English Language Arts

Andover High School students are required to earn four credits of English and to take English all four years to qualify for a diploma.

Our curriculum is informed by the Guiding Principles for English Language Arts and Literacy Programs as outlined in the 2017 Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy. In addition to the course specific essential questions we have developed, students in grades 6-12 explore the overarching essential questions  Who am I as a reader, as a writer, as a speaker, and as a thinker?, Why are reading, writing, and storytelling essential components of the human experience?, and How does English Language Arts expand our perspective?

 Our courses are designed to...

● Develop thinking and language through interactive learning

● Use literature to develop student understanding of their literary heritage

● Draw on informational texts and multimedia to build academic vocabulary and content knowledge

● Develop oral language and literacy

● Emphasize writing arguments, explanatory/informative texts, and narratives

● Hold high expectations for all students

● Provide explicit skill instruction in writing

● Build on the language, experiences, knowledge and interests of students

● Nurture students’ sense of their common ground and prepares them to participate responsibly in school and civic life

● Reach out to families and the community to sustain a literate society

Summer Reading 

The Andover High School English Department works with the library/media specialists to encourage all students to be active readers during the vacation months. Our goal is to build a community of readers and to provide our students the experience of sharing, discussing and writing about a text at the start of each school year. The summer reading assignment/choices will be posted on the APS website.  We encourage family members to participate.

Leveling

The Honors/Level 1 course is designed for those who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in both reading and writing, who can work easily and well with abstract ideas and who can responsibly and independently manage a rigorous academic workload. 

College Prep/Level 2 course is designed for those who have demonstrated proficiency in both reading and writing, who need some assistance making the leap from concrete to abstract ideas and who benefit by a bit more structure in order to be successful with a rigorous academic workload. 

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are taught at the college level and follow an approved College Board curriculum.  AP courses are demanding courses requiring a great deal of outside preparation. The pace is rigorous. 

Criteria for Placement into Grade 9 Honors and College Prep:

Past experience indicates that students experience greatest success when the information about class levels and the course selection criteria below are followed:

• Honors – Students should average A or A- in English Grade 8.

• College Prep/Level 2 – Students should average B+ to B- in English Grade 8.

Course Offerings

English 9 explores the essential questions Why do we see the world the way we do?, How do relationships shape who we are?, How is our identity developed, changed, influenced?, and How do universal human experiences connect us to one another? Students will explore these questions through foundational texts like The Odyssey and Romeo and Juliet as well as through robust text sets that provide students with voice and choice. Students will develop their skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language throughout the year while learning to work in a collaborative community of peers.  

or

World Studies is a full year course which combines ninth grade English and Social Studies, and is therefore an alternative to taking English 9 and World History: Global Interaction separately.  This course will utilize an interdisciplinary, team-taught approach to studying the cultures, history, and literature from the time-period of early modern world history.  Using small group collaborative activities, oral presentations, process writing, debates, discussions, and individual assignments, the class will engage students in a broad spectrum of educational experiences preparing them to participate responsibly in school and civic life.  Honors and College Prep are combined in the class. 

Elective Options: 

Writing Lab  - Clear and effective communication is fundamental for success, both in high school and beyond. Some students face challenges with writing and require additional support to refine these skills. This course aims to equip students with the comprehensive skills needed to navigate the various forms of written expression required of them across all disciplines. Writing Lab will offer the ability for students to work on their specific writing needs, providing individualized writing support based on student and teacher-identified areas of growth. This course aims to equip students with the tools and techniques necessary for effective communication across diverse contexts. Open to grades 9-10.

Newspaper Production - Students enrolled in this course will learn basic interview and news writing techniques, and then be responsible for reporting and authoring news articles to appear in Andover High School’s student newspaper, ANDOVERVIEW, and at its online home, andoverview.net. Specifically, students will learn how to structure summary news articles, feature articles, opinion columns, and editorials. News photography will be addressed as well. Students will have time in class to gather news and write, though some outside time will be required as well. Class activities will be coordinated with the advisor of the student newspaper. Students may elect this course more than one time.  This class runs from 5-7 p.m. on Mondays and is to be taken in addition to an already full course load. Open to grades 9-12