of each component.

My son went from being a C writer to an A writer in just one year! I thought he would never be a straight A student all because of the problems in writing. Well, he is…this year thanks to WriteShop.

Finding Answers

WriteShop can help 

Happily, as Christy and others have discovered, the process is easier and more objective than you think! Knowing what to look for and having clear expectations can take the anxiety out of this task. Since beginning writers often make the same kinds of mistakes, the Teacher’s Manual for WriteShop I and II addresses these common areas. In the tabbed sections of the Teacher’s Manual you will find: 

• A step-by-step guide through the writing and editing process.
• Instructions for using the Student and Teacher Writing Skills Checklists.
• Pages of positive comments to encourage your young writer
• A section that helps you identify and correct problems specific to each WriteShop lesson.
• A section highlighting the most common problems of mechanics.
• Edited samples of student paragraphs to serve as models (this section also contains lessons designed to help you practice and develop confidence in editing).

Learning to edit a composition is a process for both you and your student. WriteShop’s comprehensive Student and Teacher Writing Skills Checklists take the intimidation and guesswork out of editing. Because your teens know what is expected, they also respond more positively to suggestions for improvement.

Good news

The more you edit and revise, the easier it will become for you. Familiarity produces recognition. You’ll quickly become adept at spotting repeated words, “to be” words, and misplaced modifiers. Soon they’ll just jump out at you. But in the beginning, you’ll need to search for these mistakes.

It’s actually more objective than you think—especially when you have WriteShop’s detailed checklists to help you look for specific things, including:

• Topic and closing sentences
• Over-used or repeated words
• Vague or weak words
• Passive writing
• Use of sentence variety
• Correct use of the lesson’s content and style requirements, such as including all the elements of a narrative or using emotion words
• Avoidance of run-on or incomplete sentences

And here’s a bit of encouragement for you: Even if you only address half of these, your student’s writing is bound to improve! So don’t worry about doing it “perfectly.” Just begin offering concrete suggestions and you will see improvement right away.

Your student’s role

But it’s not all up to you! Your student plays a big role. Asking the following questions of your student’s composition will address his or her two biggest stumbling blocks to success:

• Did my student follow the assignment’s specific directions? She will avoid countless problems later on by doing exactly what the lesson requires. 
• Did she correctly use her Writing Skills Checklist, including using colored pencils on the “sloppy copy” (rough draft) to underline and circle as the checklist directs? Students who diligently use their checklists to find errors and make changes, and who earnestly look for ways to improve their compositions, will be more successful writers than those who sit back and let you do all the editing for them.

WriteShop I and WriteShop II have a proven track record! Using the program will help prepare your teens for advanced high school and college writing. But don’t take my word for it! Christy and Dottie have said it better than I ever could.

Dottie’s Story

When I placed two of my daughters in WriteShop I, I had no idea how greatly it would impact them. My youngest daughter took WriteShop in 7th grade. Now in 9th grade, with little other formal writing instruction, she is still applying the techniques she learned two years ago.

Her older sister did WriteShop I in jr. high also. She is now in college and was asked by her composition teacher to work in the English lab helping other students with their writing. I attribute this honor largely to the skills she learned in WriteShop I many years ago.

. . . . .

Do you struggle with teaching, editing, and grading your teen’s writing? Are you looking for ways to make the process more objective? Perhaps WriteShop is the answer. Visit www.writeshop.com and poke around. About WriteShop and Parent Testimonials may be good places to begin.

In Part 1 of Learning Disabilities and Writing, I broadly defined three particular learning challenges: ADHD, dysgraphia, and dyslexia, specifically identifying how each affects a student’s writing.

Well, it’s one thing to put your finger on the problem, but quite another to find a working solution! We often get the question, “Does WriteShop work for children with learning disabilities?” For many older students with ADHD, dysgraphia, and dyslexia, WriteShop does seem to be an excellent fit.

“WriteShop’s lessons tend to work well for many types of learning-disabled children because of their explicit instructions and requirements.” – Nancy, learning specialist

Below I’d like to share ways that WriteShop can help students who learn with difficulty. Bear in mind that WriteShop I and II are written for 6th grade and above. But the following tips may help you overcome writing hurdles no matter what writing program you choose. 

