Since this series is still very new, Book 1 is the only book I’ve gotten feedback about. I’m happy to report that so far, it’s all been very good! I’ve been told that students started writing more, and better, and impressed outside teachers who were reading their work. Of course, the real hero is narration and the moms who were consistent with it. The Art of Composition assumes your student is a fluent narrator, and so it begins from there.

Each book has three modules, along with (optional) suggestions for creative narrations and commonplace entries. One important thing that will help your students move from narration to composition is the realization that writing is a craft. It’s something that can be practiced and improved. Most importantly, a student’s written narration is just a first draft and it can be improved. Corrections can be made. Word choices can be altered. Things can be rearranged, removed, or added to the original draft. Bit by bit, your students will learn to treat their writing as a craft by working with the narrations they are already doing.

In Book 1, your students will work on level 1 editing–making corrections. They will work on the habit of looking and listening for different types of errors, going over a piece of writing several times and creating a clean, error free final draft. Some students might be ready to do this before 9th grade, so if your 7th or 8th grader is ready to edit narrations, you could begin this book and go a little more slowly through the series (some lessons can be used multiple times, so you can personalize assignments for your own student).

In addition to editing, your students will work on seeing the order in a piece of writing. They will learn how outlines show the skeletal structure of a paper, and discern how an author organizes his thoughts. Your students will be introduced to both formal and informal outlining and given the chance to experiment with both kinds.

In the final module, your student will learn how introductions, transitions, and conclusions help a reader understand what a writer wants to say. Your students will begin the habit of including these elements in their written narrations as a foundation for writing longer compositions later.

You can purchase this volume or download a free sample at Simply Charlotte Mason.