Language Arts & Writing 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
The Language Arts and Writing course is intended for students who are reading at the second grade level, but not yet at the seventh-grade level. 

The Language Arts and Writing course provides students with a systematic presentation of the essential elements of English grammar and mechanics, focusing on grammatical concepts, language conventions, and sentence-level writing. The content of Language Arts and Writing is divided into six curriculum strands: Parts of Speech, Sentence Structure, Sentence Composition, Paragraphs, Word Origins and Literary Elements.

• Parts of Speech - develops understanding of the grammatical categories of English
• Sentence Structure - develops understanding of the properties of English sentence structure and written language conventions
• Sentence Composition - provides guided sentence writing practice using the parts of speech and concepts covered in the other two strands

• Paragraphs - introduces students to paragraph structure and effective writing for different types of paragraphs

• Word Origins - introduces students to concepts of etymology, including prefixes, suffixes, and word roots

• Literary Elements - introduces students to plot structure, setting, mood, and figurative language

Reading and Writing about Literature

Designed for gifted students who are reading at a third through sixth grade level, the Reading and Writing about Literature course develops students' abilities to read critically and to think about what they have read.  Using literature from around the globe and from a variety of genres, the course presents students with exercises designed to increase their comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary skills, as well as develop stronger analytical thinking skills. These exercises have been carefully designed for each book to assess and monitor students' ability to understand and retain what they have read.  The exercises use many presentation formats to assess a student's literacy skills in areas such as vocabulary, word analysis, literal and inferential comprehension, and higher-level thinking.  

For many books, students will also practice their writing skills by composing responses based on a series of questions designed to help students think about what they have read.  The books in the course span grade levels from three through eight and are suitable for gifted students as young as six years old.

W09A, W09B, W09C Elementary Expository Writing
This course sequence is intended for students who are reading at the sixth grade level or beyond, who have a good grasp of the essential elements of English grammar and mechanics.  The sequence provides opportunities to develop paragraph- and essay-writing skills.  Topics include: paragraph coherence and development; thesis statements and essay organization; narration and description; introduction to literary analysis. Students read and discuss texts chosen from a variety of fiction sources. (Reading material can vary depending on instructor.)

All students must pass W09A with a B- or better as a prerequisite for either W09B or W09C, and to continue in the EPGY English Program.  W09B and W09C do not have to be taken sequentially.  

EG20 Grammar and Style of the Sentence
This is a self-paced grammar courses designed to help 7th to 12th grade students understand the grammar of the sentence and make stylistic choices informed by their knowledge of grammar. Topics include effective subject and verb choice, active and passive voice, clause coordination and subordination, sentence fragments, comma splices and run-together sentences, and phrasal modifiers (including verbal constructions or finite verbs).  We strongly recommend that students enrolled in the W10 or W11 series also take EG20 concurrently. 

W10A, W10B, W10C Intermediate Expository Writing
These courses introduce students to essay composition in the context of critical reading.  These courses are intended for students aged 11 through 13, and for students who have completed W09ABC.  Please note, however, that course content may not be appropriate for students under age 11.  If you would like to request an exception, contact the English Supervisor.  Topics include: literary analysis; argumentative essay composition; critical reading of a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts, including poems, short stories, narrative essays, a full-length dramatic work, historical nonfiction, and editorials.  (Reading material can vary depending on instructor.)  

We strongly recommend that students take EG20 concurrently.  All students must pass W10A with a B- or better as the prerequisite to W10B or W10C.  W10B and W10C do not have to be taken sequentially.

W11A, W11B, W11C Advanced Expository Writing
These courses introduce students to the finer points of expository writing and critical reading skills, focusing on the fundamentals of good writing.  These courses are intended for students aged 13 through 15, and for students who have completed W10ABC.  Please note, however, that course content may not be appropriate for students under age 13.  If you would like to request an exception, contact the English Supervisor.  Topics include: introduction to rhetoric, including analysis of audience, purpose, and rhetorical tropes; essay development; construction and analysis of argument and logical relationships; identification of fallacies in argument; profile essay writing; timed-essay strategies.

We strongly recommend that students take EG20 concurrently.  All students must pass W11A with a B- or better as the prerequisite to W11B and W11C.  W11B and W11C do not have to be taken sequentially.

Topics in Creative Writing I

This course aims to introduce and explore the fundamental elements of creative writing as they are manifested in poetry - sensory imagery, figurative language, tone, character development, point of view, allusion, symbolism - all of which students will work with by reading, analyzing, and writing a variety of verse.  Students will read poems from several well-known and up-and-coming writers in a variety of styles with differing themes, analyze and discuss the relative merits of these pieces, and develop their own craft.