Introducing Foundations: Critical Reading

Elite high schools and universities expect a great deal out of their students, especially in advanced level writing and college entrance exams. However, students often lack the tools to succeed. They rarely get the chance to practice writing as it is tested on the SAT and ACT. And, most importantly, they have never been taught to be good, active readers who annotate passages effectively and know how to identify different parts of the text. 

This is why we developed Foundations: to teach students these skills – the English skills they need to succeed in elite American high schools and colleges. Through Foundations, students’ skills are developed to improve performance in:

• AP-level humanities and social science classes
• The SAT and ACT
• College level reading and writing

Foundations fills in the gaps while giving students the tools to succeed.

How Does Foundations get there?

Foundations consists of 16 1-hour classes that address reading comprehension, developing an active note taking system, and building academic writing skills. Extensive reading and writing homework is required after every class. We evaluate writing the same way that SAT/ACT essay evaluators do, and we provide individualized feedback. By the end of the program, students will be equipped with the advanced English skills needed to succeed in rigorous academic settings.

Instructors 

Foundations’ teachers are our greatest assets. Our instructors were English and writing majors at the best universities and liberal arts colleges in the country. Some have published novels, most have taught abroad, several are college faculty members, and all are skilled English professionals.

Class Organization

• Class 1: • Introduction to the reading passages most used on standardized tests – Humanities, Social Science, Science, and Literature. • Discussion of their structures and where to find the most important information. 
• Class 2: • The “Main Topic” versus the “Main Point.” What’s the difference and why is it so important for the SAT/ACT? 
• Class 3: • Active reading and marking up a text 
• Class 4: • Individualized writing and homework feedback 
• Class 5: • Inferences and assumptions in passages, and knowing how to handle them on tests. • Learning how to define vocabulary by context • Pronouns and antecedents, and their importance for SAT/ACT passages 
• Class 6: • Detailed analyses of reflective & narrative essays 
• Class 7: • Detailed analyses of argumentative essays 
• Class 8: • Individualized writing and homework feedback 
• Class 9: • Keywords and phrases in reading passages • Identifying tone and mood • How authors use evidence in critical reading passages 
• Class 10: • Objective tone • When tone and opinion differ 
• Class 11: • Importance of symbolism and irony • Identifying author’s point of view 
• Class 12: • Individualized writing and homework feedback 
• Class 13: • Analyzing characterization and setting 
• Class 14: • Questioning the author 
• Class 15: • Comparing and contrasting passages 
• Class 16: • Individualized writing and homework feedback

Student Reviews

Foundations helped me to become a better reader and writer, and it helped me handle AP humanities courses along with college courses. I am a business student, but I still use some of the  lessons Foundations taught me.

Mike L.

Moreau Catholic High School, U. Washington

I really like the active-reading skills since it helped me with my close-text reading in the humanities. Also, Diana was a great instructor! 

Lauren W.

Santa Catalina School

The class helped me with the college classes that I was in (when I took it) and it helped me with the SAT reading, writing, and grammar. I was able to understand how writers created clear, strong essays, and I was able to use the same ideas when I built my own essays.

Jessica P.

Lynbrook High School, Cornell U.