LilacBush
ACADEMIC ENGLISH FOR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS
Academic English for University Success
Master the Skills You Need Now
Designed for B2+ university students who need strong academic English foundations or specific skill development for current coursework. Whether you are in your first year or further along, these courses address the writing and communication demands of English-medium university study.
10 Comprehensive Courses
Writing foundations + argumentation + academic formats + university bootcamp = complete academic competence
Small, Supportive Groups
Weekly 1-hour live classes with your instructor and a consistent groups with max 4 students
Flexible Course Pathways
Take all courses systematically or target specific skills that you need immediately - designed for busy university students
The University Challenge
You Are Academically Capable -
but University English Feels Different
The Reality:
You got into university. You can understand lectures (mostly). You can have conversations with classmates. Your English is "good enough." But when you sit down to:
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Write an essay with integrated sources
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Analyze research articles and synthesize sources
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Respond to essay questions on timed exams
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Participate confidently in seminar discussions
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Present research findings clearly to your class
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Calibrate your academic voice appropriately
... you feel lost. Your classmates who grew up speaking English seem to know things you don't - unspoken rules, unstated conventions, strategic patterns you're expected to just "know."
The Gap:
It is not your English level. It is that academic English is a specific discourse system with its own:
Structural conventions: How to organize paragraphs, integrate sources, signal relationships between ideas
Rhetorical moves: How to build arguments, address counterarguments, synthesize sources
Register expectations: When to hedge appropriately, how to position yourself relative to sources, which vocabulary choices signal expertise
Genre patterns: Essays follow patterns, research papers have expected structures, exam answers require specific formats
Strategic reading: How to extract arguments from dense texts efficiently
That is the gap these courses fill.
What This Means to Students?
Confidence in writing: They know how to structure paragraphs, integrate sources, and organize essays
Efficiency in studying: They have frameworks for generating and organizing ideas quickly
Better academic communication: Clear, well-organized, appropriately sophisticated academic communication - which is what these skills create
Transferable competence: Understanding the system helps you adapt to any assignment, discipline, and expectations
Reduced anxiety: Knowing you have solid foundations eliminates the constant worry about whether you are "doing it right"
How Each Course Works
Step 1: Learn Together (Live Online Class)
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Weekly 1-hour session with your instructor and small group (max 4 students)
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Explore new concepts with explanations and real-time examples
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Practice with guided exercises and personalized feedback
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Ask questions, discuss with classmates, build understanding
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Leave each session with clear grasp of the week's strategic principles
Step 2: Deep Understanding (Student's Book + Quiz)
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Read theoretical explanations at your own pace
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Study annotated examples that show principles in action
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Answer questions to check your understanding
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Complete self-assessment quiz to confirm you have grasped key concepts
Step 3: Practice Systematically (Workbook)
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Complete 10-15 exercises applying what you learned: identification → analysis → application → creation
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Submit marked exercises for teacher feedback
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Self-check some exercises with complete answer keys
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Build confidence through structured, purposeful practice
Step 4: Reflect and Integrate
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Consider reflection questions to deepen understanding beyond exercises
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Connect strategic principles to your own writing and speaking
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Develop metacognitive awareness (thinking about your thinking)
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Build lasting habits of strategic, intentional language use
10 Courses
Covering Necessary Dimentions of Academic English
From these 10 courses you will learn: how sentences show relationships between ideas, how punctuation guides comprehension, how vocabulary signals expertise, how voice calibrates certainty, how argumentation builds claims, how formats serve different purposes. Master the system, and you can adapt to any academic challenge.
Building Academic Sentences
STRATEGIC SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION
Duration: 9 weeks
Cost: $550
Build a strong foundation in sentence structure: subjects, verbs, objects, complements, and their patterns. Learn when to use these elements strategically for clarity, precision, and emphasis. These are truly powerful language tools in Academic English.
Why this course matters: Before you can create complex sentences effectively, you need to master creating the building blocks of sentences.
MODIFYING CLAUSES FOR PRECISION AND INFORMATION DENSITY
Duration: 9 weeks
Cost: $550
Learn to embed additional information using relative clauses, participle clauses, appositive, and noun complement clauses to add sophistication and density without losing clarity.
Why this course matters: Academic writing often requires packing information efficiently. These clauses let you add details, qualifications, and specifications without creating choppy, disconnected sentences.
COMPLEX SENTENCES FOR COMPLEX IDEAS
Duration: 8 weeks
Cost: $550
Master the tools for showing relationships between ideas by means of subordination (because, although, when, if), coordination (and, but, so), and strategic choosing based on what relationships you want to express. Learn to build sentences that express complex thinking clearly.
Why this course matters: Complex ideas require complex sentences. This course teaches you to express cause/effect, contrast, condition, time, and other relationships - essential for analytical and argumentative writing.
FOUNDATIONAL ACADEMIC VOCABULARY
Duration: 10 weeks
Cost: $550
Transform what you can already say into precise academic register. Develop understanding of how vocabulary functions as a meaning-making system in academic communication and uild the vocabulary competence expected at university level and beyond.
Why this course matters: Academic vocabulary means you are using words precisely . "Demonstrate" and "show" mean slightly different things, so weneed to choose precisely. Strategic vocabulary use signals expertise and supports clear thinking.
PUNCTUATION FOR ACADEMIC WRITING
Duration: 8 weeks
Cost: $550
Use punctuation to guide reader comprehension: commas for clarity, semicolons for connection, colons for emphasis. Understand the purposes behind punctuation rules to show readers how ideas relate.
Why this course matters: Punctuation is a meaning-making system. It shows readers how ideas relate, where to pause, what to emphasize. Mastering this system makes your writing immediately clearer.
Rhetoric Tools
ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING
Duration: 8 weeks
Cost: $550
Construct convincing academic arguments: develop clear, arguable claims; support with credible evidence; address counterarguments; organize persuasive essays demonstrating critical thinking.
Why this course matters: Argumentation is the heart of university-level thinking across all disciplines. Whether analyzing literature, evaluating research, or proposing solutions, you need to build and support claims effectively.
University Success
MASTERING ESSENTIAL ESSAY TYPES
Duration: 10 weeks
Cost: $600
Master six essential essay formats used across disciplines: descriptive, compare/ contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution, analytical, and argumentative. Learn the strategic purpose and organization of each.
Why this course matters: Different assignments require different essay structures. Recognizing what is being asked and organizing appropriately is the difference between adequate and excellent responses. This course teaches you to match format to purpose.
ESSENTIAL ACADEMIC FORMATS
Duration: 8 weeks
Cost: $600
Four practical formats you will use constantly: summary writing (condensing sources accurately), response/reflection papers (engaging critically with readings), short answer exam responses (writing under time pressure), basic research paper structure (introduction, body, conclusion with integrated sources).
Why this course matters: Beyond traditional essays, university demands these specific formats. You will write summaries for literature reviews, response papers for humanities courses, exam answers across all subjects, and research papers as capstone assignments. This course teaches you exactly how. You will be able to:
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Summarize sources accurately and concisely without plagiarism
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Write response papers that balance summary with critical engagement
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Organize and write effective exam answers under time pressure
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Structure research papers with properly integrated sources
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Apply appropriate conventions for each format
Special note: This is highly practical - many students take it early for urgent help, then return to foundational courses for deeper mastery.
ACADEMIC WRITING BOOTCAMP FOR UNIVERSITY FRESHMEN
Duration: 6 weeks
Cost: $500
Six intensive lessons targeting the skills university professors expect but rarely teach: strategic reading (the reverse outline technique), moving from summary to analysis (evidence-to-analysis ratio), paragraph architecture, advanced transitions, calibrating your academic voice (hedge/boost, positioning), and strategic citation practices.
Why this course matters: This is the gap between high school essays and university papers. You are expected to read strategically, analyze rather than summarize, position yourself in scholarly conversations, and integrate sources. Most freshmen struggle because no one explicitly teaches these skills. You will be able to:
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Dismantle dense readings to find core arguments efficiently
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Write with 70% original analysis rather than just summarizing sources
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Use hedge and boost language to calibrate claim strength appropriately
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Build logical bridges between unrelated paragraphs
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Position yourself confidently relative to scholarly sources
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Integrate citations strategically to build your own authority
Special note: This course can be taken early by current university students for immediate help, though it works best after completing at least Courses 3-6. It directly addresses the analytical and rhetorical demands of university writing that confuse most freshmen.
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES
Duration: 8 weeks
Cost: $600
Comprehensive oral/aural competence for university contexts: follow complex lectures and take effective notes, participate confidently in seminars, present ideas clearly with appropriate organization, ask productive questions, think on your feet in discussions, engage in collaborative knowledge-building through academic discourse.
Why this course matters: University demands much more than basic conversation. You need to follow dense lectures, contribute meaningfully to discussions, present research clearly, respond to unexpected questions, and engage in sophisticated academic dialogue. This course teaches all these skills systematically. You will be able to:
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Follow academic lectures and take effective notes
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Identify structure and main points in lectures and discussions
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Participate confidently in seminars and tutorials
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Organize and deliver clear academic presentations
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Think on your feet and respond to questions effectively
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Ask questions that advance discussions
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Disagree respectfully, build on ideas, and synthesize in real-time
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Listen critically to evaluate arguments and evidence
Special note: This course can be taken independently of the writing sequence - whenever speaking/ listening skills become a priority.
Flexible Course Pathways
Unlike high school students with years to prepare, you need options that fit your immediate needs and busy schedule. We offer multiple pathways.
Pathway 1: Foundation & Precision
Timeline: 6-10 months
Best For:
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Students who want comprehensive writing foundations without format-specific training
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Those who need to strengthen sentence-level and paragraph-level skills systematically
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Students planning to take Course 9 (Freshmen Bootcamp) afterward and want strong preparation
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Anyone who values mastering fundamentals before tackling complete texts
Benefits:
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Master all the building blocks: sentences, vocabulary, punctuation, argumentation
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Systematic progression from simple to complex skills
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Perfect preparation for Course 9 (Freshmen Bootcamp) if you want to take it next
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Strong foundation transfers to any writing context
Pathway 2: Application & Communication
(Advanced Skills)
Timeline: 6-10 months
Apply foundational skills to complete academic texts, master university-level analytical writing, and develop comprehensive speaking/listening competence.
Best For:
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Students who already have strong sentence construction, vocabulary, and punctuation skills
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Those who need help specifically with organizing complete essays, analytical writing, and academic communication
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Students who have solid foundations but struggle with university-level expectations (analysis vs. summary, academic voice, source integration)
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International students with good English basics who need university-specific discourse skills
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Anyone who wants to focus exclusively on application-level skills
Benefits:
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Focus exclusively on application - no time spent on foundational skills you already have
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Efficient pathway for students with solid English basics
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Comprehensive coverage of university-level demands (writing + speaking)
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Addresses the "high school to university" gap directly
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Can complete in under 6 months with intensive schedule (2 courses simultaneously)
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Immediately applicable to current coursework
Pathway 3: Flexible
Timeline: Flexible
Individual courses based on specific needs. Take exactly what you need, when you need it.
Best For:
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Students with very specific skill gaps
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Those combining with other commitments
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Students wanting maximum flexibility
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Anyone preferring to test individual courses
WHO THIS IS FOR
Ideal for Students Needing Academic English Skills
Common Situations:
First-year students:
"I got through high school English, but university writing is completely different. I don't know the conventions, and I'm confused where to start."
→ Take Course 9 (Freshmen Bootcamp) immediately for intervention, then build foundations (Courses 1-8)
Mid-program students:
"I've been getting by, but my grades aren't where they should be. I know my English is holding me back."
→ Take targeted skills (Pathway 3 or specific courses)
International students adjusting to English-medium study:
"I can follow lectures okay, but writing analytical papers with proper voice and source integration is confusing."
→ Take Course 9 (Freshmen Bootcamp) for immediate help, then Courses 1-8 for comprehensive foundations
Students facing immediate deadlines:
"I have a research paper due in 6 weeks and I don't know how to integrate sources or structure it properly."
→ Take Course 8 (Essential Academic Formats) immediately for rescue, consider foundations after
Graduate school preparation:
"I'm planning graduate studies and know I need stronger academic English foundations."
→ Take comprehensive pathway - all 10 courses
These courses are GOOD for you if you:
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Are currently at university (or about to start) in an English-medium program
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Have B2 English level (can handle lectures and readings with effort, can write basic essays, can have conversations)
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Struggle with specific academic tasks (writing essays with sources, participating in seminars, exam answers, presentations, etc.)
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Can commit to regular study (3-4 hours/week per course - this is not passive watching, it is active skill development)
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Are motivated to invest in skills that matter for your entire academic and professional career
This may NOT be right if you:
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Are looking for quick exam preparation (we build deep competence; that takes time)
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Want purely conversational English (our focus is academic communication)
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Need passive learning (these courses require active engagement and practice)
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Expect learning without effort (mastery requires consistent work)
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Want big classes (we keep groups tiny intentionally)
FAQ
Can I take multiple courses simultaneously?
Yes, many students take 2 courses at once (e.g., one writing + speaking course, or two sequential writing courses). We do not recommend more than 2 simultaneously - that's 8-10 hours/week commitment plus your university coursework.
I only need help with [specific skill] - do I have to take everything?
Take exactly what you need. However, be aware that skills build on each other. For example, Course 9 (Freshmen Bootcamp) assumes you can construct complex sentences (Course 3) and have basic vocabulary/punctuation skills (Courses 4-5). We'll advise on prerequisites.
What if I start a course and realize I need foundations first?
We offer pathway adjustments. If you start Course 9 and realize you are struggling with sentence construction, we can pause and redirect you to Course 3 first. You should contact us to discuss your concerns once they arise - we are here to help you find the best option.
Is Course 9 (Freshmen Bootcamp) only for first-year students?
No. While designed with freshmen in mind, it addresses skills that many students lack even in later years. Take it whenever you realize you are struggling with analytical writing, academic voice, or strategic reading - whether that is your first year or your fourth.
Can I take courses during exam periods?
I strongly advise against taking courses during exam periods and always recommend planning your studying activities ahead to avoid overload during peak periods. I normally offer our courses with a 1-2 month's interval, year round, so you can always contact us to find out the course's next starting times to plant your workload.
What if I can't attend a live class some week?
Students who miss an online class learns the lesson material by the Student's Book - the material in each lesson is designed to be easily understood by a self-paced learner. Despite the missed lesson, the exercises which are compulsory for submission and feedback are required to be submitted in due time. I normally allow up to two misses per course.
How long are courses available?
You have lifetime access to materials, so you can review anytime. However, live classes run for 6-10 weeks with your cohort.
How long until we see improvement?
Most students notice improved understanding within 2-3 weeks and improved performance within 4-6 weeks. Significant transformation (where others notice improvement) usually takes completing 3-4 courses as skills compound.
Do you guarantee grade improvement?
We cannot guarantee specific grades (that depends on many factors including content knowledge, professor expectations, etc.). The courses aim to develop genuine academic English competence that significantly improves your ability to communicate academically.
Are these courses too basic for university students?
No. Foundation courses (1-6) teach sophisticated concepts - they are "foundational" in that they are essential, not that they are simplistic. University students often lack these foundations despite being at university. Courses 7-10 are explicitly university-level.
Will examples be relevant to my field of study?
Examples draw from multiple disciplines (sciences, social sciences, humanities) to serve diverse student populations. The principles and skills transfer across all fields. However, the instructor always takes into account the student's field of study to tailor the curriculum accordinally.
Is this British or American English?
Academic English applies conventions that work across English-speaking academic contexts. I note differences (e.g., British vs. American spelling/punctuation) where relevant, but focus on broadly accepted academic conventions.
What happens in the live online classes?
How much is independent study vs. live classes?
Roughly 2/3 independent (reading materials, doing exercises) and 1/3 live classes (applying, practicing, receiving feedback). You need both - independent study builds understanding, live classes build fluency and confidence.
What if I prefer learning on my own?
The live classes are essential components in - that is where you practice, receive feedback, ask questions. If you strongly prefer 100% independent learning, these courses may not be the best fit.
Can I access materials from my phone?
Materials are accessible on any device. However, for workbook exercises and writing practice, you will need a computer. Live classes require computer/tablet with webcam.