EnglisH Learning Center

TWO Modes & TWELVE Subjects

       2 Modes:

(1)  Onsite In-Person Workshops

Scheduled onsite group meetings are offered at the Muse Academy in Edison, NJ

(2)  1-1 Individual Online Class

                    Individual meetings are offered through Microsoft Teams.

     12 Subjects:

(1) Digital SAT/PSAT Reading and Writing

(2) SAT Advanced Vocabulary

(3) Foundation Course 01: Critical Reading & Vocabulary (I)

(4) Foundation Course 02: Critical Reading & Vocabulary (II)

(5) Foundation Course 03: Grammar & Style

(6) Foundation Course 04: Narrative and Personal Essay Writing

(7) Foundation Course 05: Argumentative Essay Writing

(8) Foundation Course 06: Analytical Essay Writing

(9) Foundation Course 07: Synthesis Essay Writing

(10) AP English Language & Composition

(11) College Application Essay Writing

(12) Competition-based Writing Coach

Description of the Curriculum

The Muse English Onsite and Online classes are offered to Grade 7-12 students who seek to sharpen their academic vocabulary, evidence-based reading, critical reading, writing & language (grammar), and effective essay writing skills in English. These workshops are collaborative in nature and require students to complete the assignments before they come to the classes. The goals are for students to build an advanced command of academic vocabulary, to master fundamental strategies for reading critically with evidences and interpreting diverse cultural texts, to understand and practice crucial elements and grammar in writing, and to foster effective paradigms of writing rhetorical analysis, argumentative, and synthesis essays at AP English and entry college level.

Eventually, these trainings will not only enhance students’ overall academic performance at school but also help them obtain superior scores in SAT, PSAT, ACT, AP English exams, the major standardized tests in their high school careers.

★ Sizes of Workshops

            SAT/PSAT workshop will have 15-20 members.

          Foundation Workshop on vocabulary will have 15-20 members.  

          Foundation Workshop on reading and grammar will have 10-15 members.   

          Foundation Workshop on essay writings will have 6-8 members only.

★ Individual 1-1 Sessions

    All the workshops can be tailored into 1-1 individual tutorial sessions for students who have  

    special needs.

My Teaching Philosophy: Discussion and Questions

I believe that the ability to ask good questions is essential for students to become better thinkers, readers, and writers. To that end, students should form the habit of jotting down questions, ideas, or creative associations in the process of reading. Students’ questions should reflect their close and thoughtful reading of the assigned texts and model tests. Their questions should also be able to inspire critical thinking and stimulate intellectually productive discussion.

It matters a great deal what we bring of ourselves—our reflections, experience, and knowledge—to each meeting. Equally important are the people with whom we are privileged to learn. I want to say that the truths and meanings we get from interactions with texts and people here will vary for different people. But I cannot emphasize enough the need to develop the openness and rapport necessary for sincere and positive intellectual communications.  So, READ, THINK, WRITE, SPEAK, QUESTION, and LISTEN.

 Course Descriptions

SAT+PSAT Reading & Grammar Workshop (A1 & A2): Onsite Group Lessons

   ★ Workshop A1 (Spring/Summer/Fall, 38 meetings) and A2 (Summer/Fall, 38 meetings) are

   identical in contents, only different in schedules and intensity.

♦ Both include trainings on Digital SAT/PSAT Reading & Writing (summer intensive session)

      and Advanced Vocabulary (Spring OR Summer session—V1 or V2).

♦ The summer schedules (06/23-07/11 & 08/04-08/21) will allow students to join other

    residential summer camps.  There will be no class from 07/12 to 08/03.

  ♦ Homework load: about 2-3 hours per meeting.

★ A1 Workshop is specifically designed for students who want to spread out the training into the spring and summer semesters. The workshop will have 16 weekly meetings (2 hrs/meet) in the spring semester to build up the Advanced Vocabulary (V1 Workshop). In the summer, we will do intensive training on grammar and SAT testing, meeting three times a week (Tue/Thu/Sat, 4 hrs/meet). The summer term will be divided into two sets of 8 meetings—the first 8 meeting on 06/24-07/10 & the second set on 08/05-08/21—with three weeks of break (07/12 to 08/04) in between for students to attend residential summer camps. After the 08/23 SAT test, we will take a two-week break and resume the class on 09/07 for PSAT weekly training till 10/12 (6 meetings, 4 hrs/meet).  

