Join Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker as they dive deeper into the theme for this year: How to Think. Before we can talk about how to think, we need to know what thinking is. Andrew talks about the importance of language in building brain pathways along with how the structure of language aids in thinking. Finally, he discusses critical thinking skills and how language is the foundation for those skills.

Referenced Materials

• Cultivating Language Arts – Preschool through High School audio talk by Andrew Pudewa
• “How to Think”
• “Writing Maketh an Exact Man”
• Aging with Grace: What the Nun Study Teaches Us About Leading Longer, Healthier, and More Meaningful Lives

If you have questions for Andrew, send them to [email protected]
Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).

If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or [email protected]

In this Live Ask Andrew Anything episode, Julie Walker asks Andrew Pudewa questions submitted by listeners, including how to follow the topic-clincher rule, what to do when a student uses a dress-up incorrectly, how to help visual learners with communication skills, and how to encourage perseverance and excellence. The episode ends with Andrew reading an assignment from one of his current students who claims to hate writing. Be sure to listen all the way to the end!

Referenced Materials

• “Understanding Topic-Clincher Sentences with Unit 4”
• Strengthening Structure Models for IEW Structural Units
• Review of SSS-1A
• “Why Hire an Editor?”
• IEW’s Winter Retreat 2025: A Virtual Writing Workshop for Teachers
• University-Ready Writing
• From Copywork to Composition: Teaching Writing through Imitation audio talk by Andrew Pudewa
• “Process versus Product”
• Adventures in Writing
• Theme-Based Writing Lessons free lessons
• Structure and Style for Students: Year 1 Level A
• Structure and Style for Students free lessons
• Nurturing Competent Communicators audio talk by Andrew Pudewa
• Link to Episode 460 video

If you have questions for Andrew, send them to [email protected]
Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).

If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or [email protected]

In this episode Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker talk with Christy Shipe about why teens should participate in speech and debate. Christy is the board chair of NCFCA Christian Speech and Debate and has been involved in many roles since NCFCA was founded. Learn the history of the organization and the many benefits of speech and debate for your students in all communication skills, not just speaking.

Referenced Materials

• NCFCA Christian Speech and Debate
• Christy Shipe
• Introduction to Public Speaking
• Free Speech Lessons
• NCFCA Tournaments
• Transcript of Podcast Episode 459

If you have questions for Andrew, send them to [email protected]
Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).

If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or [email protected]

In this episode Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker share IEW’s theme for 2025: How to Think. Listen as they discuss the feeling of accomplishment in learning to think through research and writing as well as the negative impact of AI on thinking and writing.

Referenced Materials

• Magalog
• “Writing Maketh an Exact Man”
• Twelve Days of Christmas Giving
• Episode 207: Thinking – The Quintessence of the Four Language Arts
• Transcript of Podcast Episode 458

If you have questions for Andrew, send them to [email protected]
Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).

If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or [email protected]

Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker talk about the purpose and history of IEW’s Twelve Days of Christmas Giving. Listen and learn how to win a gift certificate by sharing with your friends. They also give a hint about the gifts IEW is sharing. Join us!

Referenced Materials

• Twelve Days of Christmas Giving
• Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
• Transcript of Podcast Episode 457

If you have questions for Andrew, send them to [email protected]
Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).

If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or [email protected]

What is media literacy? In this episode Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker interview Nate Noorlander, who teaches English, history, and philosophy online. They discuss media literacy and its importance in avoiding cynicism and uncertainty in confidently navigating information in the increasingly complex world we live in.

Click the link below for a free session of Media Literacy, including a reflection assignment and an invitation to submit your work.

Referenced Materials

• “Media Literacy Is an Essential Skill. Schools Should Teach It That Way”
• The Nomadic Professor
• Nate Noorlander
• The Nomadic Professor on YouTube
• The Nomadic Professor on Instagram
• Media Literacy course 
• Free session from Media Literacy course
• Ground News
• Transcript for Podcast Episode 456

If you have questions for Andrew, send them to [email protected]
Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).

