Comparing IEW and Writing Strands...

[cheryl h]

We haven't used either...they both look great...but big difference in cost. Is it worth spending for IEW over Writing Strands? I have heard a few success stories from both...but am left with the impression that WS is helpful for the reluctant writer but is not as complete of a program as IEW. Please set me straight. I would love to hear your success/failures with either program and if you have used both, please share your opinion of which you suggest...even if it's both. Thanks in advance for taking the time out of your busy holiday life to answer my questions.:001_smile:

[lewelma]

I found this in my files. Not sure where I got it or who wrote it, but thanks to that person. Not sure if it will help you, but.....

 

ruth in NZ

 

IEW

 

Overview:

Explains that you can proceed through the units in order, or pick and choose; you can teach the nine units every year, one per month, and repeat every year using more complex source material. (Sections following have suggestions on how to use them with each level of student.)

Written Communication Pathway:

Explains the relationship between the units of the program.

Unit I: Note Making and Outlines

Teaches children to pick out key words from a source reading, as they read, and then use those to construct an outline of the text.

Public Speaking

Techniques for good public delivery of written material; speaking from a key word outline.

Unit II: Summarizing from Notes

Teaches children to rewrite the original source reading from their outline.

The Syllabus in Style

An introduction to teaching techniques you can use as you teach children what Pudewa calls the "dress-ups" (see below).

Stylistic Techniques

Covers the "dress-ups" children can use to vary the structure of their sentences: who-which clauses; "ly" words; because clauses; strong verbs; quality adjectives; clauses using when, while, where, as, since, if, although; dual adverbs, verbs, and adjectives. Also covers words and forms that can be used to open sentences (subject, prepositional, "ly," "ing," clausal, etc.); "decorations" (different types of sentences to be used in compositions such as questions, conversation, simile-metaphor sentences, etc.); and finally use of repetition (words, phrases and clauses, "ings," "lys", adjectives, nouns, and verbs). Pudewa uses rules to make sure that children use these techniques: i.e., "Use each dressup once in each paragraph" and "Use one different decoration per paragraph."

Style Wall Charts

Charts summarizing the dress-ups, acceptable prepositions, adverbs, etc.; also a "banned list" of common words that should be shunned in fravor of more expressive words ("said," "go," "pretty," etc.).

Practicum: Note Making and Sumamries

An exercise in the skills taught above.

Marking and Grading

Use of checksheets for grading student work.

Unit III: Summarizing Narrative Stories

Teaches children to recognize story sequence; for older students, to recognize problem, climax, and resolution; also offers a model for writing critiques of literature that cover character, setting, plot, conflict, climax, theme, and message.

Practicum: Summarizing Narrative Stories

An exercise in the skills taught above.

Unit IV/VI: Summarizing References and Library Reports

Teaches the use of library materials, note taking from sources, summarizing of notes, creation of an outline covering the topic that includes notes from various sources, and writing of a report from the outline.

Practicum: Summarizing Multiple References

An exercise in the skills taught above.

Checksheet for Three Paragraph Compositions

For the student to use in checking over his work.

Unit V: Writing from Pictures

Using a series of three pictures to write three paragraph stories; teaches the use of past participle verb forms, as well as use of a topic sentence, and the use of "final clincher" (a summary sentence that reflects the content of both the last paragraph and the whole of the story).

Unit VII: Creative Writing

Teaches a structure for "writing about virtually anything", consisting of an introduction, three themes (one paragraph for each theme), and a conclusion that restates the three themes. Reminds the parent that children should be using all the stylistic techniques above (deocorations, etc.).

Unit VIII: Essay Writing

Teaches the structure for formal essays (five, seven, or more paragraphs). This unit builds on the basic skills and structures taught earlier (taking notes, making an outline, writing an introductory paragraph, writing the body of the essay covering themes which have been chosen while constructing the outline, writing a conclusion) to develop longer and more complex compositions.

Checksheet for Essays

For the student to use in evaluating her own work.

Unit IX: Critiques

Teaches skills in literary analysis: outlining story sequences, analyzing literary elements such as moon, characterization and theme, setting, conflict, and climax.

Certificate of Completion/Homework

An award for the child and a final assignment to complete and mail to IEW for grading.

