Writing with Skill (WWS) is a middle school writing curriculum focused on expository writing. Created by Susan Wise Bauer, it prepares students for higher-level writing through structured lessons.
Most homeschool families report completing core academic subjects in 3-4 hours per day for elementary students, compared to the 6-7 hours typical of traditional schools, due to the one-on-one instruction and absence of classroom management overhead (NHERI, 2024).
What is writing with skill?
Writing with Skill, or WWS, is a writing program for middle schoolers. Susan Wise Bauer wrote it, and it’s published by Well-Trained Mind Press. WWS is part of The Complete Writer series, Levels 5-7. It follows Writing with Ease, aimed at elementary students, and sets the stage for high school writing. The focus here is on expository writing—explaining, describing, and analyzing—rather than creative writing. WWS uses classical methods, like topoi and imitation, to help students build skills in outlining, research, and analytical writing across subjects like history, science, and literature.
The three levels
WWS has three levels:
- Level 1 (for grades 5-6): Covers one- and two-level outlining, paragraph building, storytelling, and simple literary criticism of prose and poetry.
- Level 2 (for grades 6-7): Moves to three-level outlining, more complex stories and descriptions, literary essays, and deeper research techniques.
- Level 3 (for grades 7-8): Focuses on expository essays, cause-and-effect writing, advanced literary criticism, and more sophisticated paragraphs.
Each level lasts 36 weeks, with lessons four days a week. It’s best to start at Level 1, no matter what grade your student is in, since the approach is different from most writing programs.
Classical methodology
WWS uses time-tested classical techniques to teach writing. Students learn about topoi—these are topics used to generate and organize ideas. They also practice imitation by studying how great writers build paragraphs and then apply those techniques to their own writing. The program covers writing across various subjects. Students write about historical events, scientific processes, biographies, and literary works. This approach shows that expository writing is a useful skill everywhere, not just in English class. Research, documentation, and citation skills are important parts of the curriculum.
What's required from parents
WWS is meant for students to work mostly on their own. The student workbook talks directly to learners, giving clear daily instructions organized by weeks and days. But parents still play a role. The Instructor Text has rubrics for grading, scripts for helping students who struggle, and tips on daily goals. You’ll need to spend about 15 minutes each day reviewing their work and giving feedback. Note that WWS doesn’t cover grammar, so you'll need a separate grammar program. Instead of traditional grades, it uses rubrics that focus on following instructions and revising work.
The bottom line
Writing with Skill connects elementary writing with high school composition through structured, classical methods. Its focus on expository and analytical writing helps students prepare for research papers and literary analysis in the upper grades. Although the workbooks may seem big, the daily lessons are only 15-20 minutes long. Families who appreciate classical education will like the topoi approach and the quality literature included. If your student finished Writing with Ease or needs a solid middle school writing program, WWS is a great choice.
