CourseG6–7 Write Lab
- What you'll find
- The previous level, where your child links a claim, reasons, and evidence into paragraphs in an essay
G8–9 Write Lab
Your child compares several English sources on the same topic, picks evidence, and argues their own position in English analytical essays.
Your child also reads news articles and research writing and learns to quote and cite sources.
A writing sample and a diagnostic show if this level fits
This level fits students who write English essays with a claim and evidence but need practice comparing several sources to choose evidence.
The starting level is based on the diagnostic results.
What decides your child's starting point
Reading sources
Whether your child understands English sources and can tell how their viewpoints differ.
Choosing evidence
Whether the evidence your child picks actually supports their claim.
What to fix first
Which needs work first: analysis, evidence, or essay structure.
What your child writes in grades 8–9
In grades 6–7, students pull only the information that supports their claim from English sources. In grades 8–9, your child first compares what each source argues, then picks reliable evidence from among them to support their own claim.
Search, Evaluate, Select, Synthesize: Reading several sources and choosing what to use
Your child finds English sources on the topic and checks whether they're reliable. They keep only what supports their claim and pull ideas from several sources together under their own point of view.
Reading and citing social studies and science sources for writing ideas
Your child reads English sources, news articles, and research writing on social studies and science, and quotes them as evidence in their own writing.
Social studies
- Modern history
- Macro- and microeconomics
- Global issues
- Intro to psychology
Science
- Advanced biology
- Environmental science
- Astronomy
- Technology and ethics
Practicing reading and citing sources
Reference & Citation Skills: Crediting and quoting sources
Your child keeps source material separate from their own ideas and notes which source it came from.
Current Affairs: Reading the news
Your child compares the issues and viewpoints in news articles and picks evidence for their own claim.
Research Article Analysis: Reading research
Your child finds the research question, evidence, and conclusion in research articles and uses them as evidence in their own writing.
Practicing vocabulary, writing structure, and grammar
Your child picks out the weak spots in vocabulary, grammar, and paragraph order that show up in their analytical essays and practices them separately.
Practice by skill
Vocab: Words for analytical writing
Your child learns the words analytical writing needs through word-relationship questions (Analogies) and sentence completion.
Language Arts: Writing structure
Your child studies model essays (Writing Models) to see how several viewpoints and pieces of evidence are ordered.
Grammar: Finding and fixing errors
Your child uses new grammar in their own sentences and finds and fixes grammar errors in paragraphs (Paragraph Editing).
Writing a full English analytical essay, from plan to rewrite
- Step: Choose the question and sources
At this step, your child: Decides the question the essay answers and who will read it, then picks English sources to use as evidence.
- Step: Organize ideas
At this step, your child: Maps out ideas from the sources with a mind map and decides how the essay is structured.
- Step: Write a draft
At this step, your child: Picks a form that fits the purpose, such as explaining or persuading, and writes a draft with evidence.
- Step: Get written corrections and rewrite
At this step, your child: Fixes content, logic, and sentence errors using the instructor's corrections, then rewrites.
Written corrections and assessments track your child's writing
There's a quiz every class, an end-of-month assessment, and a quarterly achievement assessment. Rewritten essays go into your child's portfolio. See how parents get progress updates
What the instructor checks in each essay
Claim
Whether the essay answers the question and your child's own claim comes through clearly.
Evidence and sources
Whether the evidence supports the claim and source material is kept apart from your child's own ideas.
Paragraphs and sentences
Whether paragraphs follow sound logic, quotes are handled well, and vocabulary and grammar are correct.
Textbooks and homework
Textbooks are chosen from CGP English, Cambridge Academic Writing Skills, Writer’s Choice, Daily Paragraph Editing, and Analogies materials to match your child's level and goals.
English writing after class
Homework
Your child rewrites what they wrote in class, following the written corrections. They also practice reading and vocabulary.
Writing Clinic
More English writing outside regular classes, with in-depth written corrections. We'll tell you in consultation whether it's available.
Explore other grades and courses
*Hover over or tap a card to see the details and its link.
CourseG10–11 Write Lab
- What you'll find
- The next level, where students write academic essays, research papers, and Common App college application essays
CourseG7–9 Write Lab
- What you'll find
- What students write in grades 6–7 and 8–9, and which students each level fits
Plan your child's G8–9 Write Lab classes
We'll look at your child's recent English writing and school assignments and pick a starting level with you.