Essentials in Writing Review

My 8th grader used Essentials in Writing this past school year and I'm sharing all about our experience using it and the EIW Scoring Service.
I'm thankful to Essentials in Writing for sending EIW Level 8 to me for free to review. They also added in the Scoring Service for free so I could share about it with all of you.
Find out more about EIW:
www.essentialsinwriting.com
Read my blog review of EIW:
bit.ly/2Ykd7yD
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[@gayemarianesfox2405]

Thank you for this review. We’re trying it for the first time next year in 7th.

[@JoyfullyHis777]

Thank you for the very thorough review! We are using this for the first time in the upcoming school year. 😊

[@tammy2143]

This sounds great! I'm writing it down and looking into it. Thanks for sharing!

[@checkplz6626]

I've been waiting for your review ever since you announced you would be using this. I'm glad to see your thumbs up! We love this curriculum too. Nice to hear about the scoring service.

[@michellenieves6569]

This was so helpful thank you! I was on the fence but now feel good about it 🤗

[@brooke0130]

Thank you thank you thank you!! This was extremely helpful!

[@Thedailypure]

Great Review! Thank you!

[@yelortiz]

Thank you! This is exactly what I need for my student. The grading service is probably the most valuable component for me. It will give her a professional outside perfective and feedback on her work.

[@JanelleKnutson]

Glad it was helpful! Yes, the outside feedback is so helpful! FYI- they have a limited number of grading service slots so make sure to purchase yours as soon as they open it up! Those spots go fast!

[@jennifertinkham5599]

I'm just now looking into this curriculum. You're review is very helpful!

[@JanelleKnutson]

Awesome! So glad it was helpful to you.

[@ev8295]

I bought level 6 for my son based on your great review! looking forward to starting it tomorrow :)

[@t1blue]

Erika Viscovich I'm looking at this too. How did you enjoy it?

[@Dobiemama23]

Looking into this for my son who is starting 7th grade. I was leaning towards BJU but this sounds more interesting. Thank you for this 😊

[@timvandermey4792]

Like BJU for History. Did not like their english/grammar -Danya. This looks great!

[@michellelagneau1616]

I love the thought of daily bite sized videos with EIW. My biggest question is are there separate checklists for EACH writing assignment for the student (and the parent for grading)? I know IEW has a checklist for each assignment. That was a huge help. So we would love that help again with this program if available. Thanks so much for all your videos!

[@timvandermey4792]

Yes!

[@dinape]

I’m curious to know what else if anything did you use for Language Arts for your child during 8th grade. Thank you!

[@HomeschoolKnockouts]

Great video. We have a writing program (switched from EIW years ago) but I really, really like the scoring service of this. I'm going to watch your videos on this program. *new subbie* ~Niki

[@JanelleKnutson]

That Homeschool Life thanks for subscribing!

[@hg8247]

Do you prefer iew or eiw? Pro/cons of both? I hear so much amazing things about IEW but worry about the length of the videos.

[@thelittlesimplethings7842]

Very helpful thanks so much

[@JanelleKnutson]

You’re welcome! Glad it was helpful.

[@meganmartina8974]

Thank you for this thorough review! This sounds like the perfect fit for my oldest. We love BJU grammar but I am not impressed with the writing part 😕 I am excited to dig into EIW with her.

[@JanelleKnutson]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mamabenzing5872]

I'll be looking into this for high school. I'm not the greatest when it comes to essay writing. I would use the grading service.

[@JanelleKnutson]

Homeschool Mama of 11 the Scoring Service was awesome!

[@AbidingHomeschool]

I know this is an older video, but it was so helpful for me! Thank you! I was wondering though which you and your children preferred and what stood out the most. EIW or IEW.

[@JanelleKnutson]

I'm glad it was helpful for you! I have some children who have done better with EIW and others who prefer IEW. I shared a little bit about the difference between EIW and IEW in the video linked below starting around the 14:50 mark. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXXZYaqwZ8ybjKs&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE Hope that helps!

