1-on-1 Mastery-Based Extended Essay · Taipei

Extended Essay, from coursework to inquiry.

The Extended Essay rewards focused inquiry into a research question, not coursework completion alone. Lessons build from the subject knowledge students bring across their Diploma toward the research question formation, source engagement, sustained argument, and reflective work the Extended Essay assessment, and university coursework, will demand.

Audience
Extended Essay content, all IB Diploma students at international schools
Format
1-on-1, 1 to 1.5 hours per lesson
Duration
Typically across the 2-year IB Diploma cadence
Begin
Complimentary consultation & assessment class

What Students Learn

Mastery-based Extended Essay at the level your child's school actually requires.

The Extended Essay is for IB Diploma students who want to move past coursework completion toward the focused inquiry, sustained argument, and academic-register writing the IB Extended Essay assessment tests. The program covers the full IB Extended Essay Subject Guide. Working with the student to choose an IB Diploma subject as the EE subject area, including the considerations that make a subject viable for sustained 4,000-word inquiry. Reasoning from broad subject interest to a focused research question, including the narrowing work the IB rubric distinctively rewards and the alignment with subject-area assessment criteria. Tracing the methods of inquiry that the chosen subject area requires, including primary and secondary source engagement appropriate to History, scientific investigation appropriate to Chemistry or Biology, textual analysis appropriate to English, quantitative analysis appropriate to Economics, and the equivalent methods for any other DP subject. Analyzing sources and evidence with the depth a strong EE requires, including evaluation of reliability, relevance, and limits the assessment criteria expect. Building sustained argument across 4,000 words, including thesis development, evidence integration, and the analytical progression the IB rubric evaluates. Engaging with three reflection sessions with the student's school supervisor, including articulation of the research process on the Reflections on Planning and Progress Form the IB assessment requires. Writing the Extended Essay against the IB Extended Essay rubric, including criterion-by-criterion alignment, citation standards, and the academic register the assessment expects. These are the skills the IB Extended Essay tests, and the foundation any university discipline that requires independent research and sustained academic writing will assume.

The Extended Essay is not advanced coursework completion. The shift is from coursework to inquiry. Students move from receiving questions and content the curriculum sets to formulating their own focused research question, gathering and evaluating their own sources, and constructing a sustained argument that goes beyond what their coursework already covered. A student who can summarize what their History class taught about a period is doing the coursework work. A student who can identify a specific question their History coursework left open, gather and evaluate primary and secondary sources that address it, develop a sustained 4,000-word argument with appropriate historical method, and reflect on the limits and decisions the research process required is doing the inquiry the IB assessment rewards across subject areas. The program closes the gap between the two.

Lessons follow Harland's Extended Essay curriculum, built to bring students to mastery of Extended Essay content as defined by the IB Diploma Programme Subject Guide. The program runs ten units across the 2-year IB Diploma cadence, with each unit closing in an assessment that mirrors the EE structure and includes the analytical work the rubric requires. The Extended Essay is common to all IB Diploma students regardless of subject level, so all students complete one ~4,000-word research essay in one of their chosen IB Diploma subjects. Lessons calibrate to your child's individual gaps and the specific subject area they've chosen for their EE. If a student is writing their EE in History, the teacher works through the historical-method requirements with them, applying the unit's analytical structure to the research question they've chosen.

Progress shows up in places parents can see. Where your child once described what their coursework already covered, they now formulate research questions that go beyond what coursework reached. Where your child once gathered sources teachers had pre-selected, they now identify, evaluate, and integrate sources of their own choosing. Where the Extended Essay once felt like an open-ended task, it now feels like a structured research project your child can plan, argue, and write against the IB rubric.

How We Teach It

Extended Essay taught for understanding, with the grade arriving as a consequence.

Harland's pedagogy is content-based learning. Research-question development, sustained argument, and the analytical depth the IB Extended Essay rewards develop through the subject area, sources, and writing your child is already working with. Assessments check whether the inquiry holds up when the student moves to new sources and writing alone.

