Academic Essay Writing (Grades 8–10)

Choose the right level

This course is recommended for students entering Grade 8, 9, or 10. We recommend that students enroll in Language Arts courses at grade level.

Curriculum

Academic Essay Writing offers an intensive study of the how and why of academic writing. Students learn how to plan, draft, and revise an academic essay — as well as why such essays matter.

Featuring the popular college writing textbook, They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing, the course approaches “the essay” as part of a larger conversation being held among scholars. The tools students gain in this course will help them enter into that conversation and maintain it through their academic careers.

Students must purchase the required book(s) before the start of the course.

Format

Our instructors hold classes virtually, in a small-sized (10-16 students) videoconferencing classroom. With a small class size, teachers can give individualized attention to each student, providing real-time verbal and written feedback and supporting students' growth as writers.

Homework

Our Language Arts summer courses do not include homework. Students receive frequent feedback on their writing and present their work throughout the course.

Drop and refund policies

If you drop a summer course before the start of your first class session, we'll issue a full refund for the course tuition. No refunds will be issued for withdrawing from a summer course after the start of your first class session. We do not accept Language Arts book returns, since they are purchased from a third party.

Schedule

Our summer course offerings meet five days a week, Monday through Friday. We offer this course in two timing formats. Both cover the same course material.

• The two-week course meets for 3 hours each day.
• The four-week course meets for 1.5 hours each day.