The aim of this course is for students to explore and apply conventions of fiction and non-fiction writing, with an emphasis on writing coherent and focused prose with well-defined perspectives, tightly reasoned arguments and an awareness of audience and purpose.

Students on this course will examine and produce writing according to the conventions of personal narratives, research papers and descriptive, persuasive, cause and effect, and argumentative essays. The majority of these pieces will be thematically linked to the literature studied in English Reading class.

Activities in class will be content driven and the methods in which the content is studied will be wide ranging from teacher centered lecture style classes, to group activities, to individual research and study activities.

Typically the content studied each term will be centered on English in use along with supplementary components of vocabulary building and grammar skill building.

Assessment in this subject will consist of both formative and summative assessment. Students’ skills will be assessed each term through written essays, tests, presentations and participation in group discussions and activities.

Read in English as much as you can! Although this is a writing course, you should seek out sources of as many different genres and styles of writing as you can (in newspapers, magazines, books and online) in order to learn from good quality examples.

Always complete your homework on time and to the best of your ability.
Organise your time effectively, and don't leave writing your essays until the last minute.

Don't be afraid to ask questions, and enjoy your studies!