A student writing their EE in History works on it with their teacher, building the reasoning that connects historical method, source evaluation, and the limits of historical claims to the research question they've chosen. A student writing their EE in Chemistry works on it with their teacher, applying the unit's analytical structure to experimental design, data analysis, and the chemistry-method requirements the IB assessment criteria for that subject test. A student writing their EE in English Literature works on it with their teacher, building the scaffolding that lets them analyze textual evidence, weigh interpretive positions, and form their own argued reading with the rigor the IB rubric expects.

Extended Essay students arrive with two layers under the surface. The Diploma matrix pressure is real. The EE grade combines with the TOK grade through the IB matrix to award between zero and three bonus points toward the IB Diploma's total, and most students know it. But beneath the matrix pressure is a specific cognitive challenge that defines the EE assessment. Coursework completion is not the hard part. The hard part is formulating a research question that goes beyond what coursework already addressed, gathering and evaluating sources independently, sustaining a 4,000-word argument across a clear thesis, and reflecting on the research process with the inquiry the IB rubric expects. The 1-on-1 format gives teachers room to slow down where the research-method ground is unfamiliar, and to keep the work rigorous without losing the student's engagement with their chosen subject area. Skill and inquiry develop together. Neither moves far in isolation.

The format also lets teachers calibrate within the program's structure. A student fluent with subject knowledge but uncomfortable with research-question formulation gets pushed toward the questions the assessment will ask. Why this question rather than a broader or narrower version. What evidence would settle it. How does this question fit the subject-area methodology the EE assessment criteria expect. A student strong on research design but weak on the sustained essay-writing the EE requires gets work calibrated to the rubric's expectations. That means refining argument structure across 4,000 words, integrating evidence with analytical commentary, organizing the essay around a clear thesis, and writing against the criteria the IB assessment uses.

The Extended Essay has one substantial assessment component. Each IB Diploma student writes one Extended Essay of up to 4,000 words on a research question they develop in one of their Diploma subjects, with an IB-authorized supervisor at their school providing three to five hours of formal guidance through three reflection sessions documented on the Reflections on Planning and Progress Form. The EE is externally assessed by IB examiners and combines with the TOK grade through the IB Diploma matrix to award between zero and three bonus points toward the IB Diploma total. Harland's 1-on-1 Extended Essay program supports students through every stage of the research and writing work, with explicit acknowledgment that the formal supervisor relationship sits with the student's school. Teachers help students choose a research question that fits both the rubric criteria and the depth a 4,000-word essay requires, develop the research methodology appropriate to the chosen subject area, work through source analysis and argument construction, and structure the writing against the IB assessment criteria. The supervisor relationship and Reflections on Planning and Progress Form authentication happen at school, and Harland's role is the research, analytical, and writing work that turns a research question into a strong Extended Essay.

Curriculum and Alignment

A structured curriculum keyed to the IB Extended Essay Subject Guide.

Extended Essay at Harland follows a structured curriculum keyed to the IB Extended Essay Diploma Programme Subject Guide, common to all IB Diploma students. A student who completes the program has demonstrated mastery of Extended Essay content as the IB Subject Guide defines it.

Harland's Extended Essay program runs ten units across the 2-year IB Diploma cadence, with research-question development and sustained-argument writing integrated across the cadence rather than rushed at the deadline. Most school EE arrangements give students access to a supervisor with limited contact hours, with the bulk of the research and writing work happening alongside other coursework. 1-on-1 lessons add structured time to each stage of the EE process, so the research question, source work, and writing each get the depth they need. The time invested goes into the inquiry the IB Diploma assessment rewards.

