Writing With Skill, Level 1: Instructor Text

The Complete Writer: Writing With Skill

by Susan Wise Bauer

Traditional principles. Contemporary methods. Unparalleled results.

This groundbreaking new writing series combines time-tested classical techniques—the imitation and analysis of great writers—with original composition exercises in history, science, biography, and literature.



Skills Taught:

     • One- and two-level outlining

     • Writing chronological narratives, biographical sketches, descriptions, and sequences across the curriculum

     • Constructing basic literary essays on fiction and poetry

     • Researching and documenting source material

     • First volume of four that will prepare students for high-level rhetoric and composition



Features of the program:

     • Writing assignments are modeled on examples from great literature and classic nonfiction

     • All source material for assignments is provided—no other books are needed

     • This Instructor Text provides scripted dialogue to use when the student has difficulty, plus detailed guidance on how to evaluate the student’s work

     • Student Workbook (sold separately) encourages independence by directing all assignments to the student

     • First volume of four that will prepare students for high-level rhetoric and composition

Genres: Education, Writing

608 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2012

About the author

Susan Wise Bauer is an American author, English instructor of writing and American literature at The College of William and Mary, and founder of Well-Trained Mind Press (formerly Peace Hill Press).

Reviews

[Ardyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

As ever, SWB gives an impossible workload. Even the classes run by her own company don't use the whole text... so don't feel obligated yourself.

It's pretty great. Very dense for all but the most studious, precocious tweens, though. The intro says students should self-guide -- but see previous paragraph re classes run by her company.

If this is the type of work she was performing in Grade 6, she must be positively brilliant. I don't mean the snidely, just... who are these young people she has in mind?

Worth the money, though I strongly recommend working through Write by Number *first*. That one is succinct and can take you through eight paragraph essays baseline skill building. Then, come back here to develop a more sophisticated approach, style and tone.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provides sufficient and helpful solutions and instructions for every lesson. Very thorough.

[Pumpkinpi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This seems way too easy for the grade it's targeted at. It has about third/fourth grade level assignments, and you're supposed to be in eighth grade when you take the class! For a third grader, though, it is a great writing textbook with inventive homework.