Struggling learners benefit from specific instruction

• WriteShop instructions are written directly to the student in an orderly, step-by-step fashion. They not only include writing ideas and clear directions, but many lessons also tell the student what NOT to write about or include in the composition. Furthermore, the Teacher’s Manual includes tips for the parent so that you can anticipate the most common kinds of errors your child might make.
• Students do better when they can use graphic organizers such as mind-maps (clustering), charts, lists, or diagrams to help them outline and plan their work. WriteShop lessons provide many such opportunities for students to brainstorm and prepare for writing assignments.
• Students who are easily distracted or who spell poorly benefit from word banks. WriteShop’s comprehensive, topical word lists help students make better vocabulary choices because new words (and their spellings) are readily available..
• Checklists are vital to the struggling learner. It’s important for him to be able to mark his progress. WriteShop provides a lesson-specific Writing Skills Checklist for every writing assignment to help the student with his self-editing. A visually-overwhelmed student can use a plain sheet of paper to help him track each line of the checklist.

Struggling learners need reinforcement and repetition.

• WriteShop lessons build on previously-learned skills.
• Checklists help students apply these skills regularly.

Struggling learners benefit from alternative methods.

• The physical act of writing may be too challenging. Instead of making your student write by hand, allow her to dictate to you while you write or type. Usually a student will use more complex vocabulary and sentence structure when speaking, but if asked to write the same information, she will often choose shorter words and sentences. Allowing her to dictate to you helps ease her stress about writing.
• Perhaps she can edit and revise the draft you write and can recopy her own revision.
• Or allow her to use the computer, including the spell check function.

Struggling learners do better with strict parameters.

• They flounder when assignments are open-ended.
• WriteShop gives specific requirements for each lesson, from brainstorming to writing. Students always know what they need to do.
• WriteShop also restricts the number of paragraphs (usually just one) and paragraph length (at first 5-7 sentences but never more than 10 sentences in WriteShop I).

Struggling learners need bite-sized assignments.

• WriteShop’s lesson schedules spread out assignments to allow for paragraphs to rest between drafts.
• Assignments begin with prewriting activities and brainstorming exercises that narrow and focus in on the topic.
• Lesson instructions are written in a step-by-step manner.

Dyslexic/dysgraphic learners benefit from projects that build writing skills.

• Have them write letters, keep a diary, and make projects that use writing but are not writing-intensive, such as posters, mobiles, brochures, and cartoons.
• WriteShop’s Teacher’s Manual has a wonderful supplemental appendix that is filled with ideas you can use with students of all ages.

Parent Testimonial

          “Our son is a junior in high school, and writing has always been rather a nightmare for him. He has ADHD and getting thoughts and words on paper is a difficult and long, drawn-out process for him. BUT your curriculum so quickly gave him the tools to help him to put descriptive, concrete thoughts on paper that I am truly amazed at what he can write after only Lesson 4. I know of at least one other home schooling family that has a son with special learning needs, and they rave about your writing program as well.” –Laurie, NY

To learn more, visit writeshop.com or download a sample lesson from WriteShop I.

As students enter junior high and high school, it’s time for them to practice writing business letters. Whether writing to a company to offer praise for a product or addressing a city councilman about a neighborhood eyesore, using a  more formal business-letter format adds credibility to the sender’s request, position, or opinion.

In WriteShop II, we teach students how to write a letter to the editor of a newspaper. The example composition in the student workbook urges the governor, by way of a letter to the editor, to take action on a bill. With a few word changes, the letter could just as easily address the governor himself.

The point of the lesson, of course, is to help students articulate a concern and seek or suggest action. The audience can be a member of any political, social, or commercial group as long as the student is learning how to address such a person with polite conviction.

Who’s the Audience? 

But if your children need an audience for their letters, and the daily newspaper isn’t the outlet that seems to work for them, you might suggest a different audience. Some ideas that spring to mind:

• City council member
• State legislator
• State representative
• Governor
• Owner or developer of a property (eyesore, maintenance issues, health and safety concerns, etc.)
• Owner of a local business
• President or CEO of a corporation
• College or university admissions department
• Chamber of Commerce (to request brochures or travel information)

If you shift away from the letter to the editor and instead have your student address her letter to one of the above-suggested recipients, consider teaching her how to format a business letter. Since WriteShop doesn’t teach business-letter structure, this would be an added tool in her writing belt.

When to Write a Business Letter

• To praise a product, service supplier, or staff person
• To compliment a speaker
• To compliment or praise an author
• To praise someone for an achievement
• To complain about poor product quality or poor service
• To ask for political or social action or change
• To write a letter of recommendation
• To request information

Would you like to teach the business letter to your kids? Here’s a link to a site that models several kinds: WriteExpress.com (Business Letters)

WriteShop II teaches advanced descriptive narration, persuasion, and beginning essay writing (including timed essays). To learn more about WriteShop II for your high schooler, visit our website at www.writeshop.com.

