Read the blog post How to Progress: Structure and Style for Students
1. Do I really need TWSS if my students are using video-based instruction?
2. What is the difference between the three SSS levels?
3. I have children at several different grade levels. Which SSS level should I buy?
4. I have several children. Do I need to buy extra student materials for each one?
5. What is the difference between theme-based books and SSS?
6. Should I use a theme-based book along with an SSS video course?
7. Can the SSS schedule be adapted?
8. What’s the difference between the packages?
9. What’s the difference between SWI/SICC and SSS?
1. Do I really need TWSS if my students are using video-based instruction?
The primary goal of the Institute for Excellence in Writing is teacher training. We offer lessons and video instruction for the students to make the job of the teacher as easy as possible, but it is important for teachers to gain the training necessary to help their students write well.
Writing is an art and requires a give and take between students and teacher. The teacher’s course equips you to provide that for your students. If you only have the student videos, your students will learn much but will only get the answers to whatever questions were asked when the course was originally filmed. If your students have any difficulty, you may find it challenging to provide them the unique help they need. The teacher’s course provides all the hows and whys of the Structure and Style® writing method so that you too can become an accomplished writing teacher over time.
One experienced homeschool mother explains, “I homeschool eight children, so I can appreciate how precious time is, but trying to teach writing without taking the time to watch my teacher’s materials was like pushing the car down the highway because I didn’t have time to stop for gas.”
You do not have to watch the entire teacher’s course in one sitting. To break TWSS viewing into manageable segments, see the Teacher Preparation section at the beginning of each SSS lesson.
2. What is the difference between the three SSS levels?
All three levels of SSS Year 1 contain 24 weeks of instruction and start back at the beginning of the Structure and Style method. The main difference between the three levels lies in the pacing and in the reading levels of the materials. In choosing a course, we always recommend starting at or below the current level of your students to allow them to begin our method from a place of ease.
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Year 1 Level A |
Year 1 Level B |
Year 1 Level C |
|
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Grade Range |
4–5 |
6–8 |
9+ |
|
Length of Course |
24 weeks |
24 weeks |
24 weeks |
|
IEW Units |
1–7 |
1–9 |
1–9, Literary Analysis, Response to Literature |
|
Stylistic Techniques |
dress-ups, #2 sentence opener |
dress-ups, sentence openers |
dress-ups, sentence openers, decorations |
|
Vocabulary |
yes |
yes |
yes |
|
Literature and Grammar Suggestions |
yes |
yes |
yes |
3. I have children at several different grade levels. Which SSS level should I buy?
The levels for SSS are arranged by reading level and experience. If at all possible, each student should work from the SSS course that is geared toward their current reading level. When it is necessary to combine students of multiple ages, our recommendation will generally be to use a lower level since most if not all of the concepts of our Structure and Style methodology are addressed in some way during each course. While the reading level and pacing may be easier for an older student using a lower level, the teacher may always adjust the pacing and increase the items on an older student’s checklist to provide the appropriate challenge for that student.
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4th–5th Grade Reading Level
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6th–8th Grade Reading Level
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9th+ Grade Reading Level
|
If your students have previous IEW experience, you can use this chart.
4. I have several children. Do I need to buy extra student materials for each one?
You will need a student packet for each of your children. The student packet (200+ pages) may be copied for use by multiple children within your immediate family, or it can be purchased as a packet only or with a binder.
5. What is the difference between theme-based books and SSS?
Our theme-based courses provide ready-made lesson plans to support you in teaching writing to your students in the context of history, literature, science, and more. To make this easy, the theme-based books include source texts, checklists, and assignments centered around a particular theme as well as teaching tips. Since they do not include a student video component, they assume that the instructor using them has been through the Teaching Writing: Structure and Style course so as to be prepared to directly teach the material to the students.
Most of these courses work through all nine IEW units, so they can be used for both new and returning IEW students. The courses often have multiple levels of instruction included so that you can use them with a wider range of students.
Similar to the theme-based books, SSS takes you through our methodology with a variety of writing subjects at the level of the student. However, rather than simply reading about how to teach and work through the program, you will be inspired by master teacher Andrew Pudewa. The videos allow him to show and not just tell you how to put our Structure and Style methodology into practice, providing support and modeling for you and for your students. Many people choose to use the video courses in the first year to lay a foundation for their students while giving the instructor time to become familiar with the program. As one homeschooling mom put it, the video courses make it “fall-out-of-bed easy” to get started with IEW!
6. Should I use a theme-based book along with an SSS video course?
No. Choose a video course OR a theme-based book to work through each year.
7. Can the SSS schedule be adapted?
How to adapt the suggested daily breakdown for a homeschool program
In a homeschool setting, students watch the video and complete the homework assigned in the Suggested Daily Breakdown section on each lesson’s Overview page. On Day 5, parents collect homework, return graded assignments from the previous week, and reinforce what Mr. Pudewa taught on the video. Parents may also discuss grammar and/or literature during class time.
How to adapt the suggested daily breakdown for a one-day-a-week program
In a one-day-a-week class setting, teachers can adapt the suggested daily breakdown one of these two ways:
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Using the videos as a guide, teachers watch SSS and then use it as a model for teaching the lessons live.
