Essentials in Writing Level 8 Bundle (Textbook, Teacher Handbook and Online Video Access) 2nd Edition

For Essentials in Writing (EIW™), the goal is that students will learn to write well. Through incremental lessons, students develop a logical line of thought and learn to convey their purpose and context, all while explaining a topic they’ve explored. Material covered in each grade is age appropriate and is introduced in a sequential manner. Beginning in lower elementary, students spend approximately half the year learning about and applying grammar concepts in sentences and various activities. Level 1 begins with an overview of correctly writing sentences, learning parts of speech, and then moves to paragraphs. Grammar will be a focus in the lower grades. In the upper levels, grammar is taught with the focus on writing application. Mr. Stephens believes that the program covers grammar sufficiently, but if you want to cover sentence diagramming, a separate course would be necessary. Spelling is not covered in the course. By the middle grades, the focus is on sentence and paragraph structures as used in essays, personal and business letters, research papers (with some oral presentation in high school), and more. By high school, students will fine-tune their research skills and be prepped for college-level writing.

Each level features a bundle of 12-month renewable lesson-by-lesson video instruction; consumable student book (which functions like a worktext), a teacher handbook (with answers and a schedule), and a choice of a grade level bundle that includes optional digital resources and assessments for levels 1-10. Levels 7-11 offer an optional bundle of EIW™ Writing and Literature for a complete language arts program. Within 72 hours after your order is processed, you’ll receive digital access via email directly from EIW™. Access terminates one year from the date you begin.

Lessons are typically assigned over 34 weeks (with breaks included). The video lessons featuring Matthew Stephens are the core of the course. With a wealth of multi-age teaching experience, Mr. Stephens presents and explains the material, leaving clarification, follow-up discussion, assignments, and writing evaluation (using rubrics) to you as the teacher. No need to worry, though: instructor helps in the Teacher Handbook include scoring rubrics, writing checklists, answers, and a weekly lesson plan. Each day has a regular rhythm. Watch the video lesson, read the day’s text in the student book, complete the day’s assignment, and verbally discuss the concepts—all working toward a final draft. Assessments (2nd edition only) are optional. These are assigned regularly throughout the year (number of assessments will vary by level).

Each lesson is presented in bite-sized chunks, featuring one main point. At the elementary levels, these courses will be more parent/teacher dependent. You and your student will watch the videos together, and then discuss. Then you’ll guide your student as they work out concepts in their student book. The activities in this consumable book serve to apply the skills taught and help students understand the material and practice specific skills. Lesson lengths are age appropriate. Grades 1 and 2 average 10 to 20 minutes total, including about 3 minutes of video presentation. By grades 6 to 12, courses become more student-driven. Lesson length can run 20 to 40 minutes, with several minutes of video presentation. Levels 1 through 10 are in the second edition, with grades 7 through 10 recently being updated in textual content, visual presentation, and video instruction. Second edition updates for Levels 11 and 12 are projected for the future. Videos from grades 7 through 10 feature Mr. Stephens teaching before a white background, often screensharing to engage with a writing sample, showing corrections, showing writing steps, etc. For the remaining grades, the videos show Mr. Stephens teaching before a whiteboard, which he uses to explain concepts.

The consumable student book coordinates with the video lessons. You’ll need one per student. Please note that there has been a cover change to the print books. Newer covers feature a lion. While we work through our inventory, you may receive two different covers if you order an extra worktext with a course. ~ Ruth

This 2nd edition provides the same solid instruction as the first edition, but with significantly expanded content (over 120 pages of new material) and updated video teaching. Courses require the student workbook, the included online instructional video, teacher handbook, and an optional assessment resource. Online access is initiated with an email from the publisher to set up an account and includes video lessons, PDF textbooks, and Teacher Handbooks. Another distinctive is the spiral teaching approach: a key element in developing writing skills. From year to year, you'll see repeated concepts and tasks, but exercises will differ and build in difficulty.

Unit 1 helps students apply proper grammar and word choice: selecting words with skill. Unit 2 begins the composition instruction focusing on 5 styles (expository, persuasive, descriptive, compare, and contrast). For each of these writing types, 3 lessons progressively teach through key brainstorming steps; organizing and drafting; and revising and final drafting. Then, lessons 41-78 move to learning various essay methods, applying previously learned skills while learning new skills tailored toward specific purposes: Narrative, Expository, Compare/contrast, and Persuasive writing. The year culminates in a research project with 15 lessons specifically guiding students through key researching steps such as summarizing, paraphrasing, taking notes and sourcing material. Instruction requires that students create source cards for bibliography and notetaking. (A side note: when I taught research writing, I loved this technique as a tangible tool. As an 8th grader, not so much—but it was good for me.) Twelve, blank, preprinted source cards are included at the back of each student text (additional copies in the Assessment Resource). Included in combo kits, the updated lesson Video Instruction (12-month online access) creates the sense of a one-on-one tutorial with instructor Matthew B Stephens, who guides students through assignments, modeling steps, and applications. The engaging videos help make skill acquisition and writing tasks significantly more palatable.

Most lessons are spread out over 2 days. When introduced to a new skill, your student receives descriptions and definitions, examples, graphic organizers, word banks, and the like. Students will work through steps and then complete a draft on separate paper. Each writing assignment includes formatting rules, directions for editing, a comprehensive project checklist, and a detailed rubric for each composition assignment. Rubrics are my favorite way to grade compositions, assigning a point value to measure skill levels in specific areas. For example, the directions state to give your student 8 points if the word choice and sentence structure is rich and varied. Give 2 points if it is basic, lacking variety. If students choose to revise, or when students begin the next assignment, they have tangible information to improve their writing skills, style, and content.

The page layout significantly improves legibility: well-organized typesetting, just-right-amount of color accents; and bolded instructions. Grading is recorded right in the textbook using a point system. While the typesetting (16-point font) is a perfect size and legible in instruction, some students might initially struggle with the italic font (used in sample sentences, paragraphs, and the like).

The Assessment Resource book provides 20 assessments, 2 comprehensive unit tests, and additional resources, organizers, and research cards. The Teacher Handbook provides a quick explanation of the course, possible course schedules, answers for all questions (in 8 pt font) and includes sample responses to assignments.

Items are sold as a bundle (textbook, teacher handbook, and online video subscription, with additional online textbook/workbook/teacher handbook available free); the bundle with the Assessment Resource Book; individual Assessment Resource Books; and individual Additional Student Workbooks. Note: any products which are digital download are nonreturnable. Printed in the USA.