Online writing classes for kids

writing AssessmentS

Before your child (third-grade, fourth-grade, fifth-grade, middle school, or high school student) enrolls in Word’s writing classes, they should complete a writing assessment session with Christina so that she can identify the holes in their writing foundation and, in turn, create a customized writing program for them and have a targeted approach with their instruction.

  • Assessment details:

    Before the session, Christina will spend approximately 30 minutes reviewing your child’s completed editing document(s) so that she can assess your child’s understanding of grammar and level them for editing work.

    During the session, she will assess your child's spelling skills (elementary and middle school students) and observe your child writing a paper.

    The writing assessment also includes a ten-minute phone call with Christina the day after she meets with your child so that she can discuss her observations and writing instruction recommendations with you.

What’s included:

  • 30-minute student writing assessment session

  • 30 minutes of writing assessment document review (completed after the student writing assessment session)

  • Written writing instruction recommendations

  • 10-minute parent phone call

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SPELLING CLASSES

Spelling is the foundation of writing—if your child doesn’t have strong spelling skills, they cannot have strong writing skills. Words’s spelling course will fill in holes in that foundation, strengthening it so that it can be built upon.

  • Course details:

    After Christina determines which high-frequency words your child needs to learn, she will use those words to teach your child how to spell other words. Phonics and word analysis will be discussed during this process.

    Learning outcomes:

    By the end of this spelling course, your child will understand the importance of spelling words phonetically and looking at them analytically. They also will have mastered how to spell the 1,200 words used most frequently in writing!

What’s included:

  • Weekly 25-minute private goal-focused classes

  • 15 minutes of weekly spelling test review and document updating (completed after each class)

  • Customized spelling instruction

  • Curricular materials

  • Assessments to track your child’s progress

  • Purposeful, individualized homework

  • 10-minute parent check-in phone call with Christina every trimester

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GRAMMAR CLASSES

To be able to write logical and meaningful sentences consistently, your elementary, middle or high school student must have a solid grammar foundation. Words’s grammar courses, Grammar I (Sentence Structure) and Grammar II (Parts of Speech), will build that foundation by establishing a comprehensive understanding of sentence structure and the following parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions and conjunctions.

  • Course details:

    In the weekly classes, your child will focus on sentence structure or one part of speech at a time. Christina will introduce new grammar rules during each class; however, before she does, she will conduct an oral review of recently taught ones so that she can assess your child’s understanding of them. Between classes, your child will study and apply the newly learned grammar rules.

    Learning outcomes:

    Upon finishing these grammar courses, your child will be able to identify, write and correctly punctuate simple, compound and complex sentences; they will also be able to identify nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions and conjunctions in sentences and understand those words’ roles in the sentences.

What’s included:

  • Weekly 25-minute small group (or private) goal-focused classes

  • Curricular materials

  • Oral and written assessments to track your child’s progress

  • Purposeful homework

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EDITING CLASSES

Your child must be able to properly edit their own writing so that they don’t assign that job to their readers. Word’s editing courses will teach them how to do that using a systematic approach.

  • Course details:

    After Christina determines your child’s editing level and gets them up and running with editing, they will edit a two-page document between classes, and their work (e.g., standard proofreading marks, capitalization and punctuation rules, etc.) will be reviewed and discussed during their upcoming class.

    Learning outcomes:

    Upon completing the Level 6 Editing course, your child will be able to independently make editing corrections based on rules and explain those rules to other people; they will also be able to consistently edit Level 6 two-page documents with an approximately 99% accuracy rate.

What’s included:

  • Weekly 25-minute small group (or private) goal-focused classes

  • Curricular materials

  • Oral and written assessments to track your child’s progress

  • Purposeful homework

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ADVANCED VOCABULARY Course

Vocabulary is a key component of writing. It is important to have knowledge of inspiring, powerful words and be able to use them properly. Word’s Advanced Vocabulary course will introduce your preteen or teen to the study of words, teach them how to use new words properly in their speech and writing, and create less of a size difference between their passive vocabulary (the words they “understand”) and active vocabulary (the words they use), helping them take their writing to the next level.

  • Course details:

    During the first week of each month, your child will learn ten words (i.e., spelling, pronunciation, part of speech, definition, usage, etc.). For the last three or four weeks of every month, your child will participate in a fun, interactive game that will help them learn the words introduced at the beginning of the month and assess their progress in learning them.

    Learning outcomes:

    As a result of taking this course, your preteen or teen will understand the importance of using a dictionary—a reputable one—when writing. They also will know how to use one properly, ensuring they, in turn, use words properly. In addition, they will integrate more advanced words into their speech and writing!

What’s included:

  • Curricular materials

  • Purposeful homework

  • Assessments to track your child’s progress

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PARAGRAPH WRITING CLASSES

4th & 5th Graders

Word’s Paragraph Writing classes will teach your child (fourth or fifth grader) how to choose the “right” topic to write about and how to properly structure and organize, draft, revise, and edit a paragraph.

  • Course details:

    Your child will work on writing a nonfiction paragraph during and between classes. During the weekly classes, Christina will provide your fourth or fifth grader with feedback on their homework revisions and then provide them with instruction for their next round of revisions. This process will continue weekly until your child is ready to start a new paragraph.

