Learn To Write The Novel Way

Description

In this "novel" approach to writing, children complete an entire year (or semester) of English in the context of writing a novel. This is homeschooling at its finest. First, children establish a purpose, a goal, a motivation - the writing of a novel. Prerequisite skills for doing so are then learned as they are needed to accomplish the goal. This is such a natural, sensible way to incorporate all of your instruction - like a unit study just for English. And, because of the wide grade range, you can teach all of your upper elementary and up children together.

The process is broken down into 13 steps from incubation to hatching. Basically, the steps are: coming up with an idea, developing characters, choosing voice, developing plot, organizing, writing, writing (overcoming writer's block), revising for "vivid" (sensory) language, revising for better (more exact) word choices, revising for style (using literary devices), editing, creating a finished product (publishing) and showing it all off (sharing/distributing). Preferably, each step will take as long as it takes. However, the author has supplied a recommended schedule to help you stay on track. Each step corresponds to a process, not a time frame. All in all, students spend about 9 weeks planning, 8 weeks writing, 14 weeks revising and editing and 5 weeks publishing/distributing on a 36-week implementation. The editing takes about 8 weeks alone (this step includes most of the grammar, spelling, and punctuation instruction for the course), while others are allowed 2-4 weeks each.

Each step is organized into three components: Learn, Practice, and Apply. Your involvement will be needed the most during the Learn phase to present new concepts and make sure your child understands - but mostly to coach! The worktext is amazingly well-written and easy to use (not to mention engaging!). Everything is clearly outlined for you and your child. Extra guidance for you for each step is contained in the small Teacher's Guide/Answer Key. The Practice part of each step is done independently by your child. This consists of questions, activities and exercises directed to the student. After Practice, students Apply what they've learned and practiced to their work in progress.

The worktext is consumable (but not reproducible), so you will need to purchase one for each student using the program. Since the student pages are not included in the Teacher's Guide, you may want to purchase an additional copy for yourself. The Teacher's Guide contains answers, an overview of each step, hints, and group activities. If you really like this approach but consider it too expensive, think about what you would be willing to pay for your child to attend a weekly writing seminar given by the author (Carole Thaxton) for an entire year. That may put it into perspective.

Teaching Method
Traditional
Teacher-centered curriculum commonly used in classrooms that may include a text, teacher manual, tests, etc.
Charlotte Mason
A methodology based on the work of a 19th century educator who maintained that children learn best from literature (Living Books), not textbooks.
Classical
A methodology based on the Latin Trivium (three stages of learning), including the grammar stage (memorization and facts), logic stage (critical thinking), and rhetoric stage (developing/defending ideas).
Unit Study
A thematic or topical approach centered around one topic that integrates multiple subject areas.
Montessori (Discovery)
A methodology based on the work of a 20th century educator that emphasizes student and sensory-driven discovery learning and real-life applications.
Religious Content
Christian/Religious
Faith-based or including instructional religious content.
Neutral
Avoids religious or theoretical topics or presents multiple viewpoints without preference.
Secular
Contains content contrary to common Christian beliefs (i.e. evolution).
Learning Modality
Auditory
Learns through listening, talking out loud or reading out loud.
Visual
Learns through seeing, prefers written instructions and visual materials.
Kinesthetic/Tactile (Hands-On)
Learns through moving, doing and touching.
Multi-Sensory
Curriculum that employ a variety of activities/components.
Presentation
Sequential
Curriculum progresses through well-defined learning objectives. Emphasizes mastery before moving to the next topic.
Spiral
Topics and concepts are repeated from level to level, adding more depth at each pass and connecting with review.
Conceptual/Topical
Focus is on the “why,” often with a unifying concept as well as specific skills; coverage may be broader.
Teacher Involvement
Low Teacher Involvement
Student-led materials; parent acts as a facilitator.
Medium Teacher Involvement
A mix of teacher-led time and independent student work.
High Teacher Involvement
Teacher-led lessons; may utilize discussions, hands-on activities and working together.
Additional Materials Required
No other materials needed
Everything you need is included.
Other Materials Required
There are additional required resources that are a separate purchase.
Other Materials Optional
There are additional resources mentioned or recommended but are not absolutely necessary.
Consumable
Consumable
Designed to be written in; not reusable.
Non-Consumable
Not designed to be written in; reusable.