[@RubySlippersTV]

We used BJU this year for English and the writing portion left my kids struggling. I don’t think there was enough step by step instruction for them. We are planning on using EIW for 11th and 8th this year but keeping BJU Grammar.

[@JanelleKnutson]

Sounds like a great plan!

[@kita3256]

Thank you so much for this. Have your tried IEW? If so, how do they compare?

[@JanelleKnutson]

Used and loved both IEW an EIW. Very different programs/methods. Really depends on what your child learns best from. I have a few who love IEW and a few who have done really well with EIW. Also have kids who love BJU English. So many great options!

[@jessiemadanat5455]

how does it compare to IEW???

[@favored4life]

What do you use now for 9th grade? We're looking for an advanced writing program. What's the difference between EIW and IEW?

[@JanelleKnutson]

I go back and forth between BJU Press English. EIW and IEW. Different kids do better with different ones. The difference between EIW and IEW would take awhile to explain. Maybe for another video some day. Short answer is EIW is a more traditional way of teaching writing and IEW is a completely different approach to writing.

[@Dobiemama23]

Question: Would you have used this for 7th grade over BJU? I seen your BJU video as well.

[@JanelleKnutson]

Great question! It really depends on the child and their need. BJU covers grammar and writing so if I have a child who still needs work in grammar I'd go with BJU. EIW does an excellent job of teaching writing though. A struggling writer would really benefit from EIW.

[@Dobiemama23]

Thank so much 😊

[@1stdayofwinter]

@@JanelleKnutson what if student is struggling in both grammer and writing? which program would you recommend?

[@tcdowell]

Love your review! My son will be using Fix It Grammar this coming year. He will be 10th grade and still struggles with that. I’m leaning toward using EIW for him to help with his writing. Do you think that would be a conflict with IEW’s Fix It Grammar? Also, Im trying to find a good literature curriculum for him. We used Learning Language Arts Through Literature last year and I wasn’t too happy with it. What do you suggest for Lit? Thanks so much!

[@JanelleKnutson]

Fix It Grammar works well with any writing curriculum so you will be fine using it with EIW. My top picks for high school level literature include: Memoria Press Literature Guides bit.ly/3AzGZKp BJU Press Literature bit.ly/37z9Wd1 Or look into IEW's Teaching the Classics bit.ly/2VHq6im which is for parents but can be adapted for high school level students using the lesson plans they provide.

[@tcdowell]

@@JanelleKnutson Thank you so much! I appreciate it all your suggestions! Your videos have been so helpful in relation to planning for high school for my upcoming 10th grader.

[@tcdowell]

@@JanelleKnutson I really like what I have seen in Memoria Press Literature Guides. In the process of choosing for my 10th grader, would you recommend letting them help in choosing? Last year, we did a study of American Literature with LLATL. Which included a wide array of American short stories, The Red Badge of Courage, The Old Man and the Sea and The Pearl.

[@emmahammond741]

@@JanelleKnutson is there a reason you don't like essentials in literature? We are a BJU family but I'm afraid it's going to bog down my kids as they get older.

[@JanelleKnutson]

@@emmahammond741 I have not used Essentials in Literature so I can't say whether I'd like it or not. I get the overload of using BJU Press for all the subjects especially in the upper grades. Essentials in Literature is worth checking out. I also like Memoria Press literature guides. I just have my kids pick a few that they'd like to do for the year and they work through them at their own pace.

[@overatourhouse4026]

Thank you for sharing. I am looking for secular curriculum and finding it very hard as so many homeschoolers are religious. I loved your honest review and respect your idea and beliefs. I am wondering if you know of other homeschoolers that share a secular point of view? I am new to this due to the pandemic but certainly want to keep my kids moving forward and actually we are all enjoying this as well. My kids are grades 8th, 9th, 10th and 10th. If you have time, I would love to hear any additional thoughts TIA

[@JanelleKnutson]

You might enjoy the channel, Homeschool on the Hill. I believe she uses mostly secular curriculum. There is also a secular homeschooler website that has curriculum suggestions. I don't remember the website address but you should find it with a simple google search Hope that helps!