Appendix

Various sample lesson plans, compositions, web resources, etc.

 

 

 

[lewelma]

Writing Strands

 

 

A detailed lesson outline:

Level 1: a book and cassette tape that guides parents towards verbal instruction. Covers: making up words, recognizing sounds, rhyming, finishing sentences and stories, expanding sentences, describing, making tape recording, discussing stories, making up new endings, and other creative games. Directed at preschoolers.

Beginning with Level 2, the books give very specific instructions. This, for example, is from Lesson #12, "Techniques of Comparison": "It should take you four days. Day 1: Put five objects on a desk. Your child will have to describe in writing one of them, using only the other four objects as references. He can't say the banana is soft. He must say that the banana is softer than one or more of the other objects..." etc. for Day 2, Day 3, and Day 4.

Level 2: Introductory writing skills. Using adjectives, making lists, reporting what you see, making paragraphs, ordering actions, using grouping and variety in sentences, writing simple stories (intro to problem, climax, and resolution), convincing the reader, constructing dialogue, writing letters, using narration, use of comparisons, writing greeting cards, putting yourself into a character's place while writing, imaginative description.

Level 3:

Following directions, constructing complex sentences, writing organized paragraphs (understanding relationships between main and supporting ideas), constructing good descriptions, using and understanding point of view, using experiences to organize a description of a typical day, putting yourself in a characters' shoes, planning and writing a very short story, using action words in description, understanding the relationship between a series of events in a story, creating likeable characters.

Level 4

Connecting sentences so that ideas flow from one sentence to the next; recognizing and listing the main points in a story and in a story summary; describing emotions; analyzing actions and predicting their outcome; the choice and use of narrative voices in stories; using past and present tense, and their relationship; organizing a paragraph that contains more than one idea; how to describe the layout of a building or another space in writing; how to set up and resolve a problem between chracters; using first, second, and third person; using future tense; describing how objects change; more work in character position and point of view

Level 5:

Understanding and identifying the attitudes of narrative voices; making the structure of sentences more complex; recognizing and writing valid arguments; identifying the degree of knowledge that the narrative voice of a story has, and using this in your own writing; using active and passive voice; organizing a list of ideas or items; using speech patterns and speechs tyles in dialogue; understanding and using techniques that authors use to control a reader's feelings; changing tense in dialogue; using flashbacks and foreshadowing; business letters and how to write them.

Level 6:

Describing the body movements of characters as a way to characterize their personalities; understanding choices in using point of view; using conflict in stories; explanatory exposition; how to use unbiased questions in researching and interviewing; identifying and describing conflicting forces in a novel; understand the qualities of a "stock character"; writing decisions; writing arguments; principles and practice in business letters.

Level 7:

More practice in observing and describing body movements; using and identifying the practice of giving readers partial information; creative and resolving conflict; using point of view in expository writing; creating place descriptions; how to take a survey and report it; how to interview experts and use the quotations to support a position; analyzing character development; creating emotional relationships between characters.

Writing Exposition:

Using the library, taking notes; using models in expository writing; using hypothetical situations to support exposition; resisting manipulation by other writers; understanding book covers; writing about cultural values; writing about the value of role models; using comparison and contrast; using "I" in formal writing; writing the reaction paper; uncovering and understanding bias; propaganda techniques; structuring the term paper; using primary research; evaluating magazines.

Evaluating Writing:

Dealing with conditions that making writing difficult: fear, insecurity, motivation, concentration, thinking through ideas, talking about mechanical problems, following directions, not wanting to rewrite, "I don't want to write!", proofreading. Common writing problems and how to correct them; how to correct specific problems at each level; using Writing Strands skills across the curriculum; summary of spelling rules.

Communication and Interpersonal Relationships: How to Say What You Mean to Say, by Dave Marks

Covers eye contact, verbal reinforcement, physical reinforcement, meeting people, interviewing, understanding other points of view, how to disagree politely, how to reduce aggression, body language, debating techniques, "How Not to Be a Bore."

