Any experience with PTIW and IEW SWI? Can you compare the two?

[Marcie in GA]

Thank You

[MIch elle]

We had PTIW I and tried it for 2-3 mo in spring '07 before I sold it. We then began IEW U.S. History Based Writing lessons v1 and have been using it since with my now 8th grader. I highly recommend IEW! It's much more explicit in the "what and how" to write than PTIW.

I HIGHLY recommend you go to the IEW website and look at ALL the lessons plans for each program. Then join IEW families yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IEWfamilies/?yguid=93229998)and spend time with the MANY files to help you use/chose IEW before you buy.

There also is a used IEW sale group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IEWFamilies-Items_for_Sale/?yguid=93229998).

[Grace is Sufficient]

Had you done any previous IEW? I'm wondering if someone who has never even seen and IEW course could pick up the US History based lessons and be able to make good use of them?

Thanks!

[MIch elle]

I bought IEW TWSS and SWI A when older ds was in grade 5 and tried it and didn't care for it(no lesson plans for it then) and put it aside. Then in his gr.7, I bought IEW U.S. History Lessons (http://www.writing-edu.com/writing/PDF%20samples/Theme%20Based/HB_Vol1_Sample.pdf) and tried it and loved that we weren't dependent on the dvd's and could teach it slowly just following the TM and using his SM.

Yes, I believe that you can just use the history based writing lessons never having watched the IEW dvds. Just read the TM BEFORE you teach the lesson - it's a step by step process. If you get stuck, just ask on the IEW yahoo group.

We love the vocabulary cards that come with the U.S. History lessons. I've just begun the SWI A with my 5th grader.

[Annie G]

We did IEW as a small class...12 students meeting weekly and they had to watch the video AND read aloud their assignment for that week. We used IEW SWI B. Hearing all of the other papers really reinforced the concepts they were learning and two years later, most of the moms report their students still use IEW methods without being prompted. I saw some amazing progress in the students' work during that year!