Someone asked me what I like most about homeschool writing titan Andrew Pudewa‘s Institute for Excellence in Writing program for home school students. Here are my thoughts regarding the beginning DVD course, Teaching Writing with Structure and Style.
Key Word Outlines
Pudewa teaches a method where you take a passage of text and select the key words from the passage, narrate the passage back from the key word outline (without looking), then draft your own passage from the outline. For a one paragraph passage, you are allowed 3 key words for each sentence. So a 3 sentence paragraph on cats might look like this:
1. cats, animal, kingdom
2. tiger, puma, lion
3. feline, mammal, curious
It’s a great tool that solves the common dilemma of “I don’t know what to write.” Just read the text, select key words, organize them in an outline, and write.
Stylistic Techniques
He also teaches (over time) a brimming toolbox of stylistic techniques that, when added to the draft composition, provide flair and a polished final copy. For example, he teaches 6 different ways to open a sentence, 6 ways to dress up a sentence (ex. strong verb, quality adjective), and more. Once your son has mastered the basic key word outline and is writing his own rendition of the original text, he would then begin to add the stylistic dress ups.
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Those are just two of the features of Pudewa’s program that I have found helpful. He also teaches a GREAT persuasive essay model that moves your reader from their position to your position without immediately turning them off to the topic. If there is any drawback to the IEW option, however, it is the cost. His beginning course is very expensive (the teacher/student package is $229) although you will use it for several years as you continue to layer on more advanced techniques. It might be good to find a friend who wants to go in with you on the initial cost or share it in a co-op teaching environment. Additionally, you’ll probably want to buy future products down the road like the High School Essay Intensive. Anyway, I’m one of those homeschooling moms who’ve spent alot of money on products that didn’t work, but this is one that I can wholeheartedly say works. Hope this helps!
