|
|
English Writing for international students (offered primarily only to students awarded at the Talent Search 2004 in the English Writing section)
(July 18 - July 30), ages 13 - 16
The course will consist of focused instruction in writing at two levels. Students will be grouped according to their ability at the start of the program, and will receive instruction at the appropriate level.
Level
1. The instruction in
level 1 concentrates on sound principles of paragraph organization and
development, on generating and stating a strong central idea in an essay, on
introductory and concluding paragraphs, and on strategies for ordering
information in an essay. Under careful supervision of a master teacher,
Level 1 students will write several essays of two to three pages, along with
shorter practice writing assignments.
Level
2. The instruction in level 2 emphasizes analytical and
argumentative essay writing. Level 2 students will review principles of
paragraph composition, thesis generation and statement, and essay organization,
but will also concentrate on analyzing real-world problems and arguing well
defined claims with regard to real-world issues. Level 2 students will
write three 1- to 2-page essays that explore modes of developing arguments, and
one 4-6 page argumentative essay, along with shorter practice writing
assignments.
The program of instruction at each level also includes work on selected grammar topics and practice with principles of writing clear, effective English sentences.
Session One (June 20 - July 9), ages 14-16
This course will introduce students to arguably the most famous of writers: William Shakespeare. However, rather than studying Shakespeare's major plays in isolation, we will consider their influence and relevance to twentieth-century novelists, playwrights, producers and, last but certainly not least, audiences. We will look at allusions to and adaptations of several major plays in twentieth and twenty-first century fiction, drama and film. We will for example consider Oscar Wilde's essay on Shakespeare at the turn of the century. We will compare Samuel Beckett's wild experimental Waiting for Godot to Shakespeare's later tragi-comedies. We will view several film versions of Hamlet and Romeo & Juliet and we will discuss the explosion of Shakespeare summer festivals. Throughout the course, we will compare Shakespeare's style and ideas to more contemporary concepts of entertainment, art, politics, and even human psychology. The overarching question guiding our discussion as well as your individual writing assignments will be as follows: Why does Shakespeare still draw a crowd?
Session One (June 20 - July 9), ages 13-15
In this course, students will both write and read poetry and fiction. The first half of the course will focus on exploring poetry - how metaphors work in language, the distinctions between 'lyric' and 'narrative' poetry, for example. Readings will include excerpts from classical poets like Virgil and Ovid as well as contemporary poets like Louise Gluck and Robert Hass. Students will write several poems of their own during this section of the course. The second half of the course will use the close reading of short stories by James Joyce, Katherine Mansfield, and others to help students compose an original short story. Elements of fiction like plot, characterization, and dialogue will be explored as students write an original short story. The class will edit and publish an anthology of student writing and give a reading at the end of the session in order to fully experience the 'writing life.' This course is suitable for any student with a keen interest in developing his or her imagination through writing and reading.
Session One (June 20 - July 9), ages 13-15
Designed for motivated and verbally talented middle-school and early high-school students with an interest in non-fiction writing. Introduces students to a variety of essay structures and modes of essay development, both through study of examples-historical and modern-and through students' own practice. Investigates examples of reflective personal essays, expository essays, and arguments, whose authors range from Montaigne to Swift, Thoreau, Frederick Douglass, Mark Twain, Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, and others. Emphases include progress toward a personal voice and clear, lively style, as well as use of focused, compelling thesis statements and coherent, well developed paragraphs. Hones critical thinking skills and increases sensitivity to issues of style. Students' writing will include both their own essays and analyses of historical examples. Students will also begin work in a new, computer-based grammar and style course while in attendance.
Prerequisites: Students should have completed a writing course that teaches the basics of stating a thesis and developing it in coherent, well organized paragraphs, such as EPGY's distance-learning courses W10A or W11A.
Session Two (July 11 - July 30), ages 15-17
This course will place two different forms of writing side by side: creative non-fiction and analytical essays. The goal will be to compare and contrast the use of personal (and also fictional) material with research and analysis. The overall goal will be to teach students effective and elegant techniques for using both creativity and research in their own academic writing. We will study examples of both creative non-fiction and research essays written by twentieth-century novelists, playwrights and journalists. Students will be asked to write short (1-2 page) analytical essays about the techniques and themes of 3 of these writers. In addition, there will be two final projects: a personal essay (or short story) and a 1500-2000 word research essay. Students will be asked to bring ideas for both their personal essay and their research essay to class the first day of the session.
Session Two (July 11 - July 30), ages 15-17
This course is designed for motivated and verbally talented older high-school students with an interest in non-fiction writing. Students will work on finding a voice of their own, as well as on narrative technique, description, and dialogue, through an investigation of models from contemporary and classic fiction, writing exercises, and open group discussion. Students will continue work on a short story in progress or begin a new one, and hone it into a polished piece of fiction by the end of the course. The course presents an opportunity for close work with a master writing teacher, skilled teaching assistants, and other young writers in a workshop atmosphere.
Inquiries concerning the Summer Institutes should be sent to epgy@infokids.com.hk.