all this talk about IEW... what about their Student Intensive Continuation Course?

[TMarie]

I've been told by a very wise & experienced home school mom that her favorite Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) resource is their Student Writing Intensive Continuation Course (SWICC.) Yet, I've seen no mention of it on these boards, of late.

 

From the IEW website, www.excellenceinwriting.com, it says SWICC "picks up where SWI leaves off." Isn't Student Writing Intensive (SWI) meant to be an intensive course covered in a short period of time? (1 week to several months.) I haven't used it, but I think this is what the website is saying. SWICC, on the other hand, has 36 lessons. Does this make SWI more of a jump-start with SWICC the actual meat-and-potoatoes of the program?

 

Has anyone used the SWICC? Can you make some comparisons for us? Was it beneficial beyond the SWI?

[AngieW in Texas]

The SWI courses are an introduction to IEW. They cover units 1-4 and 6. These courses are taught live in just 4 days, but the lesson plans that come with the dvds stretch it out over 15 weeks.

 

The SICC courses start where SWI leaves off and cover the rest of the units. These courses are taught live in 10 days, but the lesson plans that come with the dvds stretch it out over 36 weeks.

 

SICC is very expensive compared to SWI. I have done SWI level B with my two older girls (they were in 6th and 8th grades at the time). I like using one of the theme-based writing lessons after SWI to teach the rest of the units. The theme-based lessons are a lot cheaper, cover all of the units, and they are book-based rather than video-based. I prefer book-based programs, so that's what I'm using now.

 

My 14yo has finished US History-based Writing Lessons volume 1 and is now working through volume 2. My two younger girls will work through these same lessons starting next year when they are studying American history.

 

Here's a list of the units so you know what I'm talking about:

 

Unit I ~ Note Making and Outlines

Teaches students to make a "key word outline," preparing them to be freed from the problem of what to write about so they are able to focus clearly on how to write well.

 

Unit II ~ Summarizing from Notes

Builds on Unit I by showing students how to summarize their notes and improve their writing with descriptive adjectives, adverbs, and more.

 

Unit III ~ Narrative Stories

Shows students a basic story structure and develops their ability to write stories using familiar stories as models.

 

Units IV (single source) and VI (multiple sources) ~ Summarizing References & Library Reports

Prepare students to take notes from their sources and write library research reports without pain and agony.

 

Unit V ~ Writing from Pictures

Uniquely taps students' creative energies by writing stories from a series of one to three pictures.

 

Unit VII ~ Creative Writing

Gives students a method to "get information out of their brain" to use when writing anything, from those summer vacation essays to a decent letter to Grandma.

 

Unit VIII ~ Essay Writing

Provides students with the skill of writing formal essays of five or more paragraphs, developing the foundation for high school and university writing.

 

Unit IX ~ Critique Writing

Concludes the course, teaching a solid structure for book reports, reviews, and critiques.

[TMarie]

Angie,

Thank you for your detailed response - that was helpful! :)

 

So, where the Theme-Based Writing Lessons designed to take the place of SWICC, but with a limited subject matter and no DVD's? In other words, are we going to miss out by not using SWICC? I have to admit that going straight to the Theme-Based lessons sounds much easier both for me and on the the checkbook!

[AngieW in Texas]

I'm willing to take the chance for the vastly lower price of the theme-based writing lessons. I find it easier to work with a paper-based resource rather than a video-based resource anyway.

 

I probably will have my girls do the High School Essay Intensive at some point.