About the Course

Being a Reader, Becoming a Writer

  • Grades 3-4
  • CTY-Level

If you love to read, write, and talk about books, this is the course for you. Join a literary community and develop your vocabulary, close-reading, and critical thinking skills through workshops, where you read short stories or novels, respond to them in your journals, and discuss as a class. Then learn and practice what professional writers do: decide on topics, gather material, talk about creative choices with your peers, and draft, workshop, and revise works of creative fiction. Daily lessons and one-on-one conferences with your instructor will help you learn the art of sentence construction, use of imagery, and more. Cooperative learning and constructive criticism are key elements of the course, and detailed responses from your instructor and peers play an essential role in your growth as a reader and writer.

Typical Class Size: 12

Testing and Prerequisites

  Math Verbal
Required Level Not required CTY-Level
Check your eligibility using existing test scores If you do not have existing test scores:

Students must achieve qualifying scores on an advanced assessment to be eligible for CTY programs. If you don’t have qualifying scores, you have several different testing options. We’ll help you find the right option for your situation.

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Cost and Financial Aid

  • Tuition
    • Varies
  • Application fee
    • Nonrefundable Application Fee - $50 (Waived for financial aid applicants)
    • Nonrefundable International Fee - $250 (outside US only)

Financial Aid is available

We are committed to serving all talented youth regardless of financial circumstances. Financial assistance is available based on need.

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Course Materials

Students should bring basic school supplies like pens, notebooks, and folders to their summer program. You will be notified of any additional items needed before the course begins. All other materials will be provided by CTY.
 

Sample Reading

These titles have been featured in past sessions of the course, and may be included this summer. CTY provides students with all texts; no purchase is required.

  • America Street: A Multicultural Anthology of Stories, by Anne Mazer
  • Esperanza Rising, by Pam Muñoz Ryan
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred D. Taylor

About Language Arts at CTY

Write heroic stories

Want to have fun reading popular stories and writing your own tales of adventure? In Heroes and Villains, you’ll read, discuss, and write about well-known folktales and legends while also crafting your own. Pen your hero’s journey and explore a diverse range of books in Behind the Mask: Superheroes Revealed, or critically analyze popular comics and learn how to construct your own compelling narratives in The Graphic Novel.

Find your voice

Gain the tools to take your writing to the next level. In Being a Reader, Becoming a Writer, build your vocabulary and gain the tools to write your own creative fiction. You’ll learn to craft compelling narratives about your own experiences at the collegiate level in Crafting the Essay, and experiment with literary devices and figurative language in Writing Your World.

Meet our instructors and staff