This is a writing class: the goal of this 6-week course is for you to practice clear, effective, appropriate writing. 

However, this is not your typical English or ELA class! We will not practice essays, thesis statements, or other types of school writing (although some of those skills are useful to organize your ideas). Instead, this class will be focused on writing for real-world scenarios, with special emphasis on how to write appropriately in today's digital, online medium. Do you know how to embed a hyperlink into your email? Do you know what common online writing practices are *not* acceptable in academic or formal writing? We will cover a variety of real-world, adult genres -- that is, forms of writing that people use in their jobs and everyday lives. 

CLASS TOPICS (one per week):  
* Email, including technical aspects and conventions 
* An online review of a product or restaurant 
* Online advertising or promotions 
* A formal/business apology 
* A consumer blurb for a book, movie or show 
* Biographical sketch for a website 

CLASS FORMAT: 
Each week, learners will watch a short video introducing a real-world genre of writing. The video outlines the purpose of the genre and its particular conventions, including technical aspects. Learners follow the video by taking notes in the worksheets I've developed, then take a short quiz to assess their own understanding. The goal of the videos is to help learners identifying the important features of each genre, and how to avoid making mistakes when writing that genre. Learners then complete a required writing task each week. I respond to all assignments with direct feedback! 

LEARNING GOALS: 
  - Understand the technical aspects and conventions of writing email or writing on digital platforms
  - Use appropriate tone and vocabulary 
  - Know which terms of address to use for a letter, email or other communication 
  - Learn how to embed a hyperlink or file 
  - Know how to avoid blunders in writing for the internet or online media 

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PLEASE NOTE: 
* Grammar and punctuation are not the focus of this class; it is assumed that those are covered in English/ELA classes. 
* Each weekly assignment requires 15 to 30 minutes of writing outside class time. The class is 6 weeks long, with a total of 6 assignments. 
* This is not a completely self-paced class. Lesson videos are posted weekly, and written assignments are due each week. 
* The refund policy for this class is "Flexible" (the most flexible option). You may withdraw and obtain a full refund until the first class begins. After the first class, refund is prorated based on the number of weeks that have passed. 
* This class can be booked as a private class for 3 or more learners; please write to me directly.