Institute for Excellence in Writing vs Brave Writer
The main differences
Both teach writing across the school years, in opposite styles. IEW's Structure and Style course has a teacher on video showing children how to take notes from model texts and add set style techniques, with checklists the parent grades against, and the Basic Plus package adds a year of grammar for $189. Brave Writer makes the parent the writing coach, teaches grammar and spelling through copywork and dictation from a novel each month, and comes as PDFs; a year's bundle for about age 8 was $247 on sale, with no refunds.
| Institute for Excellence in Writing | Brave Writer | |
|---|---|---|
| Subjects | Language arts | Language arts |
| Grades | Primary level for kindergarten to 2nd grade, then Levels A, B and C for 3rd to 12th grade; the publisher says grades are approximate | Ages 5 to 18, about kindergarten to 12th grade, in five age bands |
| Method | Classical | Literature-based |
| Format | Video lessons | Books and workbooks |
| Faith label | Not labelled | Secular |
| Cost a year | $189. Structure and Style for Students Year 1 Level A Basic Plus (grades 3 to 5: 24 video lessons by streaming or DVD, student packet and binder, teacher's manual, and Fix It Grammar Level 1 teacher's manual and student book): $189.00. | $247. Emerging Writers Bundle One (designed for age 8, about 3rd grade; three year-long PDF programs): $247.00 on sale, regular price $325.00. |
| Placement | Where-to-start guide and pathway chart ↗ | Stages of growth guide, by age and skill ↗ |
| Parent time | Not stated by the publisher | Not stated by the publisher |
| It fits | A family that wants a structured, step-by-step writing course taught on video, with checklists the parent can use to grade the work. | A parent who wants to coach writing through good books and conversation, with one relaxed program for one or several children. |
| It doesn't fit | A family that wants phonics, spelling, literature and writing in one package, or wants to avoid video lessons. | A family that wants a scripted workbook a child can do alone, or wants the option of a refund. |
Institute for Excellence in Writing
The Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) teaches writing through its Structure and Style method: children study and imitate model texts, make notes, and add set style techniques, across nine units that build toward essays and critiques. Its main course, Structure and Style for Students, has 24 video lessons a year taught by Andrew Pudewa to a live class, with a student binder and teacher's manual; the Basic Plus package adds a year of Fix It Grammar. Phonics, spelling and topic-based writing books are sold separately.
Does well: Andrew Pudewa teaches each writing lesson on video, so the parent does not have to teach writing from scratch.
Watch for: Packages are sold as sets, and partial returns or exchanges are not allowed.
The full Institute for Excellence in Writing card · Publisher’s site ↗
Brave Writer
Brave Writer is a writing and language arts program built around a parent coaching a child's own writing. A year-long bundle for each age band joins three parts: monthly handbooks that teach grammar, spelling and punctuation through copywork and dictation from a read-aloud novel, monthly writing projects, and a manual that shows the parent how to guide the writing process. Everything is a downloadable PDF. Separate online writing classes with instructors run for ages 5 to 18.
Does well: The PDFs are not consumable and can be used with more than one child, especially children close in age.
Watch for: All sales of the digital products are final, with no refunds.
Lists with both
- Homeschool language arts programs 13
- Homeschool curricula for pre-K and kindergarten 48
- Homeschool curricula for middle school 51
- Homeschool curricula for high school 38
- Homeschool curricula for $100 to $300 a year 18
- Homeschool language arts programs for pre-K and kindergarten 11
- Homeschool language arts programs for middle school 12
- Homeschool language arts programs for high school 7
How we label
Every fact on a card was read on the publisher's own website on the date shown, and the page it came from is linked. A fact we could not confirm there is left out. Costs are for one child and one year of the main package, as the publisher's page showed them that day; prices and sales change. Method and format are the publisher's own description where it gives one. The only thing we say about religion is one label, secular or faith-based, given by the rule above; where the publisher's pages don't settle it, the card has no label.
Something wrong or out of date? Send a correction; publishers can send corrections, never money. Every program compared