Students take one of these two courses.

Hon English 9

• English 9 lays the foundation for the detailed analysis and argumentation that is expected of students throughout high school. In Writing and Language 9A, students explore and develop their voices as writers. Approaching literature as apprentice writers, they examine models such as short stories, essays, and novels to explore the choices writers make and the effects arising from those choices. They learn to emulate those effects in their own work and practice reflection, revision, and rewriting. In Literature and Language 9B, students hone their critical reading skills by studying texts closely. Through careful reading and analysis, students learn to consider diverse interpretations of experience that arise out of a wide variety of perspectives.

Pre-IB English 9

• The Pre-IB English program for grade 9 is designed to prepare students for the rigorous demands of the International Baccalaureate program in English. Throughout the first year, an emphasis on the writing process complements the study of literature. The first semester introduces literary analysis, with a focus on early American history and experiences. As they study writers, students will also develop their own writing skills., working on word choice, sentence construction, and the development of the narrative and the essay. The second semester offers students opportunities to study texts closely from varying perspectives, honing their critical reading skills at the same time as applying the writing strategies developed during the first term. Both semesters will explore literary concepts in a variety of genres and introduce literary criticism which will help prepare students for the formal written assignments of IB English. In addition, the students will learn grammatical concepts that will improve their writing skills and help them to be better readers. Students will have the opportunity to develop oral communication skills that will help them become effective communicators.

Students take one of these two courses

Hon English 10

• Between Writers and Readers: Giving Voice to Ideas focuses on specific genres to help students understand how authors' perceptions of the world drive them to convey their understanding of the human experience. The course includes four units: Stories of the Individual-Memoir and Coming-of-Age Stories; Stories in the Oral Tradition-Drama and Epic Poetry; Stories in the World-Historical and Political Literature; and Stories of Other Worlds-Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Imaginative Literature. Students compose in different modes for different purposes, with opportunities to practice composing in the genres they study.

Pre-IB English 10

• MCPS-PIB-English-10 is a course within our Regional IB program and is designed to prepare students for the rigorous demands of the International Baccalaureate program. This course will have an emphasis on elevating students' writing, literary, argumentative, and research skills. This course allows staff to explicitly tailor student instruction in order to meet the needs of our students and develop the skills necessary for a successful future in upper level English courses. Throughout the school year, students will read, analyze, and write about a wide variety of challenging fiction and non-fiction texts, including visual and multimedia texts, with the goal of understanding how authors adapt the content and style of their writing to their audience and purpose. Students will write frequently and reflectively using different modes for a variety of contexts to develop confidence in adapting writing to their own purposes as well as to cultivate their fluency and voices as writers. Ultimately, this course highlights the significance of critical thinking, close reading, and effective communication at a higher level than that of a standard English 10 class. 

Students take one of these three courses

Hon English 11

• Inquiry into the American Experience encourages both teacher and student autonomy in order to provide for the kind of creative, authentic, and deep teaching and learning necessary to prepare all students for college and careers. The word "inquiry" in the course title emphasizes the search to make meaning, and the subject of that inquiry is the multitude of different ways that individuals experience life in this country. Teachers develop units based on broad themes and open-ended questions, engaging students with complex texts, ideas, and writing assignments. Throughout the course, teachers also encourage students to choose texts from diverse perspectives and time periods, research issues that interest them, and present their ideas in a variety of analytical and creative formats.

IB English Language & Literature SL 1

• In this first year of the course, students explore selected works of literature to appreciate the artistry of literature and to develop an ability to reflect critically on their reading. Works are studied in their literary and cultural contexts, through close study of individual texts and passages, and by considering a range of critical approaches. One of two papers for the external assessment is written, and oral assessments are completed for a portion of the IB score. All work is designed to prepare students for both the oral and written portions of the IB exams.

IB English Language & Literature HL 1

• This first year of the two-year course aims to develop students textual analysis skills and the understanding that texts, both literary and non-literary, can be seen as autonomous yet simultaneously related to culturally determined reading practices. The course develops an understanding of how language, culture, and context determine the ways in which meaning is constructed in texts. It also focuses on how to think critically about the different interactions between text, audience, and purpose.

• One of three papers for the external IB assessment is written, and one of two oral assessments is completed for a portion of the IB score. All work is designed to prepare students for both the oral and written portions of the higher-level IB English Language and Literature exam.

Students take one of these three courses

Hon English 12

• Inquiry into the Global Experience encourages students to consider multiple and complex points of view on universal themes and global issues. Students pursue questions that interest them and read a variety of texts that are diverse in terms of cultural experiences, time period, and world view, including texts from non-Eurocentric perspectives. The word "inquiry" in the course title emphasizes the search to make meaning and grapple with the big ideas and challenging issues of our increasingly global society. In preparation for college and careers, students continue to develop skills for using language to understand a world that is changing rapidly in terms of how information is produced and shared.

IB English Language & Literature SL 2 (prerequisite IB Eng Lit SL 1)

• This course completes the requirements for the higher-level IB English exam. The study of works in translation introduces students, through literature, to other cultural perspectives. The response to the study of literature is through oral and written communication, thus enabling students to develop and refine their command of language. Skills for essay responses to detailed questions and oral analysis of selected literature are polished. External assessment of a literary commentary on a previously unseen passage is completed.

IB English Language & Literature HL 2 (prerequisite IB Eng Lang & Lit HL 1) 

• This course completes the requirements for the higher-level IB English Language and Literature exam. The aim of the course is the development of an understanding of critical literacy in students. Students produce a critical response evaluating aspects of text, context, and meaning, and demonstrate an ability to write a balanced, comparative analysis.

These are the English electives being taught in 2025-26

Creative Writing

• This course is designed for students interested in creative and advanced expository writing. Students receive guided instruction in creative writing with special emphasis on poetry, drama, fiction, and expository writing. Regular guidance and instruction take place mainly in small, common-interest groups, supplemented by frequent teacher-student conferences and critiques.

IB Film

• IB Film is a rigorous, upper-level English elective for students with a passion for movies. In the class, students watch, discuss, analyze, and review some of the greatest films in cinematic history while making their own film projects as well. 

Graphic Novel Literature

• This course is designed to introduce students to graphic novels as literary texts suitable for critical analysis. Students will encounter graphic novels of literary merit representing multiple genres such as memoir, fiction, historical narrative, and autobiography. Reading and discussion of texts will focus on both the content of the literature (the story) and the craft (the use of formal conventions in both writing and art). Students will use their knowledge of these formal conventions to engage in class discussions and respond to the text in informal and formal written critical analyses.

Academic Reading

• Using the READ 180 materials developed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, this reading intervention program builds literacy skills for selected students. This course may be repeated unlimited times for elective credit.