For all educators grades 3 and up, here is a proven, ready-to-use resource that lets you easily tailor writing experiences to the needs of any student having difficulty writing -- even your most reluctant writer!

Starting with simple written words and progressing to sentences, paragraphs, and reports, Let's Write! takes into account all ability levels and learning styles to help each student achieve success. Basic to more advanced skills are presented sequentially in lessons that devote small amounts of time to four diverse tasks.

For example, one lesson of moderate difficulty might ask students to do the following: Write a list of things that can fly. Write a paragraph about your favorite meal. Play a game that involves pantomiming verbs. Listen to a read-aloud like The Education of Little Tree.
Sequential presentation of the skills needed for writing helps students become successful right from the start of their program, and spending smaller amounts of time on diverse tasks engages students with attention issues.

The program gives you over 200 activities and over 110 worksheets, all printed in a big 8 1/4" x 11" spiral-bound format that folds flat for easy photocopying of any page as many times as needed. It is organized into two parts:

PART 1 focuses on teaching the basic structures of written language in seven sections: for example, Words ("A Category Game"), Sentences ("Write It with Nouns"), Paragraphs ("A 'What If' Paragraph"), Research Reports ("Write About Amazing Facts"), Book Reports ("Write a Testimonial"), Stories ("Five-Object Find"), and Essays ("Political Topics").

PART 2 offers a combination of specific skills development and opportunities forpractice in nine sections: for example, Grammar ("Search and Destroy"), Editing ("Find My Mistakes"), Poetry ("A Poem Full of Lies"), Literature Connection ("Animal Questions"), Holidays ("A Holiday From Another Culture"), Letters ("Hello Human"), Using the Newspaper ("Dear Gertrude"), Real Life Writing ("A Job Application"), and Gimmicks & Gags ("Write It with a Ridiculous Interview").

What's more, two appendices provide countless ideas for word, phrase, and sentence lists, plus suggestions for read-aloud and other books for use with students.

In short, Let's Write! gives you a tested sequential program for meeting the special needs of all of your students who are reluctant writers. It will help you turn a task that may now be overwhelming and agonizing for your students into a joyful and satisfying activity.

For all regular and special education teachers in grades 4 and up, here is a ready-to-use activities program combining whole language concepts and phonics strategies to teach students with spelling difficulties how to spell by recognizing patterns and consistencies rather than memorizing hundreds of isolated words. Included are step-by-step instructions for utilizing the program followed by 40 sequential lessons covering Sounds, Syllables, Word Building, Rules and Generalizations accompanied by diagnostic tools, word lists, and 200 reproducible activity sheets.
For easy use, all program materials are printed in a big 8 ? * 11" lay-flat binding that folds flat for photocopying and all lessons follow the same familiar format: Getting Started: To begin the lesson, students draw on their prior knowledge, discuss what they've learned in previous lessons, and write their observations in a notebook. Introducing New Information: The teacher creates situations in which students actively acquire new information. Practicing with Individual Words: After reviewing word lists demonstrating a new pattern, rule or generalization, students write individual words and self-correct any mistakes. Practicing Spelling in Context: Using the new patterns they've learned to spell, students begin to write meaningful sentences. Reinforcing Activities: Students select any activity, such as "Syllable Rummy" or working with a popular literature selection that reinforces the lesson. Extra Interesting Facts: Little-known facts about words and expressions, such as the origin of hamburger and "It's Raining cats and dogs," spark students' curiosity about our language. Plus 5 Ready-to-Use Worksheets: Including&*FinishIt! An exercise in which students select the right words to complete 10 sentences. *Categories Game: A game that builds students' confidence and logical thinking skills as they locate the correct categories for newly learned words. *Look It Up! A dictionary usage activity in which students look up common and uncommon words working at their own pace. *List It! An easy, enjoyable exercise that prepares students for "real" writing. *Write On! A writing activity featuring tall tales, poetry, TV ads and more that develops students' expository and creative writing and spelling skills. In short, Spelling Smart! Gives you a unique and proven program to develop competency in students who have experienced repeated failure in learning to spell. Once you guide them through the first lessons of this program, they will gain confidence, begin to succeed, and demand more challenge!