Final choices from SCM, help please! Thanks!

   I promise not to ramble this time!  In a nutshell:  My kids struggle with these subjects; (writing, grammar, spelling).  They both have some learning issues, (son esp. struggles with handwriting, possible”dysgraphia”).  I tried Barton Reading and Spelling for my him last year, and used most of the Easy Grammar (grades 5 & 6) for their English.  They are actually  going into “grades” 7 and 9 this fall, but we have found that for some subjects (English, Math and Spelling)  we have to use lower grade level materials.  The Barton helped my son some, but he wants to move on to a “real” spelling course (I think for self-esteem).  While using the EG, I stuck to the basics; the sentence diagramming and such were so confusing and overwhelming to them, so we skipped these.  I had hoped to switch everything over this year to the SCM guide recommendations; I tend to drive myself batty researching this and that, etc.  I would love to just cancell all my plans and the need to study curricula, and just SIMPLY stick to the SCM guides for all subjects.  That would be wonderful!  I just didn’t know if others with “learning challenged) dc have success with most SCM materials.  For ex., do you think the AG is more for the “average or gifted”? Or, could I just take it very slow  with AG level 1 for both kids (if need skip the diagramming; they do not plan to be English grad. students!)  As I have mentioned in many posts, spelling seems to be the worst learning obstacle for my 14yr ( and myself). I don’t want to do Barton again; he thinks it means he is “dumb”.  I wonder if  the dictation exercises from Spelling Wisdom would be good for strengthening his handwriting skills,; we also plan to implement the keyboard for him at your recommendations here. We have GOT to get going on written narrations; we only did oral last year.  Would the combination of two dreaded subjects in one lesson be best (ie get the worst done in “one daily lesson”), or, would this be a bad idea?  I also noticed on the curriculum guide that your students here normally begin The Essay by this grade (7-9).  However, I recently read an older thread “Writing Advice” I think was the title I think).  It was an awesome discussion about the importance of teaching narrations prior to a focus on essay skills; that these skills will come as the children master their written narrations.  I had tentatively planned to use IEW for both the kids this year, but this discussion completely changed my attitiude!  So, with that being said, would you agree to postpone the SCM Essay and Beyond the Book Report materials until we get a handle on written narrtions, say a year or even two?  The other curricula materials listed in the curriculum guide (for Bible, History, Math, Science, Literature etc.) look great to me; no worries here.  These others have me stumped. I value your wisdom more than you could ever know!  Thanks, Marie