Writing gives children a way to communicate their own ideas clearly. Planning, drafting and revising help turn those ideas into a piece someone else can follow. Step-by-step modeling makes the work visible: a child sees a part demonstrated and then tries that part in their own writing.[2]
We added Essentials in Writing to our homeschool for extra reinforcement, and I have loved having it among our resources. If you are considering it, the first thing to know is that EIW means Essentials in Writing. It is a different program from IEW, the Institute for Excellence in Writing.
EIW combines video instruction with student work. The useful questions are how the writing is broken into steps, what the parent still needs to check and which package includes the materials you want. Video instruction has the most value when the student can apply it to a clear writing task, with time for drafting, feedback and revision.
I homeschool before my second-shift job, and we now have six children. Clear tasks matter in that kind of morning. I want to know what a child is learning and what the next piece of work should be, especially when several subjects need attention.
What Essentials in Writing Includes
The current course catalog describes EIW as grammar and composition instruction for grades 1–12. It lists video instruction, a student book and alternative instructional strategies among the course components.[1]
The publisher presents it as a complete writing curriculum. Our family’s role for it is extra reinforcement. Those are different statements: using a program as a supplement does not mean the program itself is marketed only as a supplement.
Before adding it alongside another resource, look at what both are asking the child to do. Two overlapping writing assignments are not automatically better than one well-chosen assignment with time to revise it. Decide which skill you want EIW to reinforce and how you will handle any duplicated work.
How the Writing Process Is Organized
EIW’s FAQ describes modeling a composition in smaller parts over several days. The teacher demonstrates a step, and the student applies it rather than receiving one long explanation and being expected to produce the whole composition at once.[2]
That gives you a useful way to examine a sample. Find the point where the instruction ends and the student’s work begins. Ask whether the child has enough direction to attempt that part, and notice what help may still be needed.
A clear smaller task might be planning one part of a piece, drafting it or revising it. The exact assignment depends on the level and lesson. Look at the selected course’s samples to see how those steps develop at that level.
Choosing a Level
Use EIW’s current placement materials, level comparison and samples together. The catalog covers a wide range, so the same general program name does not tell you the reading and writing demands of a particular course.[1]
Look at what the student must do after watching. Can they understand the instruction? Can they put an idea into the kind of written response requested? Do they need help with the mechanics before they can focus on the composition?
If you are unsure, ask the publisher using those specific observations. A description of the actual difficulty is more useful than saying only that a child “hates writing” or needs a certain grade level.
What Does EIW Cost?
As a current example, the official Level 1 Second Edition page checked October 15, 2026, offered the Writing package at $99 digital or $119 digital plus print. The Writing and Assessments package was $109 digital or $139 digital plus print.[3]
Those are Level 1 example prices, not a statement that our children use Level 1 or a quote for every course. The current page says physical copies of the Student Book and Teacher Handbook ship only if that option is selected. Check the chosen package before assuming printed books are on the way.[3]
Compare the total you intend to purchase, including the format and any assessment materials. A digital-only price should not be compared with another program’s printed bundle as though they contain the same things.
| Purchase Detail | What to Confirm |
|---|---|
| Level | The placement and expected work fit the learner. |
| Digital or Print | You know which books are online and which will be shipped. |
| Assessments | You know whether these are included or an add-on. |
| Video Access | You have read the current term for the actual selected product. |
| Additional Learners | You have checked the current family-use and student-material rules. |
Video Access: Read the Product Page Carefully
The current Level 1 Second Edition page states 18-month online video access with free renewals. Its general FAQ still contains a 12-month description and discusses free renewal with proof of purchase.[3][2]
For that Level 1 purchase, the current product-specific listing is the relevant offer to read and save. If you choose another level, verify its own terms rather than assuming that every course has already been updated to the same access period.
This is a practical detail for families reusing materials. Keep the receipt and check renewal instructions before depending on access for another school year. A printed book and time-limited access to online instruction are different parts of the purchase.
What the Parent Still Needs to Do
Video instruction can provide the explanation, but the adult still needs to know whether the student understood it and completed the intended work. Look at the writing itself, not only at the list of videos watched.
Feedback works best when the next step is clear. If the task is to organize ideas, look at the organization. If it is a revision task, identify the part that needs revising. Trying to correct every possible issue in every piece can make the purpose of the current lesson hard to see.
You can also help the child distinguish stages of work. Planning, drafting and revising are not three names for copying a finished paragraph. Give the assigned stage enough attention before expecting the next one to be ready.
I would leave a short note when work needs to continue another day. Name the lesson and the next action. That is much easier to return to before work than trying to reconstruct why an unfinished page was left on the table.
Scoring Services Are a Separate Choice
EIW offers an optional scoring service for eligible upper-level courses. Its current scoring information identifies participating levels and submission rules.[4] It is not something I would assume is included automatically with a writing-course purchase.
If you are considering it, check the current school-year term, level eligibility and assignments accepted before ordering. A scoring service can address feedback on submitted work; it does not remove every day-to-day teaching or organizational task at home.
If feedback is the part you most want help with, compare that optional service with the support already available to your child. Keep its cost separate from the course itself.
Using EIW for Reinforcement
Our reason for adding EIW was extra reinforcement. To make that useful, choose a specific skill and make its place clear alongside the other work the child is doing.
If the child already has a writing assignment through another subject, compare what is being practiced. There may be a reason for both, but that reason should be clear. It is also worth noticing whether the child has time to apply feedback instead of constantly beginning another piece.
For a morning with several learners, separate watching a lesson from receiving help with the resulting work. A child may be able to start the video independently and still need you when planning or revising. Reserve attention for that part rather than assuming the whole subject is handled once the screen is on.
The broader routine is in Homeschooling While Working Second Shift. It explains how lessons share the morning with meals and getting ready for work.
Strengths and Practical Tradeoffs
I would consider EIW for a family that wants explicit modeling and a visible sequence from instruction into writing. The smaller-step approach gives you a way to look at the task being taught instead of judging only a final composition.[2]
The tradeoffs are keeping track of access terms, choosing the right format and providing follow-up on student work. If you are adding it to another curriculum, you also need to decide what to do about overlap.
I have loved having EIW for reinforcement. Before adding it to your own homeschool, compare a complete sample lesson with the skill you want to strengthen and the time you have for checking the work.
Compare a Sample With the Skill You Need
Start with the official EIW course catalog, check placement and inspect the student’s task after a sample explanation. Confirm the package format and access period before purchasing.
My Kids’ Morning Routine Chart is listed in the WFLI Shop. Put the writing lesson and a realistic time for checking the work into a simple written morning plan.
My Moving Beyond the Page review explains our broader language arts use. The IXL review covers another form of reinforcement with a different role.
References
- Essentials in Writing Course Catalog.
- EIW Frequently Asked Questions. Teaching process and general access information; product-specific access difference explained above.
- EIW Level 1 Second Edition. Example package prices, formats and current 18-month access checked October 15, 2026.
- EIW Scoring Services. Eligibility, current term and submission information.
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