- Integrated critical thinking, writing composition, grammar, and vocabulary
- Designed for students who seek to hone their critical thinking and composition skills, as well as for those who struggle in their high school English and History courses
- Provides students the resources and support they require to become successful writers
- Teaches the grammatical concepts and vocabulary paramount for success on standardized tests and in college writing
The critical thinking and analysis and composition components of our College Prep program are based on the materials covered in students’ high school English and History courses. As college preparatory classes, they are designed for students who seek to hone their critical thinking and composition skills, as well as for those who struggle in their English and History courses. The courses provide students the resources and support they require to become successful writers. Using materials students are familiar with from their own classrooms, Dr. Merchant breaks down the rules and concepts of the writing process into manageable pieces, allowing students to focus on one concept at a time. This method encourages students to build understanding and fluency incrementally; the ultimate goals are strong paragraphs and well-organized, dynamic essays and compositions.
Dr. Merchant guides students through composition in three genre of writing: Informative/Explanatory, Narrative, and Opinion/Argument. Students are taught how to generate and narrow ideas for composition, as well as the elements and structure of good paragraphs. They are also instructed in how to formulate thesis statements, develop body paragraphs, transitions, conclusions, and how to avoid common writing mistakes. Grammatical concepts, paramount for success on standardized tests and college writing, including parts of speech, subject/verb agreement and consistency, and sentence types and structure, are also covered.
The final component of the program is vocabulary development. Students are provided weekly vocabulary lists of words that appear with high frequency in literature and on standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. At the beginning of each class session, students are given a vocabulary quiz, which asks them to define the words on the list from the previous week. Students are also encouraged to use new words in their written compositions.
Our College Prep program enhances that of the school classroom, allowing students to improve their skills and excel with confidence.
- Integrated critical thinking, writing composition, grammar, and vocabulary
- Designed for students who seek to hone their critical thinking and composition skills, as well as for those who struggle in their high school English and History courses
- Provides students the resources and support they require to become successful writers
- Teaches the grammatical concepts and vocabulary paramount for success on standardized tests and in college writing