English

In this course students will increase their skills in correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure and writing skills. Students will also study the structure of paragraphs and learn to write expository, narrative, persuasive, and comparison/contrast paragraphs. Literature will be examined by the plot, structure, characterization, and imagery.

Students will continue to focus upon the skills of correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure and writing skills. Continued instruction will be given covering the parts of speech, and students will further their competency in composition. Literary studies will require students to analyze the characteristics and figures of speech they encounter in their reading, with emphasis upon metaphor, simile, personification, rhyme, alliteration, assonance, plot, conflict, theme, characterization, climax, and irony. Analytical and composition skills will be utilized when writing assignments describing authors, literary selections, or literary characters.

In English II, the students will learn various grammatical skills, analyze literature, and concentrate on definitions and the correct usage of words. Grammatical skills will continue to address manuscript form, capitalization, punctuation, recognition of sentences, and the eight parts of speech. Learning to write various compositions will enable the student to concentrate on structure, development, unity, and coherence. Students will profit from their study of world literature through selective analysis of various stories. They will gain a respect for a finished piece of literature as well as develop a sense of error.

In English IV, the student will read and respond to British literary works in a variety of forms including novels, short stories, poetry, drama, essays, and nonfiction. Analysis of literature will include identifying main ideas, opinions, and significant supporting details in selections; analyzing how relationships, images, patterns, and symbols are used to convey implied meanings; and evaluating the merit of an argument, action, or policy by examining evidence in the material itself and by comparing the evidence with information available in other sources. In addition to the literature study, the course will include further development in the student’s composition skills by having the student organize writing in clear, coherent sequences, making connections and transitions among ideas, paragraphs, and sentences; and by having the student convey clear, focused main ideas with accurate and relevant supporting details in ways appropriate to topic, context, audience, and purpose.

In Accelerated Reading, students are actively engaged in reading to improve comprehension. Students are guided in selecting books based on their individual reading levels, and comprehension quizzes are completed for each book. Listening skills are developed through oral reading.

An AP course in English Literature and Composition engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. Students strive to deepen their understanding of how writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. Students consider a work’s structure, style, and themes and the way figurative language, imagery, symbolism, and tone contribute to the overall purpose of the work. The course also includes representative works from many genres and periods of literature. Writing assignments focus on the critical analysis of literature and include expository, analytical, and argumentative essays. In addition, well-constructed creative writing assignments are pursued to breech the gap between reading and application. Students who enroll in this course must take the Advanced Placement exam in the spring at a cost of approximately $86.00. Students who successfully complete the course and the examination will receive the weighted GPA.

Concepts of organization, memory techniques, test taking strategies, note taking, listening skills, and related topics will be covered to prepare students to perform more successfully in the classroom.

In Speech, the student will learn specific skills and strategies that apply to the planning, preparation, rehearsal, and presentation stages of any type of speech. Beginning with the basic concepts of communication, students will assess their own strengths and weaknesses as communicators and will learn techniques to improve their speaking effectiveness. This is followed by practice in limiting topics to manageable size, identifying specific purposes for speeches, finding supporting information for speeches, writing introductions and conclusions, and presenting speeches for a variety or purposes in a variety of speaking situations. Students will also be introduced to skills utilized in oratorical performance.