★ A2 Workshop are designed for students who will be busy during the school year and want to devote the summer for the SAT/PSAT study. The workshop will meet intensively SIX times a week: Mon/Wed/Fri (2 hrs/meet) for Advanced Vocabulary (V2) AND Tue/Thu/Sat (4 hrs/meet) for grammar and SAT testing. The summer term will be divided into two sets of 8 meetings—the first 8 meeting on 06/23-07/11 & the second set on 08/04-08/21—with three weeks of break (07/12 to 08/03) in between for students to attend residential summer camps. After the 08/23 SAT test, we will take a two-week break and resume the class on 09/07 for PSAT weekly training till 10/12 (6 meetings, 4 hrs/meet). Because the A2 schedule is extremely intensive, I strongly encourage students start the Advanced Vocabulary training in the Spring.

Foundation Course 01

Critical Reading & Vocabulary (I): 16 meetings (spring OR summer)

   ♦ Suitable for Grade 7-9 students

  ♦  Systematic training on academic vocabulary for high school level.

  ♦ Combined training for academic critical reading and evidenced-based reading skills in English.

    ♦ Academic critical reading focuses on nonfiction articles written in “Ten Rhetorical Modes” and a

     wide array of themes, such as Happiness, Identity, Home, Fear, Languages, Popular Culture,

     Cultural Analysis, Relationships, Natural Environment, Science & Technology, Social Justice.

  ♦ Evidenced-based reading includes solid analyses and in-depth discussions on reading passages

     similar to Digital SAT format.

  ♦ Homework load: about 2-3 hours per meeting

.  ♦ Spring schedule: Sundays, 10 am.-12:30 p.m., 02/02-06/08 (06/15 snow day)

   ♦ Summer Intensive schedule: Tue/Thu/Sat, 2-4:30 p.m., 06/24-07/10 & 08/05-08/21

Foundation Course 02

Critical Reading & Vocabulary (II): 16 meetings (summer OR fall)

  ♦ Suitable for Grade 8-10 students

  ♦ Systematic training on academic vocabulary for high school level.

  ♦ Combined training for academic critical reading and evidenced-based reading skills in English.

  ♦ Academic critical reading focuses on nonfiction articles written in “Ten Rhetorical Modes” and a

     wide array of themes, such as Happiness, Identity, Home, Fear, Languages, Popular Culture,

     Cultural Analysis, Relationships, Natural Environment, Science & Technology, Social Justice.

  ♦ Evidenced-based reading includes solid analyses and in-depth discussions on reading passages

     similar to Digital SAT Test and ACT Test.

  ♦ Homework load: about 2-3 hours per meeting

.  ♦ Summer Intensive schedule: Mon/Wed/Fri, 2-4:30 p.m., 06/23-07/11 & 08/06-08/22

   ♦ Fall schedule: Sundays, 9:30 am.-12 p.m., 09/07-12/21

Foundation Course 03

Grammar & Style: 16 meetings (spring, summer, or fall)

♦ Suitable for Grade 7-10 students

♦ Reading and lectures on standard English conventions (parts of speech, sentence structures and

   types, spelling & confusing words, punctuation, and mechanics) and expressions of ideas

   (clarity, voice, effectiveness)

♦ Abundance practices on grammatical rules and concepts in diverse contexts

♦ Homework load: 2 hours per meeting.

♦ The weekly 2.5-hour meeting will be arranged according to enrolled students’ schedules.

Foundation Course 04: Narrative and Personal Essay Writing

Foundation Course 05: Argumentative Essay Writing

Foundation Course 06: Analytical Essay Writing

Foundation Course 07: Synthesis Essay Writing

♦ Suitable for Grade 9-12 students

♦ Each Essay Foundation Course includes sophisticated introduction to key concepts and elements of

   each type of writing; Muse templates for each type of writing; in-depth discussion and analyses

   on the prompts; abundant sample essays; detailed evaluation and comments on students’ essays from

   Dr. Li; peer reviews; 2-3 revisions for each essay in general.

♦ Essay writing training will be accompanied by assigned readings related to the type of writing

   instructed.

♦ Homework load: about 2 hours per meeting

♦ The weekly 2-hour meeting will be arranged according to enrolled students’ schedules.

