Course Description

You are now at the beginning of your journey for improving your High School English language skills with this online course, so that you have greater confidence with reading, writing and the common language conventions that are vital for high school and beyond.

Excellent English language communication skills are essential in the modern world and we believe this course is a great chance for you to rapidly improve your skills in this area.

My name is Tina Fleming and I have been working as an English teacher and private tutor for many years, and in this course I’m going to share with you the practical skills, steps and methods that you need to follow in order to build your English language skills.

I recommend that you watch this course from beginning to end, and takes notes as you go. In each of the eight modules there are quizzes and activities that you can do, which will be the best way for you to continue to build your skills.

So, let’s get started.

Senior Instructor

Tina Fleming

Tina Fleming has extensive experience in teaching English and English as an Additional Language at secondary, pre-tertiary and tertiary level. Prior to moving into tertiary teaching, Tina taught lower, middle and upper school English at various schools in Perth including Ursula Frayne and John XXIII College. She completed further studies in teaching English to students speaking languages other than English and worked as an English and ESL teacher at Tuart Senior College for several years. Tina has been an English tutor for over 30 years, assisting students from various primary and high schools around Perth to develop their English language skills. Tina also has considerable tertiary sector experience, teaching Communication Skills and Writing Skills programs at the Centre for English language and teaching at UWA, Curtin University and Edith Cowan University.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Getting Started

    • Welcome to this course

    • Meet the Tutors - Tina & Matt

    • Study Guide
  • 2

    1. Reading Strategies

    • Video - Skim, scan, detailed reading

    • Video - Beware of distrators, cross out answers, timing

    • Video - Using synonyms

    • Synonyms exercise file

    • Reading Quiz 1

  • 3

    2. Reading for Meaning

    • Video - Understanding difficult words

    • Video - Understanding narratives

    • Video - Understanding poetry

    • Reading Quiz 2
  • 4

    3. Vocabulary & Spelling

    • Video - Look Say Cover Write Check

    • Video - Spelling List 100

    • Spelling Exercise File
  • 5

    4. Grammar & Punctuation

    • Video - Commas

    • Video - Colons & semi-colons

    • Video - Using apostrophes

    • Video - Adjectives & Adverbs

    • Video - Using prepositions & pronouns

    • Video - Past tense

    • Video - Present tenses

    • Video - Future tenses
  • 6

    5. Narrative Planning

    • Video - Narrative structure

    • Video - Narrative writing process

    • Video - Point of view

    • Narrative Planning Exercise File
  • 7

    6. Narrative Writing

    • Video - How to write the orientation

    • Video - How to write the complication

    • Video - How to write the resolution

    • Narrative Writing Exercise File
  • 8

    7. Persuasive Planning

    • Video - Persuasive essay structure

    • Video - Persuasive writing planning

    • Video - Persuasive strategies

    • Persuasive Planning Exercise File
  • 9

    8. Persuasive Writing Structure

    • Video - How to write a persuasive introduction

    • Video - How to write a persuasive body paragraph

    • Video - How to write a persuasive conclusion

    • Persuasive Writing Exercise File