English Language Arts

Secretary: Susana MorenoPhone: (626) 821-1791

Department Co-Chairs: Trish Naughtin and Melissa Wright

All students must be enrolled in an English class every semester and must earn a total of 40 units of English credit in order to graduate. Ninth through eleventh grade classes are year-long courses. All courses comply with the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. In these courses, students will master a variety of language arts skills with both fiction and nonfiction pieces.

Advanced Placement/Honors English

The English AP/Honors program is a three year program designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement Examination in Language and Composition and the Advanced Placement Examination in Literature and Composition administered annually by The College Board. The English Honors course sequence is intended for the highly motivated student who desires to work at an academically accelerated rate.

10th-12th Preparation for Advanced Placement

English Preparation for Advanced Placement English begins when a student enters the English Honors program. Admission to the program is open to all students. The Advanced Placement English Program for juniors and seniors provides intensive study of literature and composition in preparation for the comprehensive exams in May.

Expectations of English Advanced Placement and Honors Students

We expect English AP/Honors students to be highly proficient in the English language: they should read sensitively, be sophisticated enough to deal with literature containing mature themes, write with precision, have an understanding of grammatical sentence structure, and actively participate in class discussions, as well as individual and group presentations.

AHS Curriculum Guide

Click below to read current English Department course descriptions