For Ei ATS Gold/ Silver/ Bronze Scholars;

Children in Grades 6 and 7 in 2022-23

Ask any middle-schooler where they've read the quotes  above, and you'll be pleasantly surprised to hear them rattle off precise names of authors and books; in some instances, they'll offer you the exact location by page and line numbers. Many young children are voracious readers; they devour books much like they do their favourite desserts; they build castles of magic; tear them to recreate something entirely new and spectacular out of everything they've been reading.

Many of these very young readers are also very talented writers. Yet, they often find themselves hitting a dead-end road while writing creatively. If you would like to help your children build on their love for reading and writing, then this program is for you.

This course is an opportunity to let young writers flourish by owning their writing and building a powerful voice. These sessions aim to help the most reluctant writer embrace writing and help proficient writers find newer ways to express their ideas.

The skills developed through creative writing workshops improve literacy abilities, encourage creative thinking and build self-esteem. With the onset of new-age technology, children are moving away from what was once a quintessential part of growing up--reading and writing for pleasure.

This course is based on the approach developed by Donald Graves, considered to be the 'father of writing education'. This approach introduces students to various strategies, which are done via mini-lessons. During mini-lessons, teachers help writers choose topics, purposes, and audiences for their writing and offer suggestions to guide their decision-making process. The current course will focus on various types of writing to build creativity, work under constraints, and understand how different types of writing make different demands on the writer.

Some of the likely areas of focus during the course would be:

• Poetry

• Science writing

• Narrative writing

• Lyrical compositions

Students will be invited to choose a genre of writing that they find most appealing and will be provided with the support to complete a portfolio. We encourage prolific readers to consider this course. No previous writing experience is necessary.

This course will run along with The Wonder that is Scientific Enquiry, during the week starting May 15, 2022. You sign up for the week - which includes both these courses.