In Part 1 of our story, Debbie and I discovered that our plans for teaching our first writing class were very nearly doomed. Now for Part 2 . . .

Taking a Detour

It wasn’t just our own boys whose efforts cried out for help—every student in the group struggled at some level. So we canceled class for two weeks, scrapped the lesson plans we had so carefully crafted over the summer, and started from scratch. We had made a commitment to these parents, but clearly we needed to take a detour. Continue reading →

I’ve been storing a mountain of emails in one of my Outlook folders—comments and testimonials from happy WriteShop users. Our brochures and website only have so much room for snippets like these, so I thought I’d give a voice to these dear moms and co-op teachers who took the time to brighten our day. Hope they encourage you, too! Continue reading →

As you pick up a grammar program, geography book, or other curriculum from the shelf of your local homeschool store, do you ever wonder how it got there?

Do you perhaps envision a talented team at work in some big-city corporate office building comparing research or collaborating over cover designs?

If so, let me QUICKLY dispell that myth for you! Continue reading →

Here’s another popular question that shows up in our WriteShop mailbag with regularity!

As parents plan their students’ schedules, they often ask us to help them figure out how much time each day’s activities take. Our answer? The ever-popular: “It depends!” Continue reading →

Some of the most popular questions we receive in our mailbag regard assigning high school credit for WriteShop I or II.

Common Questions about High School Credit

• Is WriteShop I considered an English course?
• My daughter will be starting WriteShop II. Would this count for high school English credit?
• My 10th grader has almost completed both WriteShop I and II. How much credit can I expect to assign him?
• I’m teaching a WriteShop co-op class. How much credit should enrolled high schoolers receive?
• Can I give high school credit to my 7th grader upon completion of WriteShop I?

Know Your State’s Requirements 

A course can be content- or hours-based. Your student must complete a prescribed course of study or log a certain number of hours to receive credit. And requirements for high school credits differ from state to state. For hours-based courses:

• In many parts of the United States, a semester of study (65 hours) equals 1/2 credit and one school year (125 hours) equals 1 credit.
• California requires a student to invest 65 hours (one semester) to receive 10 credits and 125 hours (one school year) for 5 credits.

Options for Assigning High School Credit

Option 1: 1/2-Credit Composition Elective

• Based on hours alone, WriteShop I or II qualifies as a one-semester, stand-alone composition elective, separate from English or other language arts credits.
• The average student spends about 4-5 hours on each lesson (more in WriteShop II), or 64-80 hours per WriteShop level. If your student completes both books in one school year, you could consider each semester a 1/2-credit composition elective.

Option 2: 1-Credit Complete English Course

• WriteShop assignments may be figured into a student’s total language arts or English grade (along with literature, grammar, and/or vocabulary).
• One WriteShop level, plus grade-appropriate grammar and literature, would together comprise a 1-credit English course.
• Since most students will spend about 65 hours completing one WriteShop book, we recommend that you give writing (WriteShop) at least 50% weight when determining your child’s grade.

Option 3: 1-Credit Composition Elective - Co-op Class

• Many students are enrolled in WriteShop co-op classes. Depending on class length and frequency, a class effectively adds 1-2 more hours per lesson to the 4-5 hours a student spends at home.
• This can amount to an extra 30-60 hours per level of WriteShop, which would make each BOOK qualify as a 1-credit course.

7th and 8th Graders

When my son took WriteShop II in 8th grade, I did not give him high school credit. He worked hard and wrote decent compositions and essays, but he needed a great deal of help from me and certainly did not produce what I considered high-school quality writing. He wrote like a junior higher.

On the other hand, a 10th grader working through the same book is 1)  actually in high school; and 2) more likely to write compositions that reflect his or her age and maturity.

So even though some homeschool umbrella schools or ISPs will allow an 8th grader to get high school credit for a course that is considered high school work, please make this call with care. Remember that even though WriteShop may be used with students as young as 6th grade, it is the rare 12- or 13-year-old indeed who can actually write at the high school level.

For more information on the WriteShop program for your junior high or high school student, visit writeshop.com. Or give us a call if you’d like to ask specific questions about using WriteShop. Debbie and I are glad to help!

It’s Official 

The March/April issue of Mary Pride’s Practical Homeschooling magazine features its 2008 Practical Homeschooling Reader Awards. We were excited to learn that WriteShop tied for third place in the Writing Composition category.

Among the winners, WriteShop is the newest kid on the block, so we feel especially honored to receive this distinction!