2024 Summer Intensive Program

View Our Primary Summer Brochure

Primary Novel Study (Grades 1-2)

In this reading comprehension course, students will work together to read a work of fiction and enhance their vocabulary and understanding of various narrative elements. Each lesson will take a close look at the details of a text, allowing for a greater appreciation of the stories we read. In the final lesson, students will test what they have learned by creating a book report for the story.

Primary Writing and Grammar (Grades 3-6)

Spectacular descriptions in narratives not only need creativity but also grammar. Do not underestimate the importance of grammar in vivid descriptions! In this course, students will master different forms of adjectives and adverbs in usage, structure and application. The course also covers practices in identifying common mistakes for proofreading purposes. At the end of the course, students will be equipped with better grammar and descriptions waiting to be unleashed in their writing!

In this writing course, students will be introduced to a number of grammar conventions and stylistic techniques that go beyond the simple rules of tense and punctuation. In this course students will receive help with a number of common mistakes and learn how to apply grammar conventions in both essays and fiction writing. Through focused lessons on concepts like passive and active voice, interjections, prepositions, and others, students will learn not just how to use grammar correctly but how the ways they choose to say something can affect the meaning and tone of their writing.

Primary Reading and Vocab (Grades 3-6)

Words are powerful tools. They help us communicate and understand the world. To communicate better, we need to read more! In this reading and vocabulary course, students will learn to read with intention. The intention is to understand the main message and the details through analytical and inferring techniques. Through the process, familiar and unfamiliar words will be analysed and understood for application in the students’ writing. As a whole, the course will equip students with skills to read and comprehend while picking up new vocabulary to apply in their work.

What does it take to truly understand a text? In Exploring the Tapestry of Time and Nature, students will elevate their reading comprehension abilities by learning to analyze what they read with precision and rigor. Students will deepen their lexical ability through means of verbal reasoning, justify the reading by citing examples accurately, and dissect the meaning of complex texts by making logical and textual inferences. All these skills will help students to grow into active and hands-on readers and ultimately prepare them to construct their own arguments regarding the world around us.  

Primary Aspiring Writers (Grades 1-6)

Our Primary writing courses are designed to develop reading and writing skills in one of the three main writing genres: narrative, informational and persuasive. Throughout each course, students practice the important steps of the writing process – brainstorming, outlining logically, writing effectively, and revising thoughtfully.

Primary Critical Thinking

At the Primary level, our critical thinking programs are designed to gradually expose students to pressing issues around the world. Students begin to speak persuasively about their ideas as well as to consider how they relate to these issues. This summer, we are providing a range of offerings for students who would like to focus on the critical thinking, problem-solving, or public speaking facets of our regular FAST, RAPS, and PSD programs.

Public Speaking and Debate

At the primary level, our public speaking and debate program is designed to equip students with the critical thinking and public speaking skills that give voice and help them advocate for solutions to issues that will affect their futures. Each class devotes itself to either a content or skill focus that will help students speak knowledgeably and persuasively about those issues that matter most to them. This summer, our program offers a diverse selection of issues for students to unpack, ranging from the environment to the economy. Students interested in joining this intensive program must first complete an interview with our debating instructor.

View Our Secondary Summer Brochure

Secondary Writing

At the Secondary level, students must grapple with increasingly more complex writing conventions as well as more challenging subject matter. To that end, our regular writing courses are designed to develop critical reading and writing skills within four main genres: persuasive, informational, descriptive, and fiction. As within our Primary programs, the courses continue to emphasise the importance of the writing process – brainstorming, outlining, writing, and editing – in order to cultivate independent student writers.

Secondary Critical Thinking

At the Secondary level, our critical thinking programs seek to both build students’ confidence with their presentations as well as to encourage them to probe their own opinions and the opinions of others. This summer, we are providing a range of offerings for students who would like to focus on the critical thinking, problem-solving, or public speaking facets of our regular critical thinking programs.

Public Speaking and Debate

Within Public Speaking and Debate at the Secondary level, there is a balance between introducing novices to the activity and helping experienced debaters reach new heights. At the introductory level, classes are oriented around preparing students for different speaking environments and helping them develop the basic skills needed to debate. In this capacity, students learn basic debate formats and practice their delivery through a variety of activities such as extempore speech. Instructors will work closely with students on developing an effective and emotive presentation style as well as give students feedback on the content and structure of their speeches. For more experienced students, classes are centered around introducing more complexity and nuance to their arguments. There is an increased emphasis on engagement with current and international affairs, ranging from global politics and international relations, to moral truths and questions of justice.

The Digital SAT’s structure and scoring system will require careful attention to detail from students. This program will equip students with the fundamental skills and test-taking strategies needed to tackle the adaptive format. Over the course of our two-week camp, students will master key concepts and expand their vocabulary by memorizing over 1000 higher-level words. Moreover, students will learn SAT-specific strategies and identify traps that the testmakers like to place. Progress will be monitored through in-class drills, homework assignments, and a final mock test. By the end of the course, students will know exactly what to expect on the exam and how to perform to the best of their abilities.

Moreover, as the college application process can be quite complex, you may be wondering where standardized testing fits in. It is understandable to have questions such as “Do I need to take the SAT if most colleges are still test-optional?” and “What score should I be aiming for?” To find these answers, contact us to schedule a free mock test assessment and consultation.