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San Jose SAT Writing Course Syllabus

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Campbell SAT Writing Course Syllabus

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Bay Area SAT Writing Course Syllabus

Cupertino SAT Writing Course Syllabus

Fremont SAT Writing Course Syllabus

California SAT Writing Course Syllabus

West Coast SAT Writing Course Syllabus



WEEK I

Introduction:   Overview of the course objectives.

Writing sample: Describe yourself, your past year in English, at least one book that made an impression.

Diagnostic grammar materials: Exercises from English Simplified, 1-6.

Return writing samples. Explanation of holistic grading. Discussion of individual students’ essays. Collation of grammatical and usage errors.

BARRON’S: pp. 3-15.

BARRON’S Self-Assessment Test, pp. 35-55.

BARRON’S: The Essay Question, pp. 59-81.

HOMEWORK: pp. 99-112.  Rewrite original, diagnostic essay.

WEEK II

Comments and Questions. Review of last session’s points.

Check homework: see BARRON’S, pp. 156-57 and review.

Diagnostic Grammar review: English Simplified, pp. 25-31.

Collect re-write on original essay and re-assess. Return and discuss.

Writing Essays to Given Prompts: practice and graded responses: BARRON’S, pp. 114-153.

Method: 2 one-hour series of 2 (3, if time permits) essay topics plus the students’ responses and evaluations from the text.

HOMEWORK: Choose 2 topics from pp. 154-55 and develop each in 20 minutes for submission at WEEK III.

WEEK III

Comments and Questions. Review of last week’s points.

Collect HOMEWORK ESSAY TOPICS for evaluation.

Diagnostic Grammar review on prepositions, English Simplified, pp .33-38.

Return and discuss HOMEWORK ESSAYS and evaluations.

BARRON’S PART IV: pp. 161-231.

HOMEWORK: Assign pp. 232-258.  Prepare to review answers to various exercises.

Choose 2 more topics from pp. 154-55 and develop two 20-minute essays for evaluation.

WEEK IV

Comments and Questions. Review of last week’s points.

Collect two 20-minute essays for evaluation.

Diagnostic Grammar review: English Simplified, pp. 39-49.

BARRON’S PART V: Essay and Practice Test A, pp. 273-292.   Review answers and discuss.

Essay and Practice Test B, pp. 293-318.

HOMEWORK: Choose two more topics from pp. 154-55 and develop two 20-minute essays for evaluation.

WEEK V

Comments and Questions. Review of last week’s points.

Collect two 20-minute essays for evaluation.

Diagnostic Grammar review: pp. 50-59.

BARRON’S PART V: Essay and Practice Test C, pp. 319-344. Essay and Practice Test D, pp. 345-370.

HOMEWORK: Review of all assigned pages from English Simplified.

Choose two more topics from pp. 154-55 and develop two 20-minute essays for evaluation.

WEEK VI

Comments and Questions. Review of last week’s points.

Diagnostic Grammar review and assessment: English Simplified, pp. 118-129.

Collect and evaluate two 20-minute essays and discuss.

BARRON’S PART V: Essay and Practice Test E

Review and discussion Test E.

Students will use final hour to write impromptu essays on unused topics from pp. 154-55 that each students has not individually yet developed.  Submission of the student’s essay will qualify as his/her FINAL EXAM.



WEEK I Introduction:   Overview of the course objectives. Writing sample: Describe yourself, your past year in English, at least one book that made an impression. Diagnostic grammar materials: Exercises from English Simplified, 1-6. Return writing samples. Explanation of holistic grading. Discussion of individual students’ essays. Collation of grammatical and usage errors. BARRON’S: pp. 3-15. BARRON’S Self-Assessment Test, pp. 35-55. BARRON’S: The Essay Question, pp. 59-81. HOMEWORK: pp. 99-112.  Rewrite original, diagnostic essay. WEEK II Comments and Questions. Review of last session’s points. Check homework: see BARRON’S, pp. 156-57 and review. Diagnostic Grammar review: English Simplified, pp. 25-31. Collect re-write on original essay and re-assess. Return and discuss. Writing Essays to Given Prompts: practice and graded responses: BARRON’S, pp. 114-153. Method: 2 one-hour series of 2 (3, if time permits) essay topics plus the students’ responses and evaluations from the text. HOMEWORK: Choose 2 topics from pp. 154-55 and develop each in 20 minutes for submission at WEEK III. WEEK III Comments and Questions. Review of last week’s points. Collect HOMEWORK ESSAY TOPICS for evaluation. Diagnostic Grammar review on prepositions, English Simplified, pp .33-38. Return and discuss HOMEWORK ESSAYS and evaluations. BARRON’S PART IV: pp. 161-231. HOMEWORK: Assign pp. 232-258.  Prepare to review answers to various exercises. Choose 2 more topics from pp. 154-55 and develop two 20-minute essays for evaluation. WEEK IV Comments and Questions. Review of last week’s points. Collect two 20-minute essays for evaluation. Diagnostic Grammar review: English Simplified, pp. 39-49. BARRON’S PART V: Essay and Practice Test A, pp. 273-292.   Review answers and discuss. Essay and Practice Test B, pp. 293-318. HOMEWORK: Choose two more topics from pp. 154-55 and develop two 20-minute essays for evaluation. WEEK V Comments and Questions. Review of last week’s points. Collect two 20-minute essays for evaluation. Diagnostic Grammar review: pp. 50-59. BARRON’S PART V: Essay and Practice Test C, pp. 319-344. Essay and Practice Test D, pp. 345-370. HOMEWORK: Review of all assigned pages from English Simplified. Choose two more topics from pp. 154-55 and develop two 20-minute essays for evaluation. WEEK VI Comments and Questions. Review of last week’s points. Diagnostic Grammar review and assessment: English Simplified, pp. 118-129. Collect and evaluate two 20-minute essays and discuss. BARRON’S PART V: Essay and Practice Test E Review and discussion Test E. Students will use final hour to write impromptu essays on unused topics from pp. 154-55 that each students has not individually yet developed.  Submission of the student’s essay will qualify as his/her FINAL EXAM.