15 Online English Courses for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 2 hours ago
- 9 min read
If you are in middle school and want to improve how you read, write, and express ideas, taking an online English course can be a practical and beneficial step.
What are online courses? What do online English courses entail?
Online English courses help you practice outside the classroom and give you the space to focus on writing, grammar, and communication at your own pace. You can work on essays, creative writing, or even short projects that show how language works in real use. These courses are flexible, so you can join from anywhere and choose a schedule that fits your school routine.
Learning English through structured online courses also helps you prepare for future academic work. As you move toward high school, these skills become more important for writing assignments, presentations, and exams. Completing such a course and earning a certificate can also strengthen your academic record, showing that you take the initiative to build core skills.
Here is a list of 15 online English courses for middle school students that can help you begin.
15 Online English Courses for Middle School Students
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program type (full financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Several cohorts year-round
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program allows you to work one-on-one with a mentor from a leading university to develop an independent project. Over eight weeks, you’ll explore different topics, refine a research question, and produce a final piece of work, such as a report, case study, or written analysis. The program emphasizes research and writing skills, supported by individual mentoring and guidance from a writing coach. It’s a structured way to begin thinking critically and communicating your ideas through writing. While not a traditional online English course, it builds many of the same academic and analytical skills. You can apply here.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to audit; paid certificate available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: All learners
Grammar and Punctuation is an online course offered on Coursera by the University of California, Irvine, designed to help middle school students strengthen their command of written English. You revisit essential grammar topics like verb tenses, conjunctions, sentence types, and comma usage, learning how to apply these rules in your writing. Each module includes short video lessons and interactive exercises that reinforce your understanding. You also participate in peer discussions, where you explain grammar choices and review examples from others. By the end of the course, you’ll have a stronger grasp of sentence structure and punctuation, along with a portfolio of writing that reflects your progress.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to audit; paid certificate available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: Recommended for intermediate students
Learn English: Intermediate Grammar Specialization is a four-course series on Coursera, offered by the University of California, Irvine, designed to help you master complex grammar topics and apply them confidently in writing. You begin with Perfect Tenses and Modals, where you explore verb forms like present perfect, past perfect, and progressive tenses, along with modal verbs. Next, Adjectives and Adjective Clauses help you add complexity to your writing and speech. Then, Tricky English Grammar tackles obscure rules and common mistakes.
Finally, you complete the Intermediate Grammar Project, creating a multimedia “scrapbook” that showcases your understanding using real-world examples from articles, movies, or songs. You’ll engage with video lectures, readings, quizzes, and peer-reviewed assignments, building skills in grammar, vocabulary, writing, and multimedia content creation. The specialization is taught in English, supports 25 languages, and includes 52 practice exercises.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to audit; paid certificate available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: Open to middle and high school students
Learn English: Advanced Grammar and Punctuation Specialization is a four-course series on Coursera, offered by the University of California, Irvine, designed to help you refine your academic writing and master advanced grammar. You explore complex grammar structures like noun clauses, conditionals, and advanced verb tenses, with a focus on precision, clarity, and sentence rhythm. You also learn punctuation techniques that make long or detailed writing easier to follow, such as how to use colons, semicolons, and dashes effectively. Each module builds toward a final project where you apply everything you’ve learned in extended writing tasks.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to audit; paid certificate available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Recommended for intermediate learners
Learn English: Writing Effectively with Complex Sentences Specialization is a three-course online program offered by the University of California, Irvine on Coursera. You study how to use adverbs, adjectives, and noun clauses to make your writing more expressive and grammatically accurate. Each course focuses on one clause type and guides you through common mistakes, practical applications, and short writing tasks. You complete quizzes, peer-reviewed assignments, and a final paragraph project that showcases your progress. The course is self-paced and takes about one month if you study ten hours per week.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to audit; paid certificate available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: All learners
Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization is a four-course series by the University of Michigan on Coursera. It helps you strengthen your writing through lessons on sentence structure, organization, drafting, and revision. In the first course, you study how word choice and order affect meaning and reader response. You learn to use syntax purposefully, punctuate correctly, and organize complex ideas clearly. The second course builds on structure and flow, showing you how to connect ideas smoothly and use sentence length for balance. The third course focuses on drafting. You learn how to begin projects, keep them moving, and handle common challenges like writer’s block or time pressure. The final course covers revision. You work on tone, rhythm, and emphasis, learning how small changes can improve the overall quality of your writing.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to audit; paid certificate available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: Students with an interest in writing
