Honor English 11,  Honors English 9 and Telecommunications

Honors English 11

Eleventh grade Honors English is a course designed to prepare students to succeed in collegiate Advanced Placement English programs; therefore, emphasis is placed on developing skills and techniques needed to achieve that goal.  Logical, analytical, and critical thinking skills will be refined as students broaden their reading experiences and develop more masterful writing techniques.  In the area of compositions, students will produce several essays focusing on different aspects of composition they will encounter in college (persuasive, expository, etc.), a current issue-based research paper and critical analyses of readings done in class and independently.  In literature, students will study major American writers that typify the romantic, local color, realistic, naturalistic and modern movements—including several classic American novels.  There will also be one Shakespeare play taught in tandem with the research paper.  Students will be expected to read, write about and discuss literary elements as they pertain to the larger themes of American literature and thought.

Honors English 9

The Freshmen Honors English curriculum is designed to challenge students, develop critical thinking and writing skills, and expose them to a wide variety of literature. Emphasis is placed on literary analysis, regular writing, independent research and presentations.  Writing is taught hand-in-hand with the study of literature. Students will examine techniques that professional writers use effectively and apply them to their own writing. Students will have some creative writing assignments, but emphasis is placed on the development of expository, literature-based essays.  Vocabulary will also be covered approximately every two weeks, using a vocabulary workbook. 

Telecommunications

Telecommunications teaches skills and concepts for producing video programming.  Writing, speaking, audio/video recording, and teamwork for an actual production comprise the course’s general elements.  Telecommunications also considers media’s content, societal role, influence, technology, current trends, history and career possibilities.  Students learn through text-based productions and through programs produced for the school community as members of the Brandywine Broadcasting Network (BBN).