English

Course Features

Communication

Through interactive activities, storytelling, and games, young children develop their listening and speaking skills. They learn how to express themselves and communicate with others effectively.

Assessment

Formative and summative assessment is implemented throughout the school year to measure success and determine ongoing support

Diverse Programs

We offer diverse program options for every age and ability level, including phonics for Pre-K2 and Pre-K3 students, as well as writing classes for 2nd Grade and up.

Course Content

Overview

Our English Phonics class for students ages 3.5-5 is a fun and interactive program designed to introduce young learners to the foundational elements of English phonics. Through engaging activities, games, and storytelling, children will develop essential pre-reading skills, phonemic awareness, and letter-sound correspondence. The class provides a nurturing environment where children can explore the sounds of the English language and begin their journey towards becoming confident and skilled readers.

Objectives

Phonemic Awareness: Students will develop phonemic awareness, which includes recognizing and manipulating individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. Activities such as rhyming, blending, and segmenting sounds will strengthen their understanding of phonemic relationships.
Letter Recognition: Children will be introduced to the letters of the alphabet, learning to recognize both uppercase and lowercase letters. They will understand the names and sounds associated with each letter.
Letter-Sound Correspondence: Students will learn the connection between letters and the sounds they represent. They will practice associating specific sounds with corresponding letters.
Sight Words: Basic sight words will be introduced to build students' reading vocabulary and enhance their reading fluency.
Phonics Rules and Patterns: Simple phonics rules and patterns will be introduced, allowing students to apply their knowledge to read and spell words with common letter combinations.
Reading Readiness: Through engaging stories and reading exercises, children will develop their reading readiness skills, preparing them for more advanced reading in the future.
Vocabulary Development: The class will include activities to expand students' vocabulary, introducing new words and concepts that enhance their language skills.

Class Schedule

IN-PERSON: Tuesdays, 4:30 pm - 5:25 pm

Overview

Students will study different types of literature thoughtfully and critically, pick up significant details and identify patterns, and develop a deep and precise understanding of the form, craft, and meaning of a text. Our classes cover theme discussions, vocabulary, literature analysis, in-depth reading, and writing prompts.

Schedule

Part 1: Fable and Myths

Week 1: The Fox and the Crab (Character, Setting, Moral)
Week 2: The Old Lion and the Fox (Summarizing and Outlining)
Week 3: The Miser (Summarizing, Characterization)
Week 4: The Bat and the Weasels (Reading Comprehension)

Part 2: The Cricket in Times Square

Week 5: Chapters 1-2
Week 6: Chapters 2-5
Week 7: Chapters 5-7
Week 8: Chapters 7-9
Week 9: Chapters 9-12

Class Schedule

ONLINE: Thursdays, 7-8 pm (Register via ClassNook)

Overview

In this course, students will be taught how to think and write like writers as they read and imitate works of short fiction appropriate but challenging for their grade level. Classic short story authors covered in this course will include Isaac Asimov, Gary Soto, Ray Bradbury, Shirley Jackson, and Hernando Tellez. These readings will be provided in the form of digital PDFs by the teacher. If students so choose, they can work on 1 story throughout the course so that by the end of it, they have written an entire story. Otherwise, they can treat each week’s writing exercise as individual writing practice. Workshops will be used to help students practice analyzing and critiquing others’ writing while also hearing constructive feedback on their own.

Each week students are expected to read and/or write based on prompts the teacher provides. The reading or writing techniques will then be reviewed in the following class session to inspire further student creative writing. Students should also upload their writing exercises to the Course’s Google Classroom page, and the teacher will provide individualized edits and feedback for each student.

Sample Lesson Plan

Class 1 Introduction
- Topics: Description, Showing vs. Telling, Figurative Language, Mood, Tone, Vocabulary: Adjectives
- Writing: Description Practice
- Writing a Highly Descriptive Scene in a Distinct Place
Class 2 Figurative Language & Description & Characterization
- Topics: Figurative Language, Metaphor, Simile, Introducing a Character, Introduction to Poetry
- Writing: Character Studies
- Description Practice
Class 3 Indirect Characterization & Plot
- Topics: Voice, Giving characters desires, Indirect Characterization, Actions, Plot
- Writing: Writing Active Sequences
- Using STEAL
Class 4 Plot & Rising Action
- Topics: Rising Action, Conflict, Description, Character Feelings, Inner + Outer Description
- Writing: Internal to External Conflict Exercise
Class 5 Point of View & Dialogue
- Topics: Point of View, Perspective, Tone, Character Development, Connecting Words, Prepositional Phrases
- Writing: Point of View Exercise

Class Schedule

ONLINE: Tuesdays, 6 - 7 pm (Register via ClassNook)

Overview

In this course, students will be taught how to think and write like writers and intellectuals as we broach various topics in the realms of social studies, science, and literature through reading and writing. Students will be challenged with various readings provided by the teacher and asked to write various types of critical responses and analyses of their own. The course will allow students to think deeply and write
about a wide range of subjects including history, biography, current events, cutting-edge technologies, modern art, and poetry. The multi-faceted approach is meant to ensure that students are able to analyze, form opinions of, and argue about any topic that may face in their academic and professional careers.

