Writing With Skill

Writing with Skill teaches middle and high school students to write academic essays through classical imitation and analysis of great literature, making it ideal for families following a classical education approach who want their students to develop strong composition skills for college-level work. This three-level program for grades 5-9 uses excerpts from quality fiction, poetry, and nonfiction to model various writing forms, then guides students through outlining, research, documentation, and constructing full essays in history, literature, and science without overwhelming them with multiple textbooks. The curriculum operates on a four-day weekly schedule with student workbooks written directly to learners to foster independence, though parents need the separate instructor text to provide guidance, lead discussions, and evaluate work using provided rubrics. Each level includes all source material so no additional books are required, and lessons progress sequentially from chronological narratives and descriptions to literary analysis and research writing. The program is religiously neutral with no faith content, focusing purely on writing mechanics. Parent involvement averages minimal daily oversight as students work independently, though advance reading through instructor materials helps when students need assistance. Parents appreciate the comprehensive skill-building and rich literature selections, though some note the workbook language can feel dry and formal compared to more creative writing programs. Students should have basic paragraph-writing ability before starting Level 1, and the program works best for learners comfortable with independent study and reading. Many families stretch each level over two years for average or reluctant writers rather than rushing through in one year.