If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or [email protected]

In this episode, Andrew Pudewa is interviewed by Gena Mayo, the founder of Music in Our Homeschool. Several years ago, Andrew asked Gena to take over the music course that his mother had written, Singing Made Easy. Listen as Andrew shares the history of that course as well as his own background in and love for music education. 

Referenced Materials

• Music in Our Homeschool
• Gena Mayo 
• Singing Made Easy
• Suzuki Method
• Cultivating Language Arts – Preschool through High School
• Music in Our Homeschool Instagram
• Music in Our Homeschool on YouTube
• Transcript of Podcast Episode 455

If you have questions for Andrew, send them to [email protected]
Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).

If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or [email protected]

In this episode Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker continue to discuss and provide tips for teaching through the final five units from Teaching Writing: Structure and Style® if you are not using one of the theme-based lessons or the Structure and Style for Students video courses. 

GO TO PART 1

Referenced Materials

• “Understanding Topic-Clincher Sentences with Unit 4”
• “Asking Questions with Unit 5”
• “Streamlining Research with Unit 6”
• “Filling the Blank Page with Unit 7”
• “Writing Essays with Unit 8”
• “Critiquing Literature with Unit 9”
• “Lesson Planning” article by Andrew Pudewa
• How to Think like Shakespeare: Lessons from a Renaissance Education by Scott Newstok
• Episode 398: Think like Shakespeare, Part 1
• Transcript of Podcast Episode 454

If you have questions for Andrew, send them to [email protected]
Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).

If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or [email protected]

In this episode, Julie Walker asks Andrew Pudewa to give tips on teaching the first four units if someone is not using one of the theme-based writing lessons or the Structure and Style® for Students video courses. She asks him, “What do you need to know if you want to teach your students on your own, using topics that your children find interesting or that you are studying in your other classes?”

Go To Part 2

Referenced Materials

• Teaching Writing: Structure and Style
• Writing Source Packet
• Premium Membership
  
  

• Tips Handout
• Episode 269: The Mighty Pen – Teaching Students to Change the World through Language
• “Flying Solo with Teaching Writing: Structure and Style”
• “Taking Notes with Unit 1”
• “Writing the Paper with Unit 2”
• “Using the Story Sequence Chart with Unit 3”
• “Understanding Topic-Clincher Sentences with Unit 4”
• Transcript of Podcast Episode 453

If you have questions for Andrew, send them to [email protected]
Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).

If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or [email protected]

Happy Thanksgiving! In this episode Andrew Pudewa and Julie Walker discuss the power of gratitude. Andrew reads a letter from a student expressing his gratitude for the writing courses. In sharing things they are grateful for, Andrew and Julie encourage listeners to see how simply expressing thanks can change your perspective.

Referenced Materials

• Structure and Style® for Students
• “You Don’t Have to Like It”  article by Andrew Pudewa
• Principles of Motivation  audio talk by Andrew Pudewa
• Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
• Transcript of Podcast Episode 452

If you have questions for Andrew, send them to [email protected]
Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).

If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or [email protected]

Thirty years ago, Andrew Pudewa began offering writing seminars to homeschool parents. In this episode, Julie Walker asks Andrew to reflect on those thirty years, share some of the highlights of those years, and discuss how students and adults are using the Structure and Style® method in the classroom as well as in the real world. He ends with why it is so important for people to learn how to write and speak and communicate in a world that so desperately needs leaders with those skills.

Referenced Materials

• What Are We Really Doing Here? by Andrew Pudewa
  • Article
  • Audio talk
• Teaching Writing: Structure and Style®
• Seminar Workbook
• Structure and Style for Students
• Structure and Style for Students: Year 3 Level B
• University-Ready Writing
• Transcript for Podcast Episode 451

If you have questions for Andrew, send them to [email protected]
Perhaps your question will be answered at the next Ask Andrew Anything (AAA).

If you have questions about IEW products or classes, contact customer service at 800.856.5815 or [email protected]