Homeschool Writing Curriculum – Writers in Residence

If you’ve been in the homeschooling world for any length of time, you’ve no doubt heard of Apologia. Best known for their rich, Bible-based science curriculum that includes interactive notebooks, Apologia is one of the most trusted faith-based curriculum publishers for homeschoolers. However, you may not have heard of their homeschool writing curriculum, Writers in Residence. When choosing homeschool writing curriculum, it’s so important to know what you’re getting into — specifically the strengths, pacing, and learning style focus — before you buy. If you’re looking for new homeschool writing curriculum, read on to learn about Apologia’s Writers in Residence. You won’t be disappointed!

What is Writers in Residence?

Writers in Residence is a faith-based writing and language arts program that is written to the student. This means students can self-pace and do much of the work on their own. This homeschool writing curriculum is appropriate for use by 4th–8th graders.  Because it can be used over several grades, it is an ideal program for use with multiple students in one family, and is well-suited to concurrent homeschooling.  This homeschool writing curriculum comes in a 4-volume series.  Currently, 2 volumes are available (volumes 3-4 are coming!) and can be purchased as a set (including the student workbook and answer key) or separately.

What we like about Writers in Residence

Writers in Residence is what we call an “all-in-one” language arts program. It incorporates writing, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization in a well-paced format that even young students can follow. Prompts for assignments, quizzes, and tests, are easy to understand and well-spaced. Much like Apologia’s science curriculum, the layout and instructions are easy to read and follow, making this ideal for independent homeschoolers and for fostering responsibility. Plus, the pacing guide means your student will learn how to manage his or her own time and accomplish requirements without you nagging, which is a win-win!
The goal of this homeschool writing curriculum goes beyond grammar and sentence structure. Writers in Residence seeks to help your student:

• discover his or her unique voice and the rewards of self-expression.
• capture his or her experiences and ideas with vivid, compelling prose.
• build his or her grammar skills and make dynamic word choices.
• take the dread out of writing and find the joy in it.

We also love that this homeschool writing curriculum is engaging! So many kids hate writing because they find it boring and unrelated to their interests. Writers in Residence uses interesting topics, graphic organizers, and images to engage your budding authors and keep them interested in the topics. We also love the “Spotlight on Christian Authors” sections that are sprinkled throughout the curriculum. These author interviews give your homeschooler an idea of what writing means in the real world and inspire them with Christian character stories.

This curriculum is best for…

Writers in Residence is meant for grades 4–8 and is best for visual and auditory learners. If you have a kinesthetic learner, you’ll need to integrate hands-on activities and projects that engage your student. We also find that Writers in Residence is more challenging and may not be best-suited for remediation or students that need just the basics, Ma’am.
Finding the best homeschool writing curriculum is on the top ten list for most of us homeschool parents because writing is critical for life! If you’re in the market for a new homeschool writing program, consider Apologia’s Writers in Residence. We think you’ll find it engaging, empowering, and even a little entertaining. Oh, and your kids will, too!

What homeschool writing curriculum do you love? Tell us in a comment below!