Writing Instruction

Extracurricular Academic Writing Program

Recognizing that good writing is a prerequisite to success in virtually any academic subject and in many professional fields, Advantage Testing offers a Writing Program designed to help students express themselves with precision, eloquence, and cogency.

First Meeting

Tutors first review previously graded schoolwork to gain a sense of the strengths and weaknesses in a student's written expression. Next, tutors identify the concerns and goals of each student. Finally, tutors develop individualized programs that reinforce material the student may have learned in school and introduce useful approaches that students will need to master in higher-level written coursework.

Content of Program

Drawing from a variety of written media-fiction, poetry, essays, and articles-tutors help students refine the reading skills that are intimately linked to strong writing ability. By engaging a text that he or she finds genuinely interesting, the student is able to employ a natural voice in the dissection and interpretation of that text. Through guided exercises and homework assignments, tutors prompt students to develop the logical train of thought that propels accurate and expressive writing. As a complement to this broader focus, tutors also teach the fundamentals of syntax, grammar, and paragraph development, while also seeking to enhance a student's knowledge and proper usage of vocabulary. Whether they pursue expository or creative writing, students in our Writing Program intensively practice a particular craft and art. From organizing initial ideas to polishing the last of many drafts, students benefit from constructive and detailed responses at each stage in the process.

Length of Program

To ensure that a student encounters and practices the essential principles of good writing, a program of at least two months is recommended. However, a fuller mastery of these principles will likely take longer. Program lengths will vary. Many students who enroll in this program are high school seniors who wish to improve their writing skills in preparation for college-level coursework. These students typically work with tutors during the second semester of their senior year.