Essay writing skills are a key component of our English Tutoring program at Centauri Arts. Here are some of the ‘tips and tricks’ we offer our English tutoring students, to help them improve their writing skills:
Planning before you begin to write is key to essay writing success
Planning an essay carefully helps you organize your thoughts.. It also ensures you spot gaps in your research, and weaknesses in your argument, before you begin to write.
Learn how to write a successful thesis statement
For students in high school and beyond, a well crafted thesis statement is essential to success. Your thesis statement should be sufficiently ‘weighty’ to enable you to develop arguments sufficiently complex to ensure a good mark!
Learn to craft successful topic sentences
Think of your topic sentences as signposts that help your reader navigate the material in your essay.
Writing an essay does NOT end with the first draft!
Mastering the art of the edit is essential to producing a high quality essay.
Writing under timed conditions is an important essay writing skill
In high school and throughout university you will be required to write essays swiftly and under timed conditions – either for exams, or to maximise your productivity. This is a skill not often taught in school. Throughout our English Tutoring program, you will write several essays under timed conditions, developing the ability to organise your thoughts quickly and effectively.
The only way to become a good essay writer is to practise your essay writing skills!
In our English tutoring program I often work with students who can describe quite confidently how to plan and write an essay – but who lack the skills to put this theoretical knowledge into practise. The only way to improve as an essay writer is to write essays – which makes total sense! The challenge is that in school, teachers have large classes, and marking 30 essays at a time is an enormous burden – so students are only occasionally given the opportunity to practise the skills they are taught. This is why universities consistently see undergrads in need of basic writing support. We’ll teach you how to write essays well – and then we’ll help you develop those skills as you write essays on subjects of interest to you.
We are now accepting enrollments for our English Enrichment program this fall! Check out our website for details, or email julie@centauriarts.com for a free assessment.
Julie Hartley
Director
Centauri Arts
416 766 7124
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