Sample Schedule

Class 1 Introduction: 6-Trait Writing
- Topics: Ideas, Organization, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Voice, Conventions, Paragraphs
- Writing: Write a Perfect Paragraph
Class 2 Writing Opinion #1
- Topics: Developing Opinions on Social Studies Topic, Writing about Safety, Social Conventions
- Writing: Write a 3-part Response to a Social Studies Prompt
Class 3 Writing Opinion #2
- Topics: Developing Opinions on Emerging Technologies, Writing about Bioengineering
- Writing: Write an Opinion Piece on Bioengineering Prompt
Class 4 Writing Argument #1
- Topics: Structures of Argument, Rogerian Philosophy
- Writing: Write an Outline for a Rogerian Essay
Class 5 Writing Argument #2
- Topics: Writing Criticism within Social Studies
- Writing: Write about a Contemporary Event

Class Schedule

Overview

In this course, this session is recommended for rising grade 4 and grade 5 students. Students will write and submit 2 pieces of writing for New York Times young writers’ contests: A summer reading contest and a 100-word narrative contest. Preparing for and submitting to these contests will not only give students the opportunity to compete in and win each competition, but it will also help students to improve in writing, editing, and critical thinking.

The NYT writing contest is open to students between 13 yr to 19 yr. If your child is younger than 13 years old, you are welcome to join this course to prepare for future submission. The course topics will include strong sentences, dynamic paragraphs, argumentation, description, objectivity in writing, and narrative arc. Students will become versatile writers and thinkers as they produce writing in different modes. The teacher will provide editing for students that will help them with their contest submissions.

Class Outline

Class 1 Introduction: Finding Articles + Developing Opinions
- Topics: Research, Navigating the NYT, Hook, Surprise, Concrete to Abstract, Sensorial to Mental, Thinking of the Arc
Class 2 Mixing Fact & Interpretation
- Topics: Pushing deeper into topics, Interpretation, Narrative Development, Inciting Incident
Class 3 Mixing the Personal & the Objective
- Topics: Voice, Objectivity, Connecting the Personal to the Universal Narrative Climax
Class 4 Respond to Stories
- Topics: Responding to Stories, Paraphrase, Summary, Playing with Voice, Anecdote, Internal/External
Class 5 Finding Articles.2
- Topics: Research, Search Tools, Picking Topics, Relevance
Class 6 Structuring Responses
- Topics: Structure, 3-part structure, Freytag Pyramid, Conclusions
Class 7 Structure.2
- Topics: Structure, Narrative Arc & Emotional Arc

Class Schedule

ONLINE: Wednesdays, 6 - 7 pm (Register via ClassNook)

Overview

In this course, students will be asked to think about, judge, and produce writing based on 6 crucial criteria: Ideas, Organization, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Voice, and Conventions. This approach will encourage students to think more deliberately about how they craft and edit their writing. We will cover all kinds of topics in various fields as we read and write our way through these 6 principles over the course of 13 weeks. As the course progresses, the teacher will bring in supplementary material to challenge students and offer them even more variety in reading and writing prompts.

Objectives

Class 1 Ideas: Topic
- Topics: Choosing a Topic, Understanding Topic, Topic Sentences, Structure
Class 2 Ideas: Main Idea
- Topics: Summary, Paraphrase, Main Idea, Thesis
Class 3 Ideas: Maintaining Focus
- Topics: Paragraph Construction, Outline, Structure
Class 4 Organization: Organizing Information Logically
- Topics: Using Signposting, Dynamic Phrasing, Logic, Causation
Class 5 Organization: Connecting Details
- Topics: Strong Details, Description, Finding Evidence, Connecting Dots in Writing
Class 6 Word Choice: Communicating Clearly
- Topics: Clear Writing, Direct Writing, Crafting Phrases to be as Efficient as Possible

Class Schedule

ONLINE: Wednesdays, 6 - 7 pm (Register via ClassNook)

Overview

In this course, students will be taught how to write dynamic, controlled, and moving submissions for 3 New York Times writing contests that occur in the fall. The first 6 weeks of the course will prepare students to submit to the NYT’s 100-Word Personal Narrative Contest (10/4-11/1). Over the next 4 weeks, we will work on submissions for the Review Contest (11/1-12/6). Then, in the final 3 weeks of the course, students will prepare submissions for the one-pager challenge. Through the reading, writing, and editing that goes into the preparation for these contests, students will grow as writers and gain valuable skills that will help them compete in future writing contests and applications, not to mention academic essays. Students’ perspectives and abilities will expand as they exercise both critical and creative muscles.

Each week students are expected to add to and edit their short pieces of writing—culminating in 3+ finished products— based on prompts the teacher provides. Students should upload their writing to the Course’s Google Classroom page, and the teacher will provide individualized edits and feedback for each student. Students should have access to a New York Times subscription for this course. These subscriptions are relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain on the NYT’s website.

Sample Curriculum

Class 1 Introduction: Core Values & Concision [100-word contest]
- Topics: Intros, Essay Guidelines, Core Values, Hook, Surprise, Concrete to Abstract, Sensorial to Mental, Narrative Arc
- Reading: “The Best Friend Question” *
- Writing: Digging Deep Brainstorm
Class 2 Detail, Reflection, & Idiosyncrasy [100-word contest]
- Topics: Embracing Difference, Pushing deeper into topics, objects, memories, Fear, Narrative Development, Inciting Incident
- Reading: “The Bottom of a Swimming Pool” * & “Contraband” *
- Writing: What makes you unique? Exercise
- Write Narrative #1 focusing on a strong Hook
Class 3 Difficult Topics & Concision [100-word contest]
- Topics: Identity, Cultural Background, Feeling Different, Self-deprecation, Voice, Guilt, Shame, Narrative Climax, Concision, Compressing content into short space
- Reading: “Nothing Extraordinary” *, “TSA and Cinnamon Buns” *
- Writing: Write Narrative #2 focusing on a strong Ending
Class 4 Voice, Endings, & Relevant Topics [100-word contest]
- Topics: Playing with Voice, Anecdote, Internal/External,
- Reading: “Cracks in the Pavement” *, “Autocorrect” *
- Writing: Write Narrative #3

Class Schedule

ONLINE: Wednesdays, 8 - 9 pm (Register via ClassNook)

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