Hi everyone! I’ve had a ton of requests to do a review for our homeschool writing curriculum. We’ve been using the Institute for Excellence in Writing program for a few years now and really love it. We started out with the Group A Student Writing Intensive, and this past year we moved on to the Group A Continuation Student Writing Intensive program.
IEW does offer several different courses depending on the ages and needs of your students, so you’ll want to check out the IEW Website to decide which program is best for your student. They also have themed writing units if you don’t want to do the writing intensive curriculum like we are. I really like how this program works. The instructions for your students are really clear and they know exactly what they need to do to create a properly formed paragraph along with dress-ups, and sentence openers that will really improve their writing style.
I didn’t do the Teacher course called Teaching Writing: Structure and Style, but they have that as an option if you’re really nervous about trying to teach writing. I’ve found that watching the videos with my kids has been enough for me to be able to facilitate the writing lessons. They also provide checklists for your student, along with a grading sheet that makes the whole process really easy for both the teacher, and the student.
Most of you also know that we started using the IEW Fix It! Grammar curriculum this year as well. They go really well together and use similar terminology and methods which make it easy for me to teach both.
Check out my video review of the IEW Student Writing Intensive to learn more about why we love this curriculum!
For more information, visit IEW below!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I want to make it clear that I will NEVER refer a product to you that I do not use and love myself! That said, I am sometimes fortunate enough to receive a small compensation from products that you purchase through the links in my post. So thank you!
Soooooo not related to this video, but your hair is adorable!!!!! Loooove it!!!!
His
Shari
Thanks! I got tired of it and chopped it all off a couple of weeks ago 🙂
So, have you started this with your youngest yet? My son is in 2nd grade (like your youngest) and is using a different writing program, but I’m not sure if it is what I want to continue with. What are you currently using, if not IEW for her? Do you plan to start her next year?
Thanks.
No, she’s still in 2nd grade, so we’ll try it with her next year in 3rd. I think 2nd is too young for IEW personally. She’s just doing the Abeka Language and Letters & Sounds workbooks right now. So no formal writing other than the Abeka Language has them working on proper sentences etc.
I have a 3 year old who is so eager to learn how to read. She keeps on getting things with words on it and asks me “what does this say, mommy?” So I decided to get the IEW’s primary arts of language reading and writing. I hope it works out well.
I too wanted to say, I love your new hair cut!! 😊
Thank you! For taking the time to put this together. It looks amazing. My older two went through the PS system. If I remember correctly, writing was not taught this way. It would of made things so much easier for my kids if it would have been. It is good for learning/teaching how to research and write reports too, it seems, another facet that isn’t covered well over here in PS. I will be adding this to our curricula for next year.
Thanks!
I have been interested in the IEW program for awhile now, but was always hesitant because I thought I’d have to do the teaching course first, and it just seemed like a lot. But my son, who’s in 8th grade, absolutely despises writing. I have such a hard time getting him to do a book report or any kind of writing assignment. After watching your review of the program I am definitely sure he would benefit from it. However, I checked out the website and am having trouble finding the program like what you purchased, just the CDs, and printing out the extra worksheets. All I find is the teaching CDs. Could you please help me out? I’m not sure if I should do the 6-8th grade or 9-12th grade. I generally go a year in advance and he always does great. Any help you could give me I would very much appreciate. Thank you in advance for your help.
B.T.W- I love watching your YouTube videos about homeschooling, they have helped me out and given me great advice.
I would probably start with the 9-12 if he does well moving ahead a little bit. But you can probably also check with the IEW people and see what they recommend as well. As far as the DVDs, I bought mine used online, eBay I believe. If you purchase the DVDs from IEW one of them includes the student handouts if you want to print your own. At least they do for the Group A Continuation. Might check on their site to see what comes with the DVDs for the level you’re looking at.
We looovvveeee IEW too! We started the Fix It grammar and student intensive for my 3rd grader. She went from HATING fill in the blank worksheets (“cause it was too much writing”) last year to loving writing! So thankful for it!
Ps. Love the haircut!
Thanks!
We switched to IEW this year, and are beginning with level C with Pax {9th grade} and I am in love! I do have the teacher course, and it has helped a LOT. I think had we started earlier I wouldnt have needed it, but starting at level C it has been very helpful. I plan to begin IEW with Lili next year in 3rd too!
Good to know! Thanks!
Thank you for taking the time to share. When your list of what you are teaching came out, I did some research on IEW. it is really good for kids who are High Functioning Autistic. My daughter is doing well so far. She lives their spelling and we are just now getting started on IEW Fix-It.
Ugh, looks like I need grammar help. Phone and typos!
I see they have a K-2 program for reading and it includes all about spelling. Do you like it better or the all about reading/all about spelling? Or spelling u see with all about reading? There’s so many choices! We are starting kindergarten. My son is 4.5 and is struggling with fully grasping letter recognition. We have been doing the letter pattern blocks from your website and just printed the LOTW so we will be completing that then starting K materials. I too have 4 kids. 4.5, 3, 18M, 3M so this is my first experience in prepping for homeschooling.
I use a mix of Abeka Language 2 and Letters and Sounds 2 with my All About Spelling phonics lessons. I like the worksheets as practice for her and to show she can do the work on her own. But I prefer how AAS teaches the phonics rules.
what else would i need to purchase with the student writing intensive A? or does it come with all i need for both my daughter and myself? also what do you do for English/ language when doing this? we are using BJU this year which i like but i agree my daughter is feeling the same as your son with writing.
It will come with everything you need, the DVDs and student worksheets and teacher’s manual. We used to do BJU English, but this year we switched to IEW’s Fix It! Grammar. I like how it correlates with the IEW Writing program.
I’m thinking of buying it for writing and just skipping the writing in bju and doing only the English then next year I definitely want to get the fix it grammar! Think that will work?
Yep, that’s what we’ve done the past few years and it worked just fine 🙂
Do you make the grading sheets for your children’s compositions. I just purchased and started using the program this week and went to “grade” it but wasn’t sure how I should go about it. We started with Sea Snakes. Is there a template you can share or any ideas to find one or what to use to make it. Thank you for this review. You really sold it well. It was on my maybe list and decided i needed it now!
Hi Becky,
No, the grading sheets come in the student workpages with the curriculum. Check your student download sheets.