THIS IS THE PAGE FOR PEOPLE WANTING TO LEARN (OR BRUSH UP ON) ESSAY- AND RESEARCH PAPER-WRITING SKILLS, READING SKILLS, CREATIVE WRITING, AND ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL).
Essay Writing/Composition/Research Papers
If you're a high school or college or continuing-ed student who's having trouble putting thoughts together into a coherent written form, I can teach you the basics of essay writing. We'll work on areas like topic selection, the formulation of a clear thesis, and the best method for progressing through your argument or narrative or exposition to a memorable, cogent conclusion.
I'm also willing to work with students who want to focus on essay writing for the SAT Writing section. See the Test Prep page for more information.
If you're a student (high school to grad school) who wants help with research paper writing, then I'm your guy. While my own personal bias is toward the Chicago Manual of Style, I'll be able to take you through the finer points of most of the major established manuals and style sheets. We'll go over bibliographical citations, footnotes and/or end notes, proper section formatting, and other matters relevant to the writing of a good research paper (including the topic of proper research!).
Course options:
EN001 = High school English, Grades 9-12: Composition (Essay, Research)
EN002 = Undergrad English, Freshman-Senior: Composition (Essay, Research)
EN003 = Continuing Ed. English (Adults): Composition (Essay, Research)
Teaching/learning options:
1. Teaching via Skype
2. In-residence teaching (i.e., at the student's home; extra fee will be charged for gas and travel time if student is more than 15 minutes away by car)
Please visit the RATE CHART for specifics regarding tutoring costs.
Reading Skills
Although reading is often classified as a "passive" macroskill (the other three linguistic macroskills are listening, speaking, and writing), it's also quite active: a reader must engage the text in order to get the most out of the reading experience. Many of us simply read without thinking, and five minutes after we've finished reading something, we furrow our brows and wonder, "What the heck did I just read?" This is normal, but it's also no way to approach any text-- especially if we're reading academically.
I can take you through a series of reading comprehension drills, show you how to home in on a main idea, or analyze a text in terms of its tone, its arguments, and even its fallacies. Your reading skills are intimately tied to your critical thinking skills: stop reading everything unquestioningly!
My approach will be tailored to your needs and goals, but will be primarily content-based in emphasis: all reading begins with a text. Depending on the student, we might spend our time plowing through a novel, or we might critically examine news articles (in print and online) for hidden and overt bias, or-- if the student is very young-- we might work on reading and discussing certain stories or poems. The sky's the limit. Along the way, you-- my students-- will be picking up plenty of new vocabulary, a new awareness of authorial intent, and an appreciation for the layers of significance hidden in every text.
Course options:
EN004 = High school English, Grades 9-12: Reading
EN005 = Undergrad English, Freshman-Senior: Reading
EN006 = Continuing Ed. English (Adults): Reading
Teaching/learning options:
1. Teaching via Skype
2. In-residence teaching (i.e., at the student's home; extra fee will be charged for gas and travel time if student is more than 15 minutes away by car)
Please visit the RATE CHART for specifics regarding tutoring costs.
Creative Writing
Ever wanted to write a story? Are you brimming with ideas? The trouble with creative writing is that, without proper knowledge and discipline, the stories you write could end up messy, unfocused, and just plain unreadable. Learn the art of creative writing-- produce short stories, poetry, and even plays.
This is the sort of course that, if I were to get enough people together, could become something bigger. Imagine arranging a night of poetry reading (or even a poetry slam, if we get enough passionate souls!). Or what about a night of one-act plays, performed by a group of us aspiring writers (plus, perhaps, a few local wannabe actors)? The mind boggles.
Creative writing can be a wonderful outlet for your dreams, your frustrations, and your more devilish urges. It's a chance to explore the hidden corners of your psyche, or to imagine the world from the perspective of a protagonist who, despite being your creation, is radically different from you.
Part of the course will be about inspiration, but in the end, the only way to learn how to write is to write. Inspiration counts, but it's the perspiration-- the effort of will and the sheer self-discipline-- that will make your stories and poems and plays a reality. Some people manage to do that on their own; most of us need some guidance and encouragement along the way.
Are you ready?
Course options:
EN007 = High school English, Grades 9-12: Creative Writing
EN008 = Undergrad English, Freshman-Senior: Creative Writing
EN009 = Continuing Ed. English (Adults): Creative Writing
Teaching/learning options:
1. Teaching via Skype
2. In-residence teaching (i.e., at the student's home; extra fee will be charged for gas and travel time if student is more than 15 minutes away by car)
Please visit the RATE CHART for specifics regarding tutoring costs.
ESL
This course is primarily for Koreans who are new to the US, and who need extra help with their English. The course will be tailored to the needs of the student, and will involve the training and development of all four macroskills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Course options:
EN010 = ESL, Beginner
EN011 = ESL, Intermediate
EN012 = ESL, Advanced
Teaching/learning options:
1. Teaching via Skype
2. In-residence teaching (i.e., at the student's home; extra fee will be charged for gas and travel time if student is more than 15 minutes away by car)
Please visit the RATE CHART for specifics regarding tutoring costs.
_
