.png)
Language Arts Course for Middle and Intermediate School
Quills and Quotes is an enriched afterschool English program accessible to all Peel and Halton students that teaches children writing and public speaking skills. The program goes beyond the classroom by using an advanced curriculum based on global knowledge and media literacy.
The program’s mission is to promote communication skills, which are fundamental in all aspects of life, including the classroom, graduate studies, and work.
The intermediate program is ideal for children in grades 5-8 who wish to perfect the 5-paragraph essay. Success in writing begins with the mastery of the 5-paragraph essay. Children learn how to hook the reader, develop a strong thesis, support their arguments and finish with a memorable conclusion. However, the program also teaches students how to finesse their essay with:
✓ A variety of “hook” styles
✓ Powerful transition words
✓ Editing for filler phrases, weak words, passive voice and common grammatical errors
✓ Techniques to highlight key points and give rhythm to the essay
✓ Ending with an impactful conclusion
Building vocabulary and reading comprehension
Students in Quills and Quotes are required to complete weekly homework related to advanced vocabulary building, critical analysis and reading comprehension. The students read a challenging paragraph designed to improve their vocabulary and reading comprehension, but also to cultivate their global knowledge. At Quills and Quotes, we believe the best writers are the most voracious readers, but the best thinkers are global readers.
Creative Writing
Quills and Quotes seeks to encourage creative writing. Often when children are forced to write for school, the task is for something formal and structured, and they lose their passion for writing. Creative writing is an essential outlet for expression, and we believe it must be nurtured.
Our program develops fundamental writing skills for academic writing as well as creative writing. We incorporate unique learning that takes your child beyond the classroom.
Creative outlets include:
✓ Poetry writing and an end of the year Poetry Slam
✓ Soap Box Speech
✓ Descriptive paragraph
✓ Narrative essay
✓ Learning and incorporating figurative language and imagery in our speeches and essays
✓ Writing based on great works of art, important historic figures and world exploration