Standards
IB Extended Essay Diploma Programme Subject Guide, with the Extended Essay rubric as the cross-cutting skill framework calibrated to the student's chosen subject area
Materials
Harland curriculum materials, sources and primary research the student gathers for their EE subject, the student's school subject syllabus for the chosen EE subject, and exemplar Extended Essays integrated as ongoing input
Assessment
End-of-unit assessments aligned with the IB Extended Essay rubric and the subject-specific assessment criteria the student's EE subject area applies
Reporting
Skill-level tracking against Harland's internal rubrics, mapped to IB assessment criteria

Prerequisites and What Comes Next

Where the Extended Essay fits in your child's learning.

Before starting

The Extended Essay is required for all IB Diploma students, and no separate prerequisites apply beyond what the broader Diploma assumes. The program rewards comfortable academic reading, essay-level writing, and the subject-area depth the student's chosen EE subject demands. Students arriving with weaker analytical English fluency work through gaps in foundational analytical reading before or alongside Extended Essay proper.

One thing to know about supervision. The IB requires every Extended Essay candidate to have an authorized supervisor at their school, who provides three to five hours of formal guidance through three reflection sessions and authenticates the Reflections on Planning and Progress Form. Harland is not an IB-authorized delivery school and therefore cannot serve as the formal supervisor. Harland's 1-on-1 tutoring focuses on the research-question development, source analysis, sustained argument construction, and writing the IB Extended Essay rubric directly tests. The supervisor relationship and Reflections on Planning and Progress Form authentication happen at school per IB requirements, and Harland's role is the research, analytical, and writing work that turns a research question into a strong Extended Essay.

The consultation and assessment class establishes whether Extended Essay support is the right starting point and whether parallel work in foundational analytical reading or Academic English would help. Some students arrive needing both English-foundation reinforcement and EE-specific support, and the lesson plan covers what's most urgent first.

What comes after

Most students complete the Extended Essay across the 2-year IB Diploma cadence, with research-question development and source work typically beginning in the first year and the sustained writing happening in the second year. Cadence varies by entry point and submission timing, with most students attending one to three sessions per week.

The Extended Essay is graded on a letter scale of A to E, combined with the TOK grade through the IB Diploma matrix to award between zero and three bonus points toward the IB Diploma total. After the Diploma, the research-question formation, source-evaluation, and sustained academic writing the Extended Essay develops carries directly into any university discipline that requires independent research and extended academic writing. The Extended Essay pairs structurally with TOK through the Diploma matrix, and students often work with their EE teacher on the parallel TOK Exhibition and Essay too.

The longer-term aim of Extended Essay support is to make itself unnecessary. The program brings students to mastery of Extended Essay content. Students complete their research, write their essay, submit it through their supervisor, and the program's role ends. A parent who's no longer worried about their child's Extended Essay work is the point of all of it.

Common Questions

Common questions about Extended Essay at Harland.