Reading Strands: Understanding Fiction

Very detailed instruction on developing critical thinking for very young readers as well as for readers in grades 7-12. Covers characterization (literary terms, objectives for character study, how to conduct socratic dialogue about actions, motives, relationships, speech, kinds of people, weaknesses and strengths, physical characteristics, intelligence/schooling), comflict (nature of forces, situation, progression of plot, factors affecting conflict, socratic dialogue regarding conflict), resolution (literary terms, socratic dialogue), point of view, analogies, antonyms, cause and effect, classification, and context as clue. The appendix includes instruction for the parent on teaching literature using the socratic method.

Analyzing the Novel

A detailed handbook for analyzing all aspects of the novel, with specific analysis done for you on the novel enclosed: Dragonslaying is for Dreamers.

Creating Fiction

For writers who have completed the basic Writing Strands instruction: establishing location, establishing narrative voice, identification with character, point of view, senses, dramatic dialogue, reader reactions, symbols in literature, flashbook, mood, satire, tense use, speaking patterns, giving information through description, controlling structure, creating characters, the short story form.

[lewelma]

looks like the formatting is a disaster. If it is too unreadable, let me know and I will try again.

 

ruth in NZ

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

:lurk5:

[MSNative]

I tried WS and it didn't work for us. We love IEW. There are lots of different products for IEW - you don't have to use TWSS or SWI. You can start out with one of their theme or history based ones and get a feel for it. I appreciated that IEW was all planned out and taught my kids step by step. The process is logical and very achievable for any student. Plus, I liked that they have products that correspond with history time period we are studying. Makes it easy for me. Check out the IEW families yahoo group. You will find a TON of info there. Ten minutes there and you will be able to decide if it's the right product for you. I bet there is something similar for WS.

[pbjmeyer]

WS did not work for us. It was a complete failure.

 

I have used IEW for the past 1 1/2 years. Yes, it is an investment, but it taught a method that can be used in almost any subject in which a paper is assigned. It does teach creative writing, essays, and report writing (including merging information from multiple resources). Eventually, after the student has mastered the 'method', he wouldn't use all the requirements in every paragrah as taught in the course. Maturity and experience would begin to kick in, and the writing will become more natural.

 

They have a yahoo group where used IEW curriculum is sold.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IEWFamilies-Items_for_Sale/

 

if the 'teaching writing style and structure' DVD and book is out of your budget, start with a 'theme based' book.

 

You can also ask more specific questions from their other yahoo group which supports users - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IEWfamilies/?yguid=112056765 .

 

I also tried "Bravewriter" and we use Rod and Staff, which has a writing component to it.

IEW is what has worked for us - so well, in fact, that this past month he has started carrying around a notebook EVERYWHERE so he can write stories in his spare time.

Also, he was able to write a report from 3 sources on a country without my constant prodding, editing, threatening, etc. It was well-written (this was from an outside class, so he didn't have to use the requirements as taught in the class, but I could see where he had used them to create well worded sentence). I hate to say it completely surprised me!

 

Hope this helps!

[cheryl h]

In a nutshell, it looks like IEW is geared more toward report/research writing and WS has more of a creative writing bent. Very good to know. Thanks to all who took the time to give feedback and hopefully this info will be helpful for someone else too. Thanks again.

[cheryl h]

So I was looking at the IEW Theme based units last night some.. are they as good as SWI?

 

If you go with the SWI do you need the teaching writing set? What about the 3 levels (a' date=' b, and c)? The thought of buying 3 levels of writing at 240 bucks a pop is way out of consideration for my family.. even the thought of 100 a pop for 3 levels is more than I can easily spend.

 

I love the look of the theme based units (though I'm hoping that if I do buy it that the ancients level isn't as religious as their sample looks or it will do us no good either).

 

I don't think my oldest will ever be a natural writer, nor will he pick up a pen and write something just because... but I do want him to get a grip on basic report type writing because I know he will need it if he decides college is his thing.[/quote']

 

Check around with other hs families in your area...they may have already gotten the teaching DVD's and might be willing to let you borrow them...then you can just buy one of the theme based books and you're off and running. This is the scenario that I am praying for since I don't have that kind of budget for writing either.

[Julie of KY]

I love IEW and it is all we've used. I teach it at home and in co-ops. I think it does well at both report writing and creative writing.

 

My kids love the vidoes, but others love the theme based books - I think it depends more on teaching style. My kids use the vidoes and supllemental lessons. When I teach in co-op, I teach some of the same lessons on the videos and use some of the theme based books for other lessons.