English - (Intermediate)

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Total course completion after 3 intermediate novels– 90 hours class time

Prerequisite: Completion of TutorOut’s beginner level course or a TOEFL score of at least 50.

Course Summary

This course is specifically designed for the student who is looking to study abroad starting in the 9th or 10th grade at a US high school. Upon completion of this course, students will have a strong English foundation to get a minimum TOEFL score of 85. Additionally, the student will be able to easily adapt to their life at a US high school while having the skills to get top grades in their US English classes.

1st novel: The Old Man and the Sea
Expected time to completion: 25 Hours
A great introduction novel for the intermediate level, Hemingway’s novels use of simple pros gives the student a taste of a great American writer who can deliver deep meanings in a simple manner.

2nd novel: The Great Gatsby
Expected time to completion: 30 Hours
Full of complex themes and literary devices, this classic novel will show the student how understanding history (America’s Roaring 20’s) can help one better understand and identify with the novel.

3rd novel: Romeo and Juliet
Expected time to completion: 35 Hours
This famous Shakespeare play introduces a different style of American literature that may be challenging at first to understand as it is in Old English. Although it may be difficult at first, it is necessary as Shakespeare’s works touch on themes that are still currently relevant all over the world.

Reading

The novels that the student will read in the intermediate level are all common novels that all US high schools use. Upon completion of the intermediate course, the student will have a strong level of reading, being able to not only understand the text, but also develop his own ideas through careful analysis and critical thinking. The student will have the reading skills necessary to effectively read and critique the novels in any US high school class.

Writing

The tutor will be teaching the student how to write a typical literary essay that is common in all high school English classes. From the introduction paragraph to the body and concluding paragraphs, the student will learn how to effectively develop a thesis and support it in a clear and concise manner. Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to earn high marks in his U.S. English classes, as these classes are heavily dependent on writing literary essays.

Speaking

During this course, the tutor will be constantly engaging the student in discussions about literary devices and themes that all require critical thinking. By focusing class on these discussions, the student will have advanced speaking skills and the confidence to participate in US high school classroom discussions, which are commonplace in any US school.

Listening

By the end of this course, the student will have advanced listening skills that will allow him to understand and flourish in the U.S. From his classrooms in the U.S. to his daily life abroad, he will be able to understand everything with ease.

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Please note:

1. We list 3 books that we typically recommend, but if the student has already read it or would like to change them to another book from our reading list, then the tutor can happily change it.
2. The amount of hours spent on each novel is different for every novel due to length and complexity of the novel.
3. The expected completion time is based on the student devoting at least 1 hour for 5 days of the week to his studies with TutorOut. By having consistent classes, the student’s progress will be able to improve much faster as he will better remember everything he has learned (as opposed to learning only 1 hour/week).
4. Although our tutors follow a set curriculum in their classes, the student can obviously use the time they have with the tutor to answer any questions that may not relate to the curriculum (interests, American culture, interview prep, American life, current school work, making a presentation, etc.). By utilizing the tutors not only as a source for English training, but also for American culture, the student will be better equipped to integrate into his school life abroad.

Reading List

Author	Title
Mark Twain (马克吐温)	The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (哈克贝利.费恩历险记)
Ernest Hemingway (欧内斯特·海明威)	The Old man and the Sea (老人与海)
Harper Lee (哈珀李)	To Kill a Mockingbird (杀死一只知更鸟)
Aldous Huxley (阿尔多斯·赫胥黎)	Brave New World (美丽新世界)
Seamus Heaney (Translation) (谢默斯·希尼)	Beowulf (贝奥武夫)
Charles Dickens (查尔斯·狄更斯)	A Tale of Two Cities (双城记)
Shakespeare (莎士比亚)	Romeo and Juliet (罗密欧与朱丽叶)
Shakespeare (莎士比亚)	The Tempest (暴风雨)
Suzanne Collins (苏珊·科林斯)	The Hunger Games (饥饿游戏)
Shakespeare (莎士比亚)	Macbeth (麦克白)
F. Scott Fitzgerald (弗·斯科特·菲茨杰拉德)	The Great Gatsby (伟大的盖茨比)
William Golding (威廉·戈尔丁)	Lord of the Flies (蝇王)
Ray Bradbury (雷·道格拉斯·布莱伯利)	Fahrenheit 451 (华氏451度)
Shakespeare (莎士比亚)	A Midsummer Night's Dream (盛夏夜之梦)
Shakespeare (莎士比亚)	Julius Caesar (凯撒大帝)
Tim O'Brien (蒂姆·奥布莱恩)	The Things They Carried (士兵的重负)
J.R.R. Tolkien (约翰·罗纳德·瑞尔·托尔金)	The Hobbit (哈比人历险记)
C.S. Lewis (C.S.路易斯)	The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (纳尼亚传奇：狮子女巫衣橱)
Nathaniel Hawthrone (纳撒尼尔.霍桑)	The Scarlet Letter (红字)
George Orwell (乔治.奥威尔)	Animal Farm (动物庄园)