HSC Essay Skills Course
Master in the essay in 6 lessons
Next Essay Skills Course Dec 2025 - Jan 2026
Register below
Next Essay Skills Course Dec 2025 - Jan 2026 Register below
The Essay Skills Course is an intensive course for high school students to prepare them for essay writing in the HSC.
The course is comprised of six lessons which are outlined below. Each lesson takes about 1 hour, but this can vary according to student needs. The course is delivered online so that groups of students can be formed more easily.
Time must be allowed after lessons 3 and 5 to give the student an opportunity to gather evidence and write on their own.
The HSC Essay Skills Course is an excellent opportunity to learn to write essays without the use of AI. Students will learn to identify themes, quotes and literary techniques on their own, eliminating the need for AI and other shortcuts.
Students who have mastered the essay stand out both at school and in the post-school world.
Students will end the course with a complete and original essay to use as a template for future work.
Students may choose any literary text to study in this course, including “easier” or preferred texts like The Hunger Games or The Fault In Our Stars. This allows students to focus on the expression of their analysis in essay form without being hindered by difficult to interpret texts.
Students are also welcome to use their school-assigned texts. However, using this course to complete a particular assignment is discouraged because it restricts the tutor from contributing directly to the essay.
Stage 1: Theory
Lesson 1:
What makes a good essay?
We analyze highly successful essays identifying the features that make them effective.
We discuss the aims of essay writing and essays’ inherently persuasive nature.
Lesson 2:
Logic and argument
Students learn logical structures beginning with syllogisms.
We discover the purpose of evidence in establishing premises and build towards more complex and insightful conclusions.
Stage 2: Development
Lesson 3:
What makes good evidence?
Students learn the purpose of literary techniques in establishing evidence.
Students adopt an evidence-first approach to form arguments clearly supported by their chosen text.
Lesson 4:
The thesis statement
Students learn how to interpret essay questions and the crucial role of a thesis statement.
We develop an argument and thesis for the students’ essays.
Stage 3: Practice
Lesson 5:
Essay planning
Students put what they have learned into practice using the text of their choosing.
Students receive guidance on their plans to ensure that these essay concepts are implemented correctly.
Lesson 6:
Feedback and editing
Students receive detailed feedback and concrete suggestions for improvement.
We reflect on the writing strategy and clarify how to implement these lessons in school assessments.
Pricing
Group lessons (2+ students):
$450 per student
Private lessons:
$650 per student