Oops I'm coming to this late but we have had great success with the 2x2 method. It teaches the basic movement and the right entry from the start and then you can work on the million and one other variables that makes agility so "fun".
Same idea as the channels but you can break it down to work on the entry (first 2 poles) without necessarily drilling large numbers of weaves. Once your dog gets that entry without the "channel" then you can set up a staggered set in front of a straight set to work on entries before longer sets of weaves.
We started the 2x2's from the get go starting all around the entry "clock" so to speak when we had to go to weave rehab this winter
This really worked for us because I could "click" or toss a ball for the right entry with just the 2 poles. We tried the ball & food things but I just don't think he understood why he didn't get the ball when he missed the entry 6 poles ago...maybe he's slow
Susan Garrett is the 2x2 lady and she has some great articles in clean run I also was just reading some interesting "games" for handler placement in a book for working on distance in aglity and they talk about calling your dog through weaves, sending them trough standing to the left, then the right and also moving with them and even stopping. Once Bear's leg is better we'll be working on those games.