The Institute for Excellence in Writing helps parents teach their children to write effectively using the four language arts — listening, speaking, reading, and writing. IEW methods have been proven to be effective for students of all ages and levels of ability, including those who are gifted, have special needs, or are English language learners. The program uses modeling to instruct young writers — the idea is that seeing good writing modeled helps students learn to write well when they move on to original work. A parent seminar guides parents in using the curriculum most effectively.
COST: Varies.
PROS
- Systematic, step-by-step approach to writing that’s easy to use.
- Strong emphasis on a formula for excellent writing, which some families may prefer.
- Encouraging program for parents. Equips them to guide students to write well.
- Parent-intensive program — pre-planning and instruction required by the parent. Some families may prefer this instructional model.
- Some online courses available.
CONS
- Strong parental involvement. This may be undesirable for some families.
- Hardcopy materials must be shipped. Video instruction may be viewed on DVDs or streamed.
- Some parents report that IEW stifles creativity with its formulaic approach to writing.
Why it’s helpful for families living internationally
The Institute for Excellence in Writing provides a proven writing program for students of all ages. Its structured system works well for a variety of learners. Despite mailing costs, some families living internationally have chosen this writing program because of its strong reputation. Parents should be prepared to be fully involved in this program.