[@jessicapullara4759]

Do you feel it would be helpful to do Fix It Grammar along with EIW Level 6 or would that be overkill?

[@JanelleKnutson]

I believe EIW Level 6 includes grammar so it would probably be too much to add in another grammar program. If you love the writing portion of EIW but want to use Fix It Grammar for grammar then you can skip the grammar portion of EIW. Hope that helps.

[@jessicapullara4759]

@@JanelleKnutson Thank you!

[@stephaniecote7067]

I am doing Rod and Staff for English and some parents say there is not enough writing. Do you think that would be a good addition to the English program we are doing? My son will be in 9th grade next year.

[@JanelleKnutson]

I haven't used Rod and Staff English before so I can't speak to that. But if you want to improve on writing skills, EIW is a great option. I think it would be fine to add it into another program although you might want to cut out the writing assignments in Rod and Staff so he isn't having to double up on writing.

[@stephaniecote7067]

@@JanelleKnutson We had a hard time last year with Ace Ministries for English so I switched him to Fix it Grammar for the rest of the year and he enjoyed that. I like Rod and Staff but can't decide which one lol! I thought of doing Fix it for grammar and EIW for writing. Love all the choices for homeschooling but sometimes its hard to choose.

[@JanelleKnutson]

@@stephaniecote7067 Fix it Grammar for grammar and EIW for the writing portion sounds like a great plan! But, yes, so many wonderful choices make it hard to narrow it down and pick!

[@stephaniecote7067]

@@JanelleKnutson Thank you for your advice. BTW we use to live in Meridian Idaho now in Maine. Its a nice area different from California. :)

[@amyjones1980]

This is our first year of homeschool. He’s in 6th grade. We used Sonlight this year, but struggled with the writing. Would you suggest trying EIW?

[@JanelleKnutson]

Yes, EIW is a great option for struggling writers. I also like IEW's Structure and Style for Students. Both are excellent for struggling writers. They approach writing differently so it really depends on what fits your child best.

[@luvingthelord1]

My son absolutely cannot write he has a very difficult time getting what's in his head on paper... If he has struggled greatly in the past with writing book reports or or essays would you still recommend that I try it?

[@chadedwards2038]

What grade does the scoring service begin in?

[@JanelleKnutson]

7th grade and up

[@chrisandlynn1611]

Would have been super nice if they gave you ability to share a coupon code/percentage off.

[@megan8583]

Does the scoring service grade every single lesson for every day or just one final copy from each topic covered?

[@JanelleKnutson]

Grading service is for grading the completed writing assignments. :)

[@shalon4jc2]

So I want to get fix it grammar and essentials in writing? Is there grammar in essentials in writing? Or should I get fix it grammar too?

[@JanelleKnutson]

Essentials in Writing is half grammar and half writing in the lower levels. Upper levels are all writing and you would need to add in another grammar program.

[@remy8224]

How long does it take for the scoring service to send back the evaluation?

[@JanelleKnutson]

We always got ours back within a day or two (business days).

[@remy8224]

@@JanelleKnutson Thanks!

[@paulie3090]

I know this video is not new however I am trying to find a good writing curriculum for my daughter. She will be going into 8th grade. We used Writeshop for a couple of years. It was a constant “I don’t know what to write.” We switched to IEW. She is on week 11 and not loving it. I am impressed with her end result and she isn’t asking for any help but she dislikes the banned words and all the checklists. I was really hoping she would love it but she doesn’t. She has dyslexia and dysgraphia and I think she is a bit overwhelmed. We are using structure and style level B. What are the similarities and/or differences when comparing EIW to IEW?