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Alternatively, parents can purchase the SSS program, allowing students to watch the video at home and to complete the assignment as directed for Days 1–4 in the Suggested Daily Breakdown section on each lesson’s Overview page. Class will meet on Day 5, when the instructor can collect homework, return graded assignments from the previous week, and reinforce what Mr. Pudewa taught on the video. Teachers may also discuss grammar and/or literature on class day.
How to adapt the suggested daily breakdown for a two- or three-day-a-week program
In a two- or three-day-a-week class setting, teachers can adapt the suggested daily breakdown in any one of these three ways:
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Using the videos as a guide, teachers watch SSS and then use it as a model for teaching the lessons live.
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Students can watch Part 1 of the video in class and complete the assignment as directed. Any work not completed in class will be finished at home. The remaining class day(s) can be used to watch Part 2 of the video and complete the assignment as directed. Class time will also be used to collect homework, return graded assignments from the previous week, and reinforce what Mr. Pudewa taught on the video.
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Alternatively, parents could purchase the SSS program, allowing students to watch the video and to complete the assignment at home. Instructors would then use their two or three class days to collect homework, return graded assignments from the previous week, and reinforce what Mr. Pudewa taught on the video. Teachers may also discuss grammar and/or literature on class day.
How to adapt the suggested daily breakdown for a four- or five-day-a-week program
Teachers who teach in full-time schools can adapt the suggested daily breakdown in any one of these three ways:
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Using the videos as a guide, teachers watch SSS and then use it as a model for teaching the lessons live. The daily breakdown can remain the same, or teachers can adjust or stretch out the lessons. (See blue page for a suggested weekly schedule for adapting twenty-four weeks of instruction into thirty weeks.)
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Teachers show the videos as an instructional tool and facilitate the lessons by passing out the papers and writing on the whiteboard what Mr. Pudewa writes. The daily breakdown can remain the same.
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Teachers show the class selected clips from the videos, particularly those which introduce a new IEW Unit (Weeks 1, 2, 6, 9, 13, 17, and 20), and then teach the other weekly lessons themselves. The daily breakdown can remain the same, or teachers can adjust or stretch out the lessons. (See blue page for a suggested weekly schedule for adapting twenty-four weeks of instruction into thirty weeks.)
8. What’s the difference between the packages?
Our new Structure and Style for Students Basic Package includes a spiral-bound teacher’s manual, student packet, student binder, and 24 videos (available as Forever Streaming or DVD). The Basic Package is available for $169.
The Structure and Style for Students Basic Plus Package includes a spiral-bound teacher’s manual, student packet, student binder, 24 videos (available as Forever Streaming or DVD), Portable Walls for Structure and Style Students, a Fix It! Grammar teacher/student combo of one level. The Basic Plus Package is available for $189.
The Structure and Style for Students Premier Package includes a spiral-bound teacher’s manual, student packet, student binder, 24 Forever Streaming videos, Portable Walls for Structure and Style Students, a Fix It! Grammar teacher/student combo of one level, A Word Write Now, and Teaching Writing: Structure and Style [Forever Streaming, Seminar Workbook, Premium Membership]. The Premier Package is available for $289.
9. What’s the difference between SWI/SICC and SSS? What are the improvements?
Each level of our Structure and Style for Students (SSS) course offers twenty-four full video lessons for a year’s worth of material. This comprehensive course provides clear daily assignments and includes vocabulary words, literature suggestions, and lesson plans for teachers. It also offers optional Fix It! Grammar daily lesson suggestions.
The Student Writing Intensive courses included four video lessons with teacher’s notes and did not offer vocabulary words or literature suggestions. The course was initially presented as a 4-day intensive and was later expanded with additional written lesson plans to create thirty weeks of writing assignments.
The Student Writing Intensive Continuation Courses included nine video lessons with a downloadable teacher’s manual, but they did not include vocabulary or literature suggestions. This course included thirty-two lessons providing one to two years of instruction.
In SSS, students cover seven or more of IEW's structural units in their intended order. Students also learn how to better incorporate stylistic techniques in their writing assignments. With the option to stream or watch DVDs, SSS is the most user-friendly and comprehensive program IEW has ever produced!
For more information please visit this comparison page.
10. How can SSS teach the same thing as SWI/SICC but not be repetitive and still easy enough for students new to IEW?
IEW materials always take a spiral approach for the ultimate goal of mastery. Starting from the beginning of our Structure and Style methodology, the SSS programs offer the opportunity for returning students to refine what they have already learned with all new assignments while new students have the opportunity to practice for the first time. Even better, each SSS Year 1 program covers far more concepts than any of the SWI courses did. This means that even returning students gain brand new skills while honing those they have already encountered.
11. Why would I want to move into SSS Year 1 when I’ve already done a year of the Student Writing Intensive?
“With growing competence in organization, variety of expression, and effective thinking habits, students come to know more and more what to do and how to do it well,” says Andrew Pudewa in his article “What is IEW? Method not Madness.” SSS takes returning students to the next step in mastery learning by helping them refine what they have already learned through all new assignments. Each Year 1 program covers more concepts than any of the SWI courses so that returning students are empowered with new skills as well.
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