From time to time our office receives calls from teachers and parents who have a question that runs something like this: “Last year I taught [insert IEW writing book name here], and my students really improved. This year, I would like to focus on writing reports (or stories) because they especially enjoyed those units. Is it okay to skip around and teach just the ones we are most interested in?” In other words, “What’s the big deal about teaching units in order? Does it matter?”
While we understand the desire to spend extra time on favorite units, we strongly encourage you to follow the prescribed order. The IEW syllabus is intentionally designed to build students’ writing skills systematically. When the order is rearranged or units are skipped, that carefully crafted progression is disrupted, and the overall effectiveness of the Structure and Style® method is diminished.
One of the key features of this method is the intentional alternation between factual and creative writing. Units 1, 2, 4, and 6 focus on factual report-based writing, while Units 3, 5, and 7 require students to begin with images, stories, or their own imaginations. This back-and-forth pattern provides variety, which prevents burnout and keeps students engaged. More importantly, it gives them the opportunity to practice different types of writing. Instead of tiring from too much creativity or bogging down in a series of factual assignments, students are exposed to both. This variety allows students with different strengths or preferences to discover areas where they can thrive.
In addition, the IEW units move from simple to complex. Each new unit builds from the known to the unknown in a systematic way. This ensures students have a strong foundation before more difficult tasks are introduced. For example, Unit 4: Summarizing a Reference introduces students to writing factual reports based on a single source. Before moving to Unit 6: Summarizing Multiple References, students write compositions following Unit 5: Writing from Pictures. This progression is purposeful. Unit 5 teaches students to ask meaningful questions as they gain content for the body of their paragraphs. Additionally, Unit 5 helps students better understand the topic-clincher relationship. Students who skip Unit 5 often struggle in Unit 6 because they have not had enough practice with these critical skills. Each unit serves as a stepping stone, preparing students for what is ahead.
Even more importantly, following the order of the IEW units teaches students how to think. IEW’s method of writing the key word outline is rooted in the art of asking questions. In fact-based units students analyze external material to find relevant facts. In creative units they draw content from within, questioning stories, images, and their own thoughts. By the time students reach the final two units, they are asked to combine the internal and external aspects of thinking in order to compose essays and critiques. This constant practice of questioning is where logical and rhetorical skills are strengthened. If students do not learn to ask questions, they do not learn to reason. Writing is more than another subject in school—it is a tool for developing intelligence.
You or your students may have favorite units, but skipping around short-circuits the process. The power of the IEW curriculum lies in the structure, and through the carefully crafted progression, each unit prepares students for the next. Therefore, the order of the structural units matters. Follow the prescribed order. It works for a reason.
by Heidi Thomas