[@JanelleKnutson]

EIW and IEW are completely different. EIW follows a more traditional writing approach. It teaches different types of writing and then asks the student to write something. EIW teaches "how" to write but kids might still get stuck on the "what" to write. IEW teaches "how" and "what" to write so I'd suggest you stick with IEW a little longer (especially if you are seeing good progress) until your daughter has more confidence in what to write. Then you can switch to something else if she still doesn't like IEW. You can also slow the pace of IEW if it seems too overwhelming. I have taken 2 years to do one level. You can also let her "delete" an item from the checklist for each writing assignment. There were a few dress-ups that my son really disliked using so I let him choose one dress-up per writing assignment to leave out. I also allowed one "banned word" in the longer writing assignments. I hope that helps!

[@circlemhomeschool9759]

Do you plan to use this for high school?

[@JanelleKnutson]

Yes! Maybe not every single year but planning on using it for a few years of writing instruction in high school. Next year my 9th grader is using a curriculum that has history, literature, Bible and writing together so we won't use EIW for 9th grade but planning on using it again in 10th grade.

[@circlemhomeschool9759]

@@JanelleKnutson We are using it next year for 8th grade. I've watched your reviews all year and decided it would be a good fit for my daughter. She'll also be using Math U See and BJU Life Science DLO. Also, partially based on one of your reviews, she's using LifePac for Bible 8. She begged to do Sonlight 100 for History and Literature, so it will be a fun, full year. Thank you so much for your channel and for sharing so much of your homeschool wisdom.

[@JanelleKnutson]

@@circlemhomeschool9759 Sounds like a wonderful year ahead!

[@GoogleUser-dm1jq]

@@JanelleKnutson what is this curriculum you mention for your 9th grader? Are you still using EIW or so you have new recommendations?

[@sarahlzweifel]

Have you or do you use Sequential Spelling?

[@JanelleKnutson]

I haven't used Sequential Spelling before. So many curriculums out there to choose from!

[@dorotheadelgado9327]

Is this cheaper than IEW ? And did u stick with this or move to IEW?

[@JanelleKnutson]

I don't remember the cost off the top of my head. All my kids used IEW this past year and will use it next year. I switch things up a lot so we may go back to Essentials in Writing in the future. IEW and EIW are my top favorites for writing. Really depends on what works best for your child.

[@Linda-cb8ui]

Janelle I‘m seeing this video is 2 years old, are you still using this curriculum?

[@JanelleKnutson]

This year I am using IEW's Structure and Style for Students with all of my older kids because it worked better for us this year. EIW is always an option that I may go back to in the future. I re-evaluate curriculum each year for each child. IEW and EIW are my top favorites for writing.

[@timvandermey4792]

A lesson a day? 5 days a week? How many weeks. I talk through of the format of the week would be helpful to me. Length of video. Length of daily assignment. Approximates? Thanks! This is an answer to a dilligent prayer of mine.

[@JanelleKnutson]

I answer many of those questions in my blog post review. Here's the link: www.janelleknutson.com/2019/05/10/essentials-in-writing-review/

[@RobnsGals]

Great review. Thank you! Considering this for next year. I would love someone else to grade my daughter's papers. I'm too easy on her bc she gets her feelings hurt easily.

[@joepotter106]

Is Essentials in Writing like IEW?

[@JanelleKnutson]

No, they are very different. IEW takes a very different approach to writing than most writing courses.

[@joepotter106]

@@JanelleKnutson Have you ever tried IEW? If so, what did you think? Thanks

[@nicholebilodeau1760]

Hello, Janelle! Are you still using EIW?

[@JanelleKnutson]

We are not using it this year but it is one of my top favorites for writing so I'm sure I will circle back around to it in the future with some of my kids. This year I am using IEW's Structure and Style for Students with my kids.

[@doglover7675]

@@JanelleKnutson We are second year homeschoolers. My 9th grader used EIW/EIL last year and I purchased it this year. He is telling me it is a repeat of last year. I did get the scoring service this year and am curious what they have to say about this writing. He will probably do dual enroll next year as an 11th grader. I am tempted to switch him up mid year to IEW. Any suggestions? My 8th grader - first year with EIW/EIL is bored as well but I am a bit less concerned with him.