English

English 9 introduces students to literature from different parts of the world. The class will explore how cultural, societal, and historical influences coalesce in the formation of a literary work. In addition, English 9 will provide a thorough background in English grammar and composition. Students will explore writing as a means of achieving understanding of themselves as well as a literary text. Types of writing will include journaling, free writing, personal essays, the research process, and creative writing. Also, students will find many opportunities for the mastery of public speaking—improvisation, lectures, and formal speeches.

English 10 continues the multi-cultural, multi-genre study of literature begun in the ninth grade. The course will expose students to a variety of viewpoints from various time periods and life experiences. Sophomores will further their study of composition, refining and practicing various essay types: critical analysis; process analysis; the personal essay; and the research paper. The main goal of the reading and writing assignments is to use an integrated approach using issues and topics arising from class discussions, which are then applied to student essays and oral presentations.

English 11 addresses a chronological study of American literature from the Colonial period to Post-Modern times. The course will examine the literary treatment of the individual and society, as these themes apply in each era, and will introduce various schools of literary criticism as a means of coming to terms with the evolution of what came to be distinctly American literature. Students will perform analysis, research, and give dramatic readings, while gaining insight into the similarities and differences of literature in the United Sates from its inception to the present.

Advanced Placement English Language and Composition prepares students to read and analyze non-fiction prose written in differing literary periods and with a variety of rhetorical intentions. The course encourages students to become skilled writers themselves by fostering an awareness of authorial intent, subject matter, and audience as a way of understanding complexity in the writing of others. A student should emerge from this course with a heightened sense of the literary tools one uses to produce a clear and engaging writing style.

English 12 is a college-preparatory course designed to provide students with opportunities to read critically and improve written expression. Students will read a variety of literary selections, with an emphasis on British literature from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present. In addition, students will study pieces from modern American and world literature. In tandem with the literature, students will hone writing skills as they produce a variety of types of writing—the personal essay, the comparative analysis essay, the passage analysis, the poetry commentary, and a research-based paper. The course also includes the study of vocabulary and key terms, both derived from the literature and studied in conjunction with the literature.

Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of fiction. As a college-level course, it moves at a rapid pace, and the texts studied contain adult topics and themes. Through the close reading of selected texts, students deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to convey meaning for their readers. To that end, students consider a work’s structure, style, and themes as well as other elements, such as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone. Writing assignments focus on the critical analysis of literature and primarily include expository and analytical essays. While the AP Literature and Composition course officially culminates with the AP exam in May, students also gain valuable experience with literature and writing that will continue to serve them throughout their lives.

ESOL English during the first term is offered to students new to the Academy for the first term as an alternative to the regular English class in order to support students through the integration into the academic community and especially as English students. This course replaces English 9 or English 10 during the first term for students specifically identified with high need for additional transitional time for the English language. Students taking ESOL English are assigned to ESOL elective after the first term to support the student in English language across all academic areas.

This course is designed to support students for whom English is their second or third language by providing strategies for succeeding in other academic classes, by offering individual tutorial sessions with an ESOL instructor and by offering additional preview and review opportunities along with English language mastery techniques.