Who is Extended Essay at Harland for? +
Extended Essay at Harland is for high school students working through the IB Diploma Programme. Most of our students fall into one of two patterns. Most are working on their Extended Essay alongside school coursework and come to us for support beyond what their school supervisor's three-to-five-hour formal guidance provides, building the research-question depth, source analysis, and sustained-argument writing the IB Extended Essay assessment rewards. Some are preparing for the May or November submission in an intensive run-up, working through draft revisions, source integration, and targeted criterion-by-criterion refinement in the weeks or months before submission. Students whose situation falls outside these two patterns, including students transitioning curricula mid-DP, students at schools without strong IB programs, or students who need a more flexible curriculum than the standard Extended Essay program provides, work with us through Harland's Academic Coaching framework, where the curriculum is calibrated to the individual situation rather than the IB Subject Guide alone.
My child can do assigned coursework but struggles with the independent research-question formation and sustained argument the Extended Essay requires. Can the program help with that kind of thinking? +
This is a familiar situation. The Extended Essay assessment tests a kind of thinking that subject classes don't always practice directly. Formulating a research question that goes beyond what coursework already addressed. Gathering and evaluating sources independently rather than working from a teacher-curated list. Sustaining a 4,000-word argument with the inquiry the IB Extended Essay rubric rewards. We work directly on these skills, slowing down on the research-question development the EE distinctively requires, on the source-engagement and sustained argument the rubric tests, and on the criterion-by-criterion alignment that distinguishes a strong response from a vague one. Most students who come to us strong on subject knowledge but struggling on the research-question and sustained-writing prompts close that gap by working through the rubric explicitly, with sample questions and practice under sustained writing conditions.
What does the Extended Essay program cover? +
The program follows the IB Extended Essay Diploma Programme Subject Guide. Content covers research-question development calibrated to whichever IB Diploma subject the student chooses (History, Chemistry, English, Economics, and so on), source engagement appropriate to that subject area, sustained argument construction across 4,000 words, and the Reflections on Planning and Progress Form work the IB assessment requires. The Extended Essay is common to all IB Diploma students regardless of subject level. The program prepares students for the externally assessed Extended Essay (an essay of up to 4,000 words written in one IB Diploma subject area), supported through every stage from research-question development to final submission. The Extended Essay is graded on a letter scale of A to E and combines with the TOK grade through the IB Diploma matrix to award between zero and three bonus points toward the IB Diploma total. Harland's program runs ten units across the 2-year IB Diploma cadence, calibrated to the framework your child's specific subject area and supervisor relationship requires.
How long is each lesson and how often does my child attend? +
Lessons are 1-on-1 sessions of 1 to 1.5 hours, in person at our head office in Da'an or online. Most students attend one to three lessons per week. Harland's Extended Essay program runs ten units across the 2-year IB Diploma cadence. At one or two lessons per week alongside a school IB course, the program runs through the DP cycle and concludes with the May or November submission. At three lessons per week, the program covers the same content at faster pace. For students preparing in an intensive run-up to the submission, the cadence increases as the deadlines approach, typically two to four months at higher frequency. The Student Coordinator helps you choose the cadence that fits.
How are lessons scheduled, and what if we need to reschedule? +
Lessons happen on a fixed weekly slot reserved with your child's primary teacher. This protects the teacher's time and keeps a consistent rhythm for your child. If you need to reschedule, give us at least 24 hours of notice and we'll find another time when your teacher is available. Many families add classes during summer or winter vacation, either to accelerate progress or to make up for a slower term. Once a unit has started, it should be completed within a defined window. The Student Coordinator walks through the details when you enroll.
Can my child begin Extended Essay over the summer? +
Yes. Summer enrollment is available across Harland's IB Diploma programs, with two patterns. Students preparing for the upcoming May or November submission in an intensive run-up sometimes begin or accelerate in summer at higher cadence (typically two to three sessions per week), particularly when their research-question development is still open, when their draft is incomplete, or when the run-up to the submission needs concentrated time. Students preparing for a submission session further out (i.e., entering or partway through the 2-year DP) often use summer for a head-start block, working through subject-area reading, research-question exploration, or building the prerequisite foundation before the next school year begins. The Student Coordinator helps you choose the right summer pattern based on which session your child is preparing for and where their Extended Essay work currently stands.
How do you measure progress? +
Progress is measured through unit assessments aligned with the IB Extended Essay Subject Guide. Harland's Extended Essay program is organized into ten units across the 2-year IB Diploma cadence. Each unit closes with an assessment that mirrors the EE structure, including the research-question development the Extended Essay distinctively tests, the sustained 4,000-word research argument the Essay submission requires, the reflective work the Reflections on Planning and Progress Form documents, and the IB Extended Essay assessment rubric, and measures conceptual understanding, source-analysis depth, sustained-argument coherence, and the inquiry that connects research questions to defensible positions across the unit's content. Parents receive updates after every lesson and formal progress reports when each unit ends. Skill-level tracking uses Harland's internal rubrics, which map to IB assessment criteria. Where helpful, the Student Coordinator translates this into the expectations of your child's school.
How do we begin? +
Every Harland relationship begins with a consultation, followed by a 1-on-1 assessment class. The consultation is about your goals and your child's situation. The assessment class is about how your child works in the subject. Together they tell us where to start and what kind of teacher will fit best.

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