Writing With Ease (WWE) is a scripted elementary writing program that teaches the step-by-step process of learning to write. WWE provides extensive practice in three foundational skills that are prerequisites to original writing: narration (taking something you’ve read or heard and putting it into your own words), copywork (reproducing properly written words and sentences), and dictation (visualizing words and sentences and putting them down on paper).
WWE uses engaging sentences and passages from classic children’s literature to practice these skills, allowing young writers to absorb the style and grace of great authors.
There are two ways you can use Writing With Ease:
- First option: You can use the hardcover text The Complete Writer: Writing With Ease, Four-Year Guide, which covers all levels of WWE. If you want to generate your own student content (narrations, dictation, and copy work), this text is all you need to guide you through an elementary composition course. This works great for families who wish to tailor the content to their preferences. The Complete Writer can structure your writing instruction while you provide the content.
- Second option: You can purchase the Writing With Ease Workbooks, which contain both the Instructor Guide and Student Workbook, if you want to have student assignments prepared for you. The workbooks contain all you need for one year's instruction. For your convenience, all of the lessons, including copy work assignments, comprehension questions, and reading passages, are included for a full year of writing study. The Workbook also contains detailed directions and scripted dialogue, with suggested student responses in every lesson, so you can confidently teach writing.
Should I purchase The Complete Writer: Writing With Ease, Four-Year Guide?
- The Complete Writer: Writing With Ease, Four-Year Guide is not a required resource if you choose to use the Writing With Ease Workbooks. However, this guide gives an overview of the three stages of writing for grades 1-12, as well as a deeper understanding of the philosophy behind it. You will receive detailed information on the progression of the first stage, grades 1-4, and an overview of grades 5-12.
- The Complete Writer: Writing With Ease, Four-Year Guide also provides detailed teacher guidance, along with troubleshooting for those who encounter difficulties, plus examples and criteria for adding your own reading, narration, and copywork passages. You can create a personalized approach by choosing your own passages based on family interests in heritage, culture, history, science, religion, etc.
- Combine the 4-Year Guide with the Workbooks for the ultimate in teacher support and the time savings of no-preparation workbooks!
Where do I start my child with Writing With Ease?
- Start a first grader in Writing With Ease, Level 1.
- If you are starting with a second-grade or older student, use these Writing With Ease Diagnostics to place your child at the correct level.
- A student will not necessarily be in the same level of WWE as in First Language Lessons (the elementary grammar curriculum, FLL), and the levels do not translate to grade levels, so it is important to use this diagnostic tool.
What is different about the revised editions?
- The biggest change is the addition of an optional fifth lesson each week: a creative writing exercise. This provides blossoming creative writers the opportunity to explore by responding to a fun writing prompt, or by drawing or filling in a picture as an extension to the written response. Some, but not all, grammar stage students want or need to write creatively.
- The revised editions contain both the Instructor Guide and the Student Pages, just like the Original Edition. We will continue to sell additional Student Pages. Both will be available in paperback and PDF formats.
What skills are taught in Writing with Ease?
- Writing with Ease recognizes that writing is a process that involves two distinct mental steps: First, the writer must put an idea into words. Then, the writer can put words down on paper. WWE teaches students how to transform thoughts into well-structured paragraphs.
- This step-by-step process is achieved through extensive practice in Narration (taking something you’ve read or heard and putting it into your own words), Copywork (reproducing properly written words and sentences), and Dictation (visualizing words and sentences and putting them down on paper)
Why am I having difficulty purchasing Writing With Ease Level 4?
- Over the years, we have found that three years of WWE is enough to prepare most students for Writing With Skill or similar middle school programs. Because we’ve been recommending that they can move on if they successfully complete Level 3, there is less demand for Level 4, so we have quit printing the Workbook (which has both teacher instructions and Student Pages).
- We have let Workbook Level 4 (which has both teacher instructions and Student Pages) go out of print, so it is only available in PDF. If you already have Workbook 4, you can still purchase a PDF of the consumable Student Pages.
What is the next step after completing Writing with Ease?
- Some students are ready to move on to our middle school writing program, Writing with Skill, after mastering the skills of WWE Level 3.
- Some students need a program to bridge the gap between Writing with Ease and Writing with Skill. Here are Susan Wise Bauer’s recommendations.
Does Writing With Ease have a Scope and Sequence?
- We do not have a scope and sequence at this time, but here is a brief overview of the basic skills and progression.
- Writing with Ease Level 1 Workbook
- Separates the steps of writing into narration and copywork
- Over the year, passages and work increase in complexity
- Writing with Ease Level 2 Workbook
- Continues building writing skills through narration and copywork, along with dictation
- Narration passages are longer
- Students learn to pick out the central idea of a passage
- Copywork begins to transition into dictation
- Writing with Ease Level 3 Workbook
- Students continue to develop primary skills
- Putting thoughts into words (through narration)
- Putting words down on paper (through increasingly complex dictations)
- Students begin to read narration selections independently
- Selections increase in length from about six paragraphs to about nine paragraphs
- Students continue to develop primary skills