E S L - Palo Alto Adult School

W R I T I N G A C A D E M Y
The new PAAS Writing Academy includes a series of core classes (Fundamentals of Writing)
designed to address the basic writing needs of our students. Whether you need help writing
clear sentences, coherent paragraphs or an eloquent essay, you will find a class that meets
your needs. The classes are offered on the same day and at the same time so you can move up
or down a level if you feel a class is too hard or too easy for you. Each class can be repeated
multiple times for additional practice opportunities. Students can earn Certificates of
Achievement and Proficiency in the Fundamentals classes by completing in-class
assessments at the end of the quarter.
Students who need more individual feedback and a guided and structured environment to
complete their assignments can enroll in the Writing Lab that complements the Fundamentals
classes.
FUNDAMENTALS OF WRITING I
This class is recommended for students who are at the
high beginning to low intermediate level.
This introductory class, the first in the
three-part Fundamentals of Writing series, will focus
on writing sentences with the goal of developing
a paragraph. Students will practice creating topic,
supporting and concluding sentences for a variety
of paragraph styles. Basic sentence structure and
mechanics, including vocabulary and grammar, will
also be included as part of the course. The required text
(approximately $40) can be purchased in class. Class size
is limited to 16, so sign up early!
SECTION A
Instructor: Elizabeth Bales
8 wks • January 18–March 8
Friday • 9:30 a.m.–12 noon
Greendell Rm P4 • $150
SECTION B
Instructor: Jessica Giambruno
8 wks • January 15–March 5
Tuesday • 6:30–9 p.m.
Palo Alto HS Rm 201 • $150
FUNDAMENTALS OF WRITING II
This class is recommended for students who are at the
intermediate to high intermediate level.
Build on the sentence-level skills learned in
Fundamentals of Writing I. Students will learn
and practice how to write well-developed and
cohesive paragraphs by focusing on how to choose
and organize content, connect ideas and use
supporting details to address a topic. The required text
(approximately $40) can be purchased in class. Class size
is limited to 16, so sign up early!
SECTION A
Instructor: Jessica Giambruno
8 wks • January 18–March 8
Friday • 9:30 a.m.–12 noon
Greendell Rm P5 • $150
SECTION B
Instructor: Kathryn Barg
8 wks • January 15–March 5
Tuesday • 6:30–9 p.m.
Palo Alto HS Rm 220 • $150
FUNDAMENTALS OF WRITING III
This class is recommended for student who are at the
high intermediate to advanced level.
Fundamentals of Writing III brings together the key
concepts taught in Fundamentals of Writing I and II
and guides students in creating a five-paragraph essay
with an introduction, thesis statement, body and
concluding paragraphs. The class will focus on the
writing process from planning and organizing ideas
to writing and editing essays. Much of what students
will learn in this class is applicable to other types
of writing such as business writing and academic
writing. The required text (approximately $40) can be
purchased in class. Class size is limited to 16, so sign up
early!
SECTION A
Instructor: John Poultney
8 wks • January 18–March 8
Friday • 9:30 a.m.–12 noon
Greendell Rm P6 • $150
SECTION B
Instructors: Mitra Bahrami and John Poultney
8 wks • January 15–March 5
Tuesday • 6:30–9 p.m.
Palo Alto HS Rm 218 • $150
WRITING LAB
Instructor: John Poultney
The Writing Lab complements any level of the
Fundamentals of Writing series and is ideal for
students who need dedicated time to write and edit
their work with guidance and feedback from an
instructor and peers. Although the Writing Lab is
open to all students wishing to practice and critique
their writing in a structured environment, students
who have already mastered the basics of paragraph
development will find it most useful. Students
should bring their own writing samples. If taken in
conjunction with Fundamentals of Writing III, the
samples can be the assignments students have to work
on for that class. The number of students for the Writing
Lab is limited to 16, so sign up early!
8 weeks • January 17–March 7
Thursday • 6:30–8:30 p.m.
Palo Alto HS Rm 215 • $115
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