    Learning outcomes:

    After taking Christina's Paragraph Writing classes, your child will understand how to choose the “right” writing topic and progress through the different steps in the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. In addition, they will independently be able to complete a prewriting document; create and format a Google Drive document; use a polished prewriting document to draft a paper; and revise their writing, taking into account others’ feedback. They also will be able to use the Suggesting feature in Drive when revising their writing.

What’s included:

  • Weekly 25-minute private goal-focused classes

  • Purposeful, individualized homework

  • 10-minute parent check-in phone call with Christina every trimester

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WRITING CRITIQUE CLASSES

6th–11th Graders

Word’s writing critique course will provide an invaluable opportunity for your preteen or teen (sixth through eleventh grader) to write regularly. It will keep them working on one step of the writing process (i.e., prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) at all times, allow them to complete writing pieces at their own pace yet efficiently, and expose them to other students’ writing ideas.

  • Course details:

    Your preteen or teen will work on writing a nonfiction paper between classes. During the weekly classes, their work will be critiqued and discussed. They will leave each class with feedback regarding what they did well when writing and what they need to improve upon. Then approximately three days after each class, Christina will provide your child with feedback on their first round of weekly revisions (*Revision Review), helping keep them on track with their writing. This process will continue weekly until your child is ready to start a new paper.

    *Revision Review will help your preteen or teen complete papers twice as fast because they will receive instructor feedback on their prewriting or draft revisions twice a week instead of just once a week. Revision Review will also help your child understand the importance of completing multiple rounds of writing revisions, and not at the last minute.

    Learning outcomes:

    After taking Christina's writing courses, your preteen or teen will understand how to choose the “right” writing topic and progress through the different steps in the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. In addition, they will independently be able to complete a prewriting document; create and format a Google Drive document; use a polished prewriting document to draft a paper; and revise their writing, taking into account others’ feedback. They also will be able to use the Suggesting feature in Drive to critique writing.

What’s included:

  • 85-minute small group (2–4 students) Writing Critique classes

  • Purposeful homework

  • 10 minutes of weekly Revision Review (completed by Christina between classes)

  • 10-minute parent check-in phone call with Christina every trimester

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ESSAY Writing Classes

9th–11th Graders

Christina modeled the format for these classes after the format for her college admission writing consulting services. The classes are perfect for busy high school students who want to improve their writing skills!

  • Your high schooler will meet with Christina privately for 25 minutes once a week to discuss their current writing piece. They will then submit their first round of weekly revisions to her within approximately two days of those meetings, and Christina will, in turn, provide your teen with detailed written feedback on those revisions within approximately three days of the meetings.

What’s included:

  • Weekly 25-minute private classes

  • Purposeful homework

  • 25 minutes of weekly Revision Review (completed by Christina between classes)

  • 10-minute parent check-in phone call with Christina every trimester

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The Art of Writing

CLASS schedule

Class times are Pacific Time (PT).

Monday

2:00–2:55 |Private Class

3:00–3:25 p.m. | Private Class

3:30–3:55 p.m. | Private Class

4:00–4:25 p.m. | Private Class

4:25–4:55 p.m. | Private Class

5:00–6:25 p.m. | Writing Critique

6:30–6:55 p.m. | Private Class

7:00–7:25 p.m. | College Admission Writing

7:30–7:55 p.m. | College Admission Writing

Tuesday

2:00–2:55 p.m. | Private Class

3:00–3:25 p.m. | Private Class

3:30–3:55 p.m. | Private Class

4:00–4:25 p.m. | Level 4 Editing

4:30–4:55 p.m. | Level 6 Editing

5:00–6:25 p.m. | Writing Critique

6:30–6:55 p.m. | Private Class

7:00–7:25 p.m. | College Admission Writing

7:30–7:55 p.m. | College Admission Writing

Wednesday

2:00–2:55 p.m. | Private Class

3:00–3:25 p.m. | Private Class

3:30–3:55 p.m. | Private Class

4:00–4:25 p.m. | Grammar I

4:30–4:55 p.m. | Grammar II

5:00–6:25 p.m. | Writing Critique

6:30–6:55 p.m. | Private Class

7:00–7:25 p.m. | College Admission Writing

7:30–7:55 p.m. | College Admission Writing

Thursday

2:00–2:55 p.m. | Private Class

3:00–3:25 p.m. | Private Class

3:30–3:55 p.m. | Private Class

4:00–4:25 p.m. | Level 4 Editing

4:30–4:55 p.m. | Level 6 Editing

5:00–6:25 p.m. | Writing Critique

6:30–6:55 p.m. | Private Class

7:00–7:25 p.m. | College Admission Writing

7:30–7:55 p.m. | College Admission Writing

Friday

2:00–2:55 p.m. | Private Class

3:00–3:25 p.m. | Private Class

3:30–3:55 p.m. | Private Class

4:00–4:25 p.m. | Private Class

4:25–4:55 p.m. | Private Class

5:00–6:25 p.m. | Writing Critique

6:30–6:55 p.m. | Private Class

7:00–7:25 p.m. | College Admission Writing

7:30–7:55 p.m. | College Admission Writing