AP English Language & Composition Reading & Writing: 16-20 Lessons

  (Online, Individual ONLY, Spring 2025)

   ♦ Combined training on AP Reading & Writing multiple-choice test and three types of

      Responses—Rhetorical Analysis, Argumentative Essay, and Synthesis Essay—in the AP

    English Language & Composition Exam.

   ♦ The training on multiple-choice questions includes solid analyses and intensive discussions on

      evidenced-based reading & writing passages.

   ♦ The training on response essays includes sophisticated instructions on rhetorical theories; the

      elements and templates of writing; in-depth analyses on AP prompts; abundant sample essays;

      detailed evaluation and comments on students’ essays; extensive coverage of past AP exam 

      prompts.

   ♦ This training will be conducted only in 1-1 online mode to obtain the best effect and save

      time. The minimum number of meetings will be 16.

   ♦ Students will be ready to take the AP English Language & Composition Exam, to be held on

      Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Please check whether your school will hold a paper or digital test.

   ♦ Homework load: about 2-3 hours per meeting

Plan Your Study at the BEST Timing

The success of your SAT, PSAT, and AP studies and your Foundation Building depends largely on the right timing that you choose to study with me because you need to invest substantial TIME and EFFORTS in studying.

♦ To obtain the best effect for the SAT/PSAT, I suggest that students do the SAT Vocabulary (V1) study in the spring semester of their 10th grade and continue to do the SAT Grammar and Testing (A1) in the summer after 10th grade and in the fall of 11th grade. For Grade 7-10 students who seek to build up a good foundation, please consider the SEVEN Foundation Courses. 

♦ If you are already overwhelmed during the school year, I recommend that you register only lighter Foundation Courses in the spring or fall, and do the Intensive Foundation or SAT/PSAT (A2+V2) study in the summer.

   ♦ Expected Testing Dates in 2025

March 8, 2025        May 3, 2025                June 7, 2025        August 23, 2025

October 4, 2025     November 8, 2025      December 6, 2025  

Policies of Absence for Onsite Workshops

Rule #1: If students are absent from a workshop, they will be offered the audio recordings of their absent class with lecture notes and a follow-up Q & A short meeting with Dr. Li (i.e., to stay after a future class to ask me questions).  

Rule #2: Absent students still must turn in make-up assignments. If they miss quizzes/tests/essay writing, they will have to arrange a time with Dr. Li for the make-ups.

Rule #3: FULL tuition will still be charged for any form of absence.

 Virtual Classrooms at Microsoft Teams

All the online class will be conducted through the virtual classroom at Microsoft Teams.  

All enrolled students will receive my email invitations and detailed instructions to set up their access to the virtual classrooms at Microsoft Teams.

   Required Electronic Devices

1.  Desk Top or Notebook: Please do NOT use phones or Chromebook for our class.

2.  Microphone

3.  Web Camera

4.  Printer: Your computer has to be connected to a printer, so that you can print out the impromptu tests or essays during the class.

5.  Scanner: You need to have the scanning tool in your computer, printer, or phone for scanning scantron sheets or homework. Below are a few apps that you can use.

(1) Regular Scanner in the Printer

(2) Microsoft Office Lens (for phones)

(3) CamScanner (for iPhone)

(4) GeniusScan (for Android)

   Online Learning Etiquette

  Please turn your camera ON throughout each meeting.

In online learning, hiding behind the camera without showing your face is disrespectful to our class. Unless you obtain my permission to turn off the camera for special reasons, please have your camera ON at all time. Thanks for showing courtesy and respect!

  Please do NOT use Other Electronics Devices during the Meeting!

During our meetings, please do not use any other electronic devices beyond the computer that you used for the class. On your computer, please do not play games, go on social media chats, or watching videos during the class. Thanks for practicing self-discipline!

      Please observe the Honor Code during the testing!

During the test, please do not use any aids. Thanks for respecting yourself and our class!

About Dr. Li

Dr. Li received her Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and held a M.A. English Literature and B.A. in English Literature & English Education. She taught at The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and Hamilton College, NY. She founded Muse Academy in 2007 and has since been tutoring SAT, PSAT, ACT, and AP English; and offering College Application Essay Training for more than 17 years. She has helped many students obtain full scores in SAT/PSAT/ACT and enter their dreams colleges.