Review: Institute for Excellence in Writing,Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization (TOS Review) #hsreviews #readingreadiness #poetrymemorization

We were super excited to try out Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization by Institute for Excellence in Writing.  We also received the physical spiral bound copy of the Student Book. 
The Poetry Memorization includes:
A Spiral bound physical copy of Teacher Book
A PDF of Student book
On Listening.mp3
On Reading.mp3
On Speaking.mp3
On Writing.mp3
Ten Thousand Times and Then Begins Understanding.mp3
Audio CDs and Bonus DVD of Andrew Pudewa's conference talk Nurturing Competent Communicators.
(Available separately for an additional cost:  A Spiral bound physical copy of Student book)



We have LOVED every IEW product we have tried thus far:
Deluxe Combination Level A
The Phonetic Zoo
Fix It! Grammar

Poetry Memorization lives up to every expectation I’ve come to have for IEW.
Andrew Pudewa gives inspiring and thought provoking talks.  This product comes with his talk on the importance of memorization, titled Nurturing Competent Communicators.  We started by watching this DVD first (while I watched it).  It’s GREAT!  It’s also a great way to motivate yourself to do this program with your children.  I also listened to the other MP3s that were included with this program.  Andrew Pudewa has a great way of explaining his theory, and very often I have AH-HA moments while listening/watching to him speak.  I find myself recommending his talks quite often, in addition to the IEW curriculum products. 

After watching/listening to the talk by Mr. Pudewa, I began this program with my children.  I have 4 children.  They are 9, 7, 5 and 2.  The oldest two actively participated, while the younger 2 mostly observed, with occasional participation. 

I introduced a new poem each week, and we practiced it, and previous poems each day.   I was able to print off booklets for my other children, in addition to the spiral bound book I received, because off the PDF copy of the student book.

We started each poem off at the start of each week by listening to the CD, and my children could color the picture that went with, if they chose (my boys aren’t that into coloring).  Then each day we would recite the poem(s) again. 

My favorite thing about this program, is that it can easily be done ON THE GO.  Several times a week we would recite our poems in the car, as we traveled to activities.  Since we rarely spend an entire day at home, the easy mobility of the program has been a huge benefit!
The poems gradually get harder, we made it to poem number 5, which is taking more than a week to master, but we are still going at, and the kids are enjoying it.  Even my 2 year old will attempt to recite Ooey Gooey (the first poem in level 1).

My 7 year old did not want to be video taped, but here is a video of my 9 year old reciting the first 4 poems that we have memorized thus far (we are still working on number 5).



Memorization is a great mind exercise, we have gotten away from memorization in traditional schooling, however, I feel that though a general understanding of a process is important, memorization is what helps it STICK!

Only time will tell the long term benefits of such a program, but I’m grateful to be using it and will continue to do so.  Andrew Pudewa’s talks really resonated with me, went along with so many things I already knew and believed, and had been taught in my own education in education.

The Linguistic Development through Poetry Memorization is available for $65.00 and is recommended for grades K-12.  The printed student book can be purchased for $19 and additional teacher books are available for $29.

This is a great item to add to your morning circle time routine or to your car schooling during daily on the go routines.