We are once again offering our popular English Masterclass course in an engaging, interactive and intensive in-person format!
Over the past five years, Summer at Woodstock’s English Masterclass course has been one of our most popular, with students of all levels developing and deepening their English language skills. Results have shown many students increasing their reading age by one or two years over our brief yet intensive programme.
English Masterclass offers a broad range of opportunities for students of all ages and levels. The popularity of this course allows us to place students in different sections with a specialised teacher who will meet them where they are. This course is for budding authors or researchers, for those who long for literature, for those who dream of deeper understandings, and for those who simply want to strengthen their academic English language skills in preparation for high school or university. The course is designed to stretch students in areas of academic writing, research, creative writing, literature analysis, presentations, and critical thinking skills.
Put simply, all students should expect to leave with experiences, skills and knowledge they didn’t come with. English Masterclass students will gain skills and techniques in creative and academic writing and research, increasing their ability to think critically and write convincingly. Students will gain a deeper appreciation for the English language and the depth of thought required to understand and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
Dependent on enrolment, English Masterclass will be separated into separate groups based on age and areas of growth, and each course is tailored to fit individual students’ areas of interest and potential. However, there are always key areas of focus for all ages and potentials, including:
Examples of course content:
The English Masterclass in-person structure will follow that of previous years, with students engaging with teachers and each other as they improve their English skills at various levels.
“I had a lot of fun in this class and I learned a lot...like how to paraphrase and how to write an essay and many new things!” - 2019 participant
Our English Masterclass programme is taught by experienced Woodstock teachers and is headed by John Robertson, head of EAL (English as an Additional Language) and Home Language literature coordinator at Woodstock. John has taught English language learners of all levels and ages for 17 years from absolute beginners to future English teachers and M.A. students. He teaches Theory of Knowledge and English Language and Literature, supports students in academic writing, runs a teacher-training course on teaching language across the curriculum, and coordinates the Home Languages programme.
Other faculty members include Alpana Pathak, Clara Astarloa, Andrew Stuart-Watson, Vandana Ferguson, Agustin Silvadiaz, and Chris Martin.