Writing for Young Readers: Opening the Treasure Chest is a free online course on Coursera by the Commonwealth Education Trust. It helps you understand how to write stories for children and young readers. You learn the basics of storytelling, such as character, setting, plot, and theme, and how to use them to engage young audiences. Through videos, readings, and peer workshops, you write your own stories while exploring how words and illustrations work together in children’s books. The course has five modules and usually takes about two weeks to finish if you study ten hours a week. You go from developing ideas to editing and preparing your work for publication. You also reflect on your writing style and learn to assess your drafts.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to audit; paid certificate available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: All learners; some modules may be more suitable for advanced middle schoolers
How to Read a Novel is a beginner-level online course on Coursera, taught by Hannah Boast from the University of Edinburgh, designed to help you analyze fiction as both art and structure. You explore how authors use plot, characterization, dialogue, and setting to shape a story’s emotional and intellectual impact. Each module focuses on a different aspect of narrative design, including pacing, narrative framing, and unreliable narration. You learn to identify techniques that influence how readers experience time, trust characters, and interpret meaning. The course uses examples from contemporary novels and encourages you to reflect on your own reading habits and preferences.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to audit; paid certificate available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: All learners
Creative Writing: The Craft of Plot is an online course offered on Coursera by Wesleyan University, designed to help middle school students understand how story structure shapes reader engagement. You learn how to build a compelling plot by studying pacing, character decisions, and scene progression. The course introduces frameworks like Freytag’s Pyramid to help you plan your own stories, and you analyze familiar books to see how authors create tension and resolution. Each module includes video lessons, readings, quizzes, and peer-reviewed assignments. You participate in discussions and exercises that show how scenes connect and how structure influences emotional impact.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to audit; paid certificate available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: All learners
Sharpened Visions: A Poetry Workshop is an online course on Coursera offered by California Institute of the Arts, designed to help you explore poetry as both art and craft. You study how poets use sound, rhythm, imagery, and structure to create meaning, and you learn to apply those tools in your own writing. Weekly modules guide you through exercises on metaphor, rhyme, line breaks, and revision, helping you shape your creative voice while developing an editor’s eye for language. You participate in peer review and receive instructor guidance, giving you feedback that helps refine your poems.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to audit; paid certificate available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: All learners; some modules may be suitable for advanced middle schoolers
English Composition I is an online course on Coursera by Duke University that helps you develop strong academic writing skills for school and beyond. You learn how to read critically, form arguments, and write for different purposes and audiences, and each module connects writing concepts to real assignments such as visual analyses, case studies, and opinion pieces. You practice planning, drafting, revising, and citing sources properly while also giving and receiving peer feedback to improve editing skills. The course focuses on building a steady writing process that takes you from ideas to final drafts. You study how structure, tone, and clarity shape your writing and develop habits that make your work more organized and effective.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to audit; paid certificate available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Runs periodically
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: All learners
UQx: English Grammar and Style is an eight-week online course on edX by the University of Queensland. It helps you understand how English works through grammar, structure, and style. You start by learning parts of speech, sentence structures, and verb tenses, then move to topics like paragraph rhythm, punctuation, and word choice. The course focuses on applying grammar in real writing rather than memorizing rules. You work through video lessons, quizzes, and short writing tasks to practice what you learn. You also study how accuracy affects clarity and tone, and how to edit your writing with more focus and precision.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varied subscription plans
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Varies
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: Students aged 12–17
The British Council English Online Course is a virtual program for students aged 12 to 17 who want to build stronger English communication skills in a flexible learning format. Enrollment is open year-round, and you can choose between private lessons or small-group sessions based on your learning goals. The course covers speaking, pronunciation, grammar, and writing through themed lessons on business, social, and everyday English. You take part in live classes with experienced teachers and use interactive materials like videos and online exercises to practice independently.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to audit; paid certificate available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: All learners; intermediate-level English speakers benefit most
Speak English Professionally: In Person, Online & On the Phone is a five-module online course offered by Georgia Tech Language Institute on Coursera. It’s designed to help you speak English with confidence in everyday and professional situations. You learn how to make small talk, introduce yourself clearly, participate in online meetings, handle phone conversations, and prepare for job interviews. Each module includes video lessons, readings, and peer discussions where you practice with learners from around the world. You also study how body language and pronunciation affect communication, and you receive feedback to improve your delivery. The course ends with a capstone project where you create a short professional presentation
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to audit; paid certificate available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: None
Eligibility: All learners; beginner to intermediate English speakers
Lesson: Small Talk & Conversational Vocabulary is a short, self-paced online lesson on Coursera taught by Amalia B. Stephens from the Georgia Tech Language Institute. It’s part of the Speak English Professionally specialization and focuses on helping you feel more confident starting and continuing casual conversations in professional settings. You learn useful phrases and vocabulary for small talk, explore which topics are appropriate in workplace conversations, and practice how to initiate and sustain dialogue with ease. The lesson includes brief video instruction, readings, quizzes, and a certificate of completion.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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