News and musings from the IEW Blog Team https://iew.com en All rights reserved https://iew.com/support/blog/accreditation-progress-whats-on-your-bingo-card   It started with a question. Every year our daughter Grace poses the question “What is on your bingo card this year?” Instead of New Year’s resolutions, she encourages goals, fun experiences, and opportunities to learn and grow all wrapped up in a bingo card for that particular year. For me this was the year I put Accomplished IEW Instructor on my bingo card. I had the desire to further myself professionally as a teacher Writing Accreditation Progress: What’s on Your Bingo Card? Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000 Blog RSS the IEW Blog Team https://iew.com/support/blog/IEW-annual-educators-conference   On July 25, 2026, we warmly invite you to attend the IEW Annual Educators’ Conference. This special online and in-person event is a great way to invest in yourself as you transition toward summer and all of the academic planning for the upcoming school year. Conference attendees will join from all over the world, creating many opportunities for collaboration and encouragement. Beginning at 9:00 AM Central Time, the day will be filled with four Classes Events IEW Annual Educators’ Conference Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000 Blog RSS the IEW Blog Team https://iew.com/support/blog/expanding-your-stock-words-through-word-lists   “For there is no doubt that I have lots of words inside me; but at moments, like rush-hour traffic at the mouth of a tunnel, they jam” (John Updike). Some students are like Updike, with lots of words inside them. Others may not have as many inside them or may lack the tools to free up the traffic jam of words. Playing with words and developing word lists help students increase their vocabulary, add Writing Expanding Your Stock of Words through Word Lists Thu, 02 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000 Blog RSS the IEW Blog Team https://iew.com/support/blog/tips-onboarding-new-iew-teachers   As more and more schools discover the beauty of IEW’s methodology for teaching students to write, administrators, department heads, and coaches are faced with the need to onboard new teachers. The best way to do this is to work with the Schools Department Team, who will help you customize the process for your school. These are some general guidelines for onboarding new teachers from my experience as an administrator. Onboarding teachers who will be Teacher 101 Tips for Onboarding New IEW Teachers Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000 Blog RSS the IEW Blog Team https://iew.com/support/blog/product-spotlight-strengthening-structure   In 2025 IEW published a brand new product, Strengthening Structure: Models for Teaching IEW Structural Units. Andrew Pudewa has often stated that while the stylistic techniques may be flashy and fun, the structural models are the strength of the Structure and Style method. Strengthening Structure provides instructors with an easy-to-use reference for each structural unit.  Each unit section begins with an article that explains the purpose of that unit. Following the article is the Product Spotlight: Strengthening Structure Thu, 19 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000 Blog RSS the IEW Blog Team https://iew.com/support/blog/delving-into-decorations-iew-style   As students move through IEW’s structural units at a regular pace, they also learn to insert various stylistic techniques along the way. Initially students learn to insert dress-ups, beginning with the -ly adverb. Once that is mastered, the next dress-up is introduced and practiced. Sentence openers are another form of stylistic technique, providing students with a toolbox of ways to vary syntax. Examples include opening sentences with a prepositional phrase or an -ly adverb. Writing Delving into Decorations IEW Style Thu, 12 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000 Blog RSS the IEW Blog Team https://iew.com/support/blog/how-the-word-because-promotes-thinking In teaching we often focus on how or what students write: the correct answer, the polished sentence, the completed paragraph. The deeper question—the one that shapes critical thinking—is why. A powerful way to cultivate this depth is by teaching students to use a single word more intentionally: because. In the Structure and Style method, students learn how to add a because clause to a paragraph as they work through the stylistic techniques. At first glance, Writing How the Word Because Promotes Thinking Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000 Blog RSS the IEW Blog Team https://iew.com/support/blog/iew-curriculum-aligns-with-state-standards Administrators, curriculum directors, and schoolteachers often call IEW’s Schools Department asking if our curriculum meets state educational standards. Some schools or charter schools are not allowed to recommend items if they are not aligned with state standards, so it is important to have these standards. Additionally, teachers who have autonomy to choose curriculum for their classrooms sometimes need to provide state standards documentation to their administrators. Furthermore, some homeschooling families may be required by their Schools IEW Curriculum Aligns with State Standards Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000 Blog RSS the IEW Blog Team https://iew.com/support/blog/announcing-the-2026-IEW-writing-contest   Writing contests are a fabulous way for students to further develop their writing skills, reach a broader audience, and potentially win a prize. They also provide a novel way to insert a little excitement into the daily curriculum. We are excited to announce that the IEW Writing Contest 2026 will soon be open for student writers!  The contest, open to all aspiring and accomplished writers ages eight to eighteen regardless of their experience with Announcing the 2026 IEW Writing Contest Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000 Blog RSS the IEW Blog Team https://iew.com/support/blog/IEW-checklist-generator-making-EZ+1-easy “Delete row 13. Insert new row above . . . oh, don’t delete that one . . . Oops, I didn’t mean to overwrite my master checklist.” When I began teaching IEW writing classes twenty-five years ago, creating and adjusting checklists was time-consuming and frustrating. I was determined to follow Andrew Pudewa’s instructions to introduce new stylistic techniques only as my students mastered the ones previously introduced. However, with up to fifty students across multiple Writing The IEW Checklist Generator: Making EZ+1 Easy! Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:00:00 +0000 Blog RSS the IEW Blog Team