AP English Language & Composition cultivates the reading and writing skills that students need for college success and for engaging in the world. The course guides students in becoming curious, critical, and responsive readers and in becoming flexible, reflective writers for a variety of purposes. The focus on reading and writing is on learning how to analyze the rhetorical function of language: what is an author’s purpose, and how do they achieve their purpose? How do writers make purposeful rhetorical choices in order to persuade their audience? These questions guide our exploration of nonfiction and fiction texts, as well as guide the development of our own arguments. This course is centered on preparing students for the AP English Language & Composition Exam which takes place in May, as well as preparing students for success on the PSAT/SAT and in AP English Literature & Composition.

“For this class, stay on top of your work. If you can, work on whatever is due the day you get it up until the day it’s due. The work load is reasonable until you push it off . . . Ms. Roorda is an amazing teacher and if you listen, you will be beyond prepared.”

“Ms. Roorda is a really fun teacher, and this class will be fun and memorable.”

“This class took up a lot of my time but also prepared me really well for the AP test mostly due to the awesome Ms. Roorda.”

“I will say it is hard work but this class will benefit you and your reading and writing ability more than any other previous class.”

“AP English III is a rigorous course, but it was one of my favorite classes. Honestly, Ms. Roorda plans many fun activities, and she lets students work in groups for many assignments. A lot of teachers hate group work, but Ms. Roorda encourages it!”

“Be prepared to read things you don’t understand and write more than you ever have . . . You can do it, but you better elevate your game.”

“It’s a fun class--good books and reading passages throughout.”

Every class involves reading, writing, and discussing. Each class begins with a five minute quick write to practice endurance and responding to prompts. Most days, we work in groups to read and analyze texts, develop writing skills, peer edit our work, and discuss ideas related to our units. There are weekly vocabulary quizzes and a weekly grammar or style focus. We read a mixture of whole-class books and independently-selected texts. Our major grade essays are almost always in-class timed writes instead of take-home and revised papers. The essays we write are the ones tested on the AP exam, which are synthesis, rhetorical analysis, and argument. Most of the homework involved is reading and annotating in preparation for analysis and discussion or writing paragraphs to practice writing skills.