In Smart Writing, students master the formal, high-level analytical text analysis and structured essay frameworks expected by top American prep schools and Western universities.
Each week, students engage in an authentic, multi-stage Progressive Drafting Process that has helped hundreds of Teacher Brandon’s students in Taiwan write like mature prep school students. Over the course of each unit, students expand their work from structural outlines to complete essays, advancing their next draft based on Tr. Brandon’s feedback, which is sent directly to parents via Line each week.
Tr. Brandon has developed a detailed, step-by-step system for training students in how to critically think about a text and support their arguments with high-level academic evidence. Utilizing his proprietary frameworks (such as the “Teacher Brandon Eats Extra Curry” paragraph formula), students learn the exact structural logic required to dissect a text, locate specific source quotes, and seamlessly integrate evidence into five essential essay genres: text-based analytical, persuasive, refutation, personal response, and compare/contrast.
Alongside intensive essay design, advanced-level vocabulary is integrated directly from the texts via Contextualized Vocabulary Instruction, with progress tracked through regular exams.
Students will also practice writing debate arguments and rebuttals, culminating in a topical deep dive and debate.
Lastly, Tr. Brandon takes the time to troubleshoot the biggest grammar and writing mistakes that he has seen since coming to Taiwan in 2019.
Smart Writing is divided into two parallel, independent tracks that can be taken in any order:
- Heritage: Focuses on the foundations of classical literature and the Western literary canon, featuring texts by iconic authors such as William Shakespeare, Ray Bradbury, and Mark Twain. Students will also tackle timeless debate topics like the philosophy of the good life, the rights of animals, theories about dreaming, and historical ethics.
- Horizon: Focuses on contemporary global literature, modern non-fiction texts, and high-stakes current event articles exploring topics like AI, technology, and the future of work and education.
Students who complete this course build a decisive academic advantage over their peers and can confidently move up to Teacher Brandon’s middle school writing course, Rising Writers.
For writing samples, parent testimonials, and teaching and feedback videos, please see www.teacherbrandon.com.
Class Goals
- Master Essay Styles: Draft comprehensive academic essays across analytical, persuasive, refutation, personal response, and compare/contrast genres.
- Progressive Drafting Process: Continuously advance structural outlines into polished final drafts using personalized teacher feedback sent straight to your Line.
- Advanced Text Analysis Frameworks: Learn Teacher Brandon’s structured formulas to locate, cite, and seamlessly analyze evidence to defend sophisticated claims.
- Master Vocabulary and Grammar: Build a mature academic vocabulary integrated directly from high-level texts, while systematically refining grammar to cultivate precise, professional prose.
- Debate-Driven Argumentation: Gain confidence drafting short debate cases and targeted rebuttals, using structural debate mechanics to clarify positions before putting them onto paper.
Class Details:
- Age Appropriateness: Grade 4-6
- Class Duration & Frequency: 2 hours, once a week
- Class Times:
Tuesday, 3:30-5:30 PM, Tianmu (Horizon)
Wednesday, 4:45-6:45 PM, Fushing (Heritage)
Thursday, 6:00-8:00 PM, Fushing (Horizon)
Friday, 5:00-7:00 PM, Tianmu (Heritage)
Saturday, 4:00-6:00 PM, Ming Yao (Horizon)
To sign up, please call ADL at 02 2876 1866 or speak with ADL staff
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