Byline Writing

[RubyPenn]

Has anyone used Byline?  I would like to use it for my 9th grader next year, but it's so expensive and I can't find many reviews to know whether it's worth the price.

[Lori D.]

It's a newer program, so I don't think I've seen anyone review it yet on these boards. However, his Cover Story (gr. 6-8) and One Year Adventure Novel (gr. 9-12) have been favorably reviewed here, so at least that's good to know. 😉

Here's the Cathy Duffy review, in case it helps.

And if wanting to check out other Journalism options:

text/program
- K-12 ENG010: Journalism -- $450 course
- High School Journalism by Homer & Hall -- text; ~$60 new / ~$10 used
- Journalism Basics (Cathy Duffy review) and, link to the Book (gr. 9-12) -- text; ~ $30

DIY
- School Journalism -- free articles & lesson plans (looks like middle/high school)
- Journalism Courses for High School Homeschoolers -- Adorable Chaos blog article on how to cover Journalism
- Journalism Curriculum for Homeschoolers -- Five J's blog on how to DIY course
- Teachers Pay Teachers: Journalism Bundle

Edited March 29, 2022 by Lori D.

[NittanyJen]

3 hours ago, RubyPenn said:

Has anyone used Byline?  I would like to use it for my 9th grader next year, but it's so expensive and I can't find many reviews to know whether it's worth the price.

My youngest used it a few years ago for freshman English. He really enjoyed it! It puts a journalism spin on academic writing, and involves doing some history-based research to write the articles. I felt it did a nice job of getting him to think clearly about sorting fact from opinion, cite sources as he took notes, keep a list of related questions that developed as he read and took notes, separate out his own thoughts and impressions from sourced material as he kept his notes, so he could, again, keep straight as he wrote the difference between fact and opinion, prioritize what was important, and really organize this thoughts well. It was more engaging than a run-of-the-mill writing course, and to him, it felt more creative. It meshes very well with an American History course going on at the same time.

From Byline, he segued well into TWMA’s rhetoric series of writing courses.

It’s newer than Cover Story and One Year Adventure Novel, but it has been out for a few years now, so you will be able to find a few people who have used it, very likely.

 

[RubyPenn]

8 hours ago, NittanyJen said:

My youngest used it a few years ago for freshman English. He really enjoyed it! It puts a journalism spin on academic writing, and involves doing some history-based research to write the articles. I felt it did a nice job of getting him to think clearly about sorting fact from opinion, cite sources as he took notes, keep a list of related questions that developed as he read and took notes, separate out his own thoughts and impressions from sourced material as he kept his notes, so he could, again, keep straight as he wrote the difference between fact and opinion, prioritize what was important, and really organize this thoughts well. It was more engaging than a run-of-the-mill writing course, and to him, it felt more creative. It meshes very well with an American History course going on at the same time.

From Byline, he segued well into TWMA’s rhetoric series of writing courses.

It’s newer than Cover Story and One Year Adventure Novel, but it has been out for a few years now, so you will be able to find a few people who have used it, very likely.

 

Thanks, this is helpful.  Does it cover grammar?

[NittanyJen]

12 hours ago, RubyPenn said:

Thanks, this is helpful.  Does it cover grammar?

It does not have intensive grammar program embedded; issues like passive voice are covered as needed for discussing writing for journalism, as are selection of various parts of speech.