Comparing IEW and WWS

[tmstranger]

I have a rising 6th grader that doesn't "love" writing, but he doesn't hate it either.  He's currently using Write Shop E, but I don't think I want to use Write Shop F for him.

My oldest son did WWS1 in 6th grade, and he struggled a bit that year.  Now, he's doing WWS2 as an 8th grader and doing better.  His writing isn't great, but I've seen improvement.  He also did a brief semester with IEW's theme book All Things Fun and Fascinating, so that's my only experience with IEW.

Now that my younger kiddo is entering the middle school years, I'm trying to decide between using WWS1 or trying the student intensive year of IEW.  I'm just hesitant to spend that money on IEW when I own WWS and really just need a new student book. 

What do you see as the pros and cons or benefits and drawbacks of each style of curriculum (just IEW and WWS)?? 

[2Peanuts]

Hi there,

I used both with my DD13. She used WWS1 (or was it WWE?) through WTMA's online class two years ago and IEW's SWI-Level B (also through their online class) this past year. So, WWS1 as a 6th grader and SWI-B as a 7th grader.

I liked the writing instruction in SWI more, only because it provides more scaffolding for students who have trouble with anything beyond a simple, subject-verb-predicate sentence. They provide a lot of checklists to help kids slowly build their writing tool box. Lots of focus on how to structure a sentence, how to choose a variety of words to convey your ideas, etc. IEW gives your kiddos the techniques to make their writing "pop."

That said, IEW progresses more slowly in terms of types of writing - i.e., writing pulled from multiple resources, the different essay types, etc. SWI-B only covers rewriting paragraphs, simple narratives (think: retelling an Aesop fable), reporting on a topic based on multiple sources (i.e., a 5-paragraph research report), and personal narrative. So for families that want to hit the various essay types or cover lots of different writing formats, this program may move too slowly.

WWS looked more at how to structure a writing. This program would work well for a kiddo who already knows how to vary their sentence structure or can write smooth, flowing prose. WWS gives templates for different types of writings, but there's not much on how to make your writing more interesting.

The way I look at it --- IEW is more for writers who work well with checklists (that's me!) and enjoy the challenge of trying to vary sentence structure or avoiding using certain words when writing. WWS is for the writer who works well with general frameworks of how to do something & already has a decent voice and flow in their writing.

As for the online class element (not that you asked but in case it's a question you have later or others might have) --- WTMA wins hands down! They have really figured out the platform and format for their online classes. DD loved her WTMA teacher and ranks her as one of the best teachers she's ever had (Jennifer Roudabush for anyone who's interested). DD hated the IEW platform - it's very stodgy and students must be able to type their responses to the teacher...which puts some students at a distinct disadvantage. WTMA allows students to use their mics so they can talk...and the in-class chat box stays functional during class so students can interact throughout class. In the IEW classes, the chat box gets shut down as soon as the teacher comes online, which means students interact with only the instructor. DD hated that because part of the joy of taking online classes is meeting the other students. Also, all the instruction for the IEW class was pretty much on the DVD (which is a required purchase for the course). In class, the teachers mostly just reviewed what was taught on the DVD and then they went over the grammar workbook, which was fun for the first 3 weeks and then became a chore.

Bottom line: I'd recommend the IEW writing program in a heartbeat, but not the online class. I'd also recommend WWS, but only if your kiddo is already a decent writer.

Hope this helps!

[tmstranger]

Thank you.  I like your assessment.  Definitely giving me something to think about!