"To be a well-favoured man is the gift of fortune; but to write and read comes by nature."
Dogberry, Much Ado About Nothing, by William Shakespeare

Shakespeare intended Dogberry's statement to be ironic, and that line normally delivers a wry laugh from the audience, but what do you think? Does reading and writing "come by nature" or can develop, improve and grow our writing skills?

In this fast-paced boot camp, you will have the opportunity to consider what is the purpose of an essay, and gain practical skills about crafting your own. I have a Masters from the University of Oxford and I’ve been teaching for over 15 years. I’m going to share my skills and experience with you in this short course to give you skills and confidence in your own essay writing. 

The plan is as follows: 


Lesson 1 - What is an essay? We will look at the philosophical basis of an essay (Socrates, Plato) and debate its form and purpose. We will consider the role of different types of essays such narrative and descriptive. 

Homework – Read an essay about essays (provided)

Lesson 2 – Structuring and planning an essay. Do you PEEL or PETAL? Is the TIDE coming in or are you TOO busy to conclude your work? Too many ‘helpful’ acronyms can be unhelpful! So we break it down and look at a clear, concise structure which will transform your essays. 

Homework – Using our super template, plan out an essay (from a list provided)

Lesson 3 – Research and vocabulary.  How can you ensure that your essays showcase the best of you? We will supercharge your research skills in this lesson, and also focus on top tips for improving and extending your vocabulary.

Homework – Using our super template, research for an essay (from a list provided)

Lesson 4 – Let’s write! The class will be split into three sections. Firstly, we will speed read an academic essay together to remind us of the importance of clarity, interesting vocabulary, concision and hooks. Then we will spend 5 minutes re-capping the key points of the Boot Camp. Finally, students will be given 30 minutes in which they should put all their knowledge together and write an essay in timed conditions. 

Homework – students may spend a small amount of time completing and reviewing their essay before sending it to me for feedback (if required).

This is a fast-paced Boot Camp for students who want to sharpen up their reading, writing and essays skills over the summer. Please get in touch if you have any questions or if you’d like to check if it might be suitable for your learner.