ENGLISH 9 HONORS

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 9

Prerequisite(s): Teacher Recommendation based on honors criteria + Structured summer reading assignment

This course counts toward the English language arts requirement for graduation. The primary focus of this course is on reading and writing, with attention to vocabulary and grammar, and speaking, listening, and viewing skills folded into instruction and assessment. Instruction will include literature circles and independent reading, which, though grounded in student choice, comes from a list based on works likely to appear on the free-response question of the AP English Literature exam. District Writing Outcomes require all students to complete papers that address narration, argumentation, personal response to texts, and light research. Writing is also used as an instructional tool and as a mode for assessment.

ENGLISH I0 COLLEGE PREP

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 10

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of English 9 CP

This course counts toward the English language arts requirement for graduation. The purpose of this course is to extend student understanding of the reading and writing process. The expectation for student independence in reading and writing increases at this level as does the expectation for insight and critical thinking in those areas. The class pace is quicker and the depth of material covered is greater. Vocabulary and grammar become part of students’ tool kits as they engage in using speaking, listening, and viewing to explore literature and other kinds of texts. The overarching concept for all literary reading is “The Self in Relation to Society.” Present in full-class readings, this theme is also found in literature circles and independent reading. District Writing Outcomes require all students to complete papers that address exposition, argumentation, personal response to text, and research using both print and electronic sources, though writing is also used as an instructional tool and as a mode for assessment. Performance assessments are used to evaluate student understanding of concepts through connections made in new arenas such as digital stories, original movies, weblogs, and podcasts. Finally, students engage in analysis of writing style by way of author studies, visual and written representations of theme, and critique of media messages.

ENGLISH 10 HONORS

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 10

Prerequisite(s): Teacher Recommendation based on honors criteria + Structured summer reading assignment

This course counts toward the English language arts requirement for graduation. The purpose of this course is to extend student understanding of the reading and writing process. The expectation for student independence in reading and writing increases at this level as does the expectation for insight and critical thinking in those areas. The class pace is quicker and the depth of material covered is greater. Vocabulary and grammar become part of students’ tool kits as they engage in using speaking, listening, and viewing to explore literature and other kinds of texts. The overarching concept for all literary reading is “The Self in Relation to Society.” Present in full-class readings, this theme is also found in literature circles and independent reading. District Writing Outcomes require all students to complete papers that address exposition, argumentation, personal response to text, and research using both print and electronic sources, though writing is also used as an instructional tool and as a mode for assessment. Performance assessments are used to evaluate student understanding of concepts through connections made in new arenas such as digital stories, original movies, weblogs, and podcasts. Finally, students engage in analysis of writing style by way of author studies, visual and written representations of theme, and critique of media messages.

ENGLISH 11 COLLEGE PREP

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 11

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of English 10 College Prep

This course counts toward the English language arts requirement for graduation. Expectations for student insight in their reading and writing move from being carefully scaffolded to greater student independence, with vocabulary, speaking, listening, and viewing skills folded into instruction and assessment. The overarching concept for all literary reading is “The Reader as Writer”. Present in full-class readings, as well as student chosen texts, students examine works intertextually, a type of academic reading they may choose to continue with other works on this theme found in literature circle and independent reading. District Writing Outcomes require all students to complete papers that address narration, argumentation, personal response to text, and research using both print and electronic sources, though writing and performance assessment tasks are also used as instructional tools and as modes for assessment. Finally, students learn strategies for success on high-stakes tests, including the NJSLA, PSAT/SAT, and ACT.

ENGLISH 11 HONORS

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 11

Prerequisite(s): Teacher Recommendation based on honors criteria + Structured summer reading assignment

This course counts toward the English language arts requirement for graduation. Expectations for student insight in their reading and writing move from being carefully scaffolded to greater student independence, with vocabulary, speaking, listening, and viewing skills folded into instruction and assessment. The overarching concept for all literary reading is “The Reader as Writer”. Present in full-class readings, as well as student chosen texts, students examine works intertextually, a type of academic reading they may choose to continue with other works on this theme found in literature circle and independent reading, which, though grounded in student choice, comes from a list based on works likely to appear on the free-response question of the AP English Literature exam. District Writing Outcomes require all students to complete papers that address narration, argumentation, personal response to text, and research using both print and electronic sources, though writing and performance assessment tasks are also used as instructional tools and as modes for assessment. Finally, students learn strategies for success on high-stakes tests, including the NJSLA, PSAT/SAT, and ACT.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 11, 12

Prerequisite(s): Teacher Recommendation + AP readiness rubric in grades 10 and 11 + Structured summer reading assignment; Current English Honors: Grade of B or higher; Current English College Prep: Grade of A or higher; Requirement(s): Students are required to take the AP exam

This course counts toward the English language arts requirement for graduation. AP English Language and Composition is designed to help students become skilled readers of prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts and to become skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. Both their writing and their reading should make students aware of the interactions among a writer's purposes, audience expectations, and subjects as well as the way generic conventions and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing. The goals of an AP English Language and Composition course are diverse because the college composition course is one of the most varied in the curriculum. But the overarching objective in most first-year writing courses is to enable students to write effectively and confidently in their college courses across the curriculum and in their professional and personal lives. Therefore, most composition courses emphasize the expository, analytical, and argumentative writing that forms the basis of academic and professional communication, as well as the personal and reflective writing that fosters the ability to write in any context. All reading in this course is college level, including the work of Pulitzer–Prize-winning master essayists, political leaders, scientists, and journalists from many different time periods.

Students will be asked to read several essays each marking period, and to respond to them in writing, through double-entry journals and other forms of written analysis. In addition, each marking period, students will be expected to write an original essay that is inspired by the writing techniques of one of the professional writers whose work they have studied. All students will be expected to complete several timed practice AP exam essays (analysis of a text in response to a prompt) and several objective sections each marking period. All students will read essays regularly at home, and record their reactions in two or three double-entry journals per marking period. Students are required to take the AP exam. Many colleges will grant credit and/or appropriate advanced placement to students who score well on the AP exam.

ENGLISH 12 COLLEGE PREP

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 12

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of English 11 College Prep

This course counts toward the English language arts requirement for graduation. Students bridge the gap from high school to college reading and writing using vocabulary, listening, speaking, and viewing skills to demonstrate critical thinking. “Global Perspectives” is the overarching understanding in full-class readings, which include nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and drama, in the first semester and student-chosen fiction and nonfiction as relating to self-selected problem-based issues in the second semester. Students are introduced to reading and writing through the lens of various types of literary criticism, as well as contemporary issues via writer’s workshops, literature circles, and independent reading. This course advances the student’s ability to write clearly and coherently by emphasizing the writing process. Technology and self-directed reading/writing are prevalent in the second semester. District Writing Outcomes emphasize and require all students to complete writing projects that address narration (the college essay), and research using both print and electronic sources. The focus of this course is to prepare students with skills and strategies for success on college entrance placement tests and college entry-level English courses.

ENGLISH 12 HONORS

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 12

Prerequisite(s): Teacher Recommendation based on honors criteria + Structured summer reading assignment

This course counts toward the English language arts requirement for graduation. Students bridge the gap from high school to college reading and writing using vocabulary, listening, speaking, and viewing skills to demonstrate critical thinking skills. The class pace, depth of material, as well as expectancy for independent work is much greater at this level. “Global Perspectives” is the overarching understanding in full-class readings, which include nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and drama in the first semester and student-chosen fiction and nonfiction as relating to self-selected problem-based issues in the second semester. Students are introduced to reading and writing through the lens of various types of literary criticism, as well as contemporary issues via writer’s workshops, literature circles, and independent reading. This course advances the student’s ability to write clearly and coherently by emphasizing the writing process. Technology and self-directed reading/writing are prevalent in the second half of the year. District Writing Outcomes emphasize and require all students to complete writing projects that address narration (the college essay), and research using both print and electronic sources. The focus of this course is to prepare students with skills and strategies for success on college entrance placement tests and college entry-level English courses.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION

Full Year | 5 credits | Grade Level: 12

Prerequisite(s): Teacher Recommendation + AP readiness rubric in grade 11 + Structured summer reading assignment; Current English Honors: Grade of B or higher; Current English College Prep: Grade of A or higher; Requirement(s): Students are required to take the AP exam

This course counts toward the English language arts requirement for graduation. AP English Literature and Composition is a college-level course for students who have demonstrated advanced proficiency in literary analysis and writing. Structure, meaning, and rhetoric are studied so that students may identify the values and assumptions that underlie an author’s use of language in many forms of discourse. Reading will include an intensive study of challenging and representative works from various genres and periods, concentrating on works of recognized literary merit. Students will read short stories, novels, plays, and complex poetry.

Students will be expected to complete frequent, short, timed writing assignments and literature logs, which require an in-depth, close-reading of the text, for all full-length texts. Short reading tests are also frequently given. Students will complete a literary research paper in the second semester of the course. Preparation for the AP English Literature exam is provided. Students are required to take the AP exam. Many colleges will grant credit and/or appropriate advanced placement to